Have CNAs bullied nurses (RNs/LPNs)?

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Dec 10, 2011

Well they don't have power or authority over you and technically are under you, but that doesn't mean they can't give you trouble. If they don't like you or they're lazy, they can make your life miserable mouthing off, making rude or sarcastic comments, refusing to do things if you delegate or more commonly they give you "too busy" or say they will, but then don't due what you requested. Then do you push the issue or do it yourself? It is better for you to make sure they follow thru and don't give in to these games.

That said if you have a good relationship with them your life will be much easier. Treat them with respect and be a team player and help them turn or clean up a patient so they don't get injured with the many obese patients nowadays. Tell them you appreciate them and their hard work.

SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS · Dec 10, 2011

At the LTC facility where I worked, RN's got bullied by CNA's and LPN's. It was not a nice place to work. The CNA's bullied each other, too.

mindlor · Dec 10, 2011

Time to fire some people. Not enough people get fired.

FIRE FIRE FIRE.....

AddisonLawrence03 · Dec 10, 2011

What is a good field in nursing to avoid potential bullying?

mindlor · Dec 10, 2011

uhhhhhhhhhh, get your phd and do research and lock the doors to the lab :)

jschut, BSN, RN · Dec 10, 2011

I have seen it mostly in LTCF. CNA's that are older, maybe, or know that a nurse has recently graduated, some have a tendency to not listen to.

Then again, I work in Hospice, and a couple of the HHA's don't "bully" per say, but they sure do test the waters. For instance, we have one that does not do good peri or oral care, and I know of 3 of the RN's that have complained, and written up supervisory notes on this gal, but she continues. Why? Because she doesn't get in trouble for any of it. She has also been reported for discussing medications with the family members, and making suggestions as to what she thinks may work, instead of referring the family to the RN Case Manager.

I blame the management team. If it is reported to them, and they do nothing, then there is nothing else that can be done. All we can do is continue to teach and reprimand.

favthing, APRN · Dec 10, 2011

Aides, not even certified where I work, in assisted living run the show.

I used to stand firm (as a nurse should) about care standards, and really advocate for care of residents. There was a group of aides who told the administrator I was harassing them and they felt in danger, as they defiantly sat together and didn't move when I'd clearly told them to help...I told them if they didn't move I'd write them up. It turned out I was "threatening" them, and it was me who was in trouble.

The #1 reason I'm leaving the place where I work for a new job is because aides are given a ticket to take over, as aide "team leaders" have more say than the nurses about care. The results are showing, as a resident was discovered to have not been showered for half a month just last week, a resident who was on hospice and just passed last week was with very greasy hair (the family mentioned concern)...I went to the DON, who was going to look into it. :eek: It's in the interest of the team leaders to not share negative information, and they report directly to the administrator! I am literally afraid to say anything myself to the aides anymore; they always are in denial or have some excuse, and it's always the "mean" nurse who spoke in a way that offended them who is in trouble. I will never stop being an advocate for the patient, though, and have found a new job (where I've been assured by the DON that nurses ARE supervisors of care of the residents, and CAN write up aides, and WILL be supported as long as clear evidence). Currently, it's unbelievable how things are run, and as a family-owned business, it's about who you are, not what you know or quality results.

kcmylorn · Dec 10, 2011

In a word- YES. In another work- we are forced to prostitute our RN license to the these uneducated people that are the equivalant of bullying, threatening, extorting and intimadating holigans.

RNperdiem, RN · Dec 10, 2011

I have not seen any bullying, but passive aggressive behaviors can make your life hard.

The most common is the disappearing act. I once worked with one CNA who took breakfast, morning snack, smoke break, lunch, afternoon snack and another smoke break for the short time we worked together.

For the most part, the CNAs I work with are helpful and motivated.

It is no accident that all our CNAs are nursing students who hope one day to work on our unit upon graduation. They cannot afford to get a bad reputation.

Lynx25, LPN · Dec 10, 2011

Write-ups and any disciplinary action at this facility are never, EVER backed up with support from administration, so the aides can pretty much do what they want. If they get too obnoxious I send them home for the day, which they pitch a fit about, but hey, what else is there to do?

Bullying I see more CNA to CNA

DaniannaRN, ASN, BSN · Dec 10, 2011

I wouldn't call this bullying, but I worked in 1 LTC place where the CNAs were the boss. You couldn't tell them anything, not even to do their job. If you asked them to do something, they would refuse or cry to their union. They had a union but the nurses didn't because we were "management". I don't know what we were managing cuz it sure wasn't the CNAs.

They would demand we help them with AM care, when we refused because we were so busy, they would report us to the DON and she would get mad at us.

There was one who used to walk off the job if she didn't like her assignment. Nothing ever happened to her. What if I walked off cuz I didn't like my assignment?

They took a million breaks everyday, we were lucky to get our one break. They didn't get all their patients cleaned up at the end of the shift. It was horrible. Every other place I was at, CNAs and nurses worked together to care for the patients.