Help with hopeless horrible nurse's aides

Blackcat99 · Oct 26, 2004

I have worked in nursing homes that paid minimum wages for CNA's and it was a total disaster with lazy CNA's. I now work at a LTC that pays well for CNA's. I work with really good CNA's. The fact is that the CNA's know that they will be fired if they don't do a good job because the management doesn't put up with lazy CNA's period. It really is all about the money.

old rural nurse, RN · Oct 26, 2004

How sad that you think it is all about the money. In our facility, we aren't able to compete with homes in nearby larger towns, but we try to make up for that by being more flexible with scheduling etc. We do have some turn over of a few positions, but generally our staff is stable and many have been here for years and years, and are still good aides. Our staff stays busy but still have time to give good care. Unfortunately, sometimes we hire new staff that take advantage and sound like the "bad" aides described in this thread. I counsel them or discipline as needed, and if they don't correct the problem then I terminate them, even if it means being short and everyone including myself working overtime and covering the aide shifts. The rest of the aide staff appreciate that I don't want just a warm body, and it helps improve morale and teamwork. :) I agree with the others, if your administration can't see their problem, it's probably time to move on!

avahsmiles · Oct 26, 2004

right now i love being an aide while i attend school. the money is nice, over $13/hr. it is per diem work, but that's all i want now. i just wanted to say that i respect everyone in the health care field, especially if you put 150% into your job. i am a very hard worker and respect the rn's when tasks are assigned to me. i agree that there are alot of lazy workers. but not just some techs of course. i'm sorry for your situation though. {{{hugs}}}

dee

merricat · Oct 26, 2004

I am a CNA. Yes, the nurses should help, and yes they should be nice, and yes they should be supportive, but bottom line, I am there to care for the residents. I have worked with TERRIBLE nurses. Being treated poorly is no excuse to not do my job. Those residents depend on us for everything. If those CNAs feel they are being mistreated, I'm sure there is a facility elsewhere where they can take up space.

the majority of the nurses ive worked with are great. but one of them, i was sitting at the nurses station ccharting-- there was nobody else there-- and she wanted my chair-- not any other chair in the nurses station but my chair-- and i joked, "i dont see you name on it"-- and she said, "this is the NURSES station, you cant sit here!" whoa! i still do not know if she was kidding or not-- i did not move. someone who witnessed it reported it to the DON. im not there anymore. (smile). i think it is the best feeling when everyone can just be there for each other regardless of title or whatever-- i try to back up the nurses but i like it when they back me up too, if needed.

lady_dolphin · Oct 26, 2004

I was a CNA for 5 years before I went to nursing school.. I loved it. Yes you have the aides that are worthless. I don't figure myself above the aides cause we are all there for one purpose(patient care.) I try to help my aides out when I get a chance. Most of the time I don't have to worry what the aides are doing cause I know they are doing what they need to be doing. I think my I can understand the aides better since I was there. If you don't treat the aides with respect how are you going to get any in return. There are some nurses that feel they are to good to do peri care. And I feel that is just wrong. Health care is a team effort.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 26, 2004

the majority of the nurses ive worked with are great. but one of them, i was sitting at the nurses station ccharting-- there was nobody else there-- and she wanted my chair-- not any other chair in the nurses station but my chair-- and i joked, "i dont see you name on it"-- and she said, "this is the NURSES station, you cant sit here!" whoa! i still do not know if she was kidding or not-- i did not move. someone who witnessed it reported it to the DON. im not there anymore. (smile). i think it is the best feeling when everyone can just be there for each other regardless of title or whatever-- i try to back up the nurses but i like it when they back me up too, if needed.

Worked with a nurse (when i was an aide) who had the nerve to yell "you have NO place at this desk, you are NOT a nurse". I was getting the electric razor for a pt., which happened to be kept at the nurses' desk.

My reply: "I didn't ask for the rude commentary".

She wound up fired, she treated EVERYONE like dirt.

mattsmom81 · Oct 26, 2004

I'll admit I have (in acute care PCU unit) asked students, staff and aides to vacate the nursing station.My job needs to be done THERE. All the chatter was distracting; I had orders to do, doc calls to make and to answer, monitors to watch, etc etc. This CAN be done without being rude...altho I admit when people stand around gossippingin my way when I'm swamped I've been known to be a bit testy, because they have eyes and can't possibly be so dense as to not notice how swamped the desk is.

I think the key is respecting the job each of us does and give that respect to ALL your coworkers; reward the good ones and show leadership with the bad.

I know what a good CNA CAN do because I worked as one and with many...through nursing school and even now. I agree bad management allows the bad performers to continue and its sad.

All we can do is document, try to deal with people professionally, and if it gets to us too badly move on. We can't always change these dysfunctional workplaces and if your manager won't back ya up...best think about moving on IMO.

KristinBSN4NICU · Oct 26, 2004

I have several coworkers who believe that since their name tag says LPN or RN after it, that they are too good to wipe a butt or walk someone to the bathroom, or answer a call light. As an aide, I had a nurse that would go way out of her way to find me when I was busy taking care of 12 patients on an acute med surg floor, just to tell me that someone needed a blanket or a clean gown, instead of taking care of HER pt herself. I dont care if you go to school for 10 yrs, there is NO degree that makes you too good to take care of YOUR pts needs, no matter what it is! Teamwork should be enforced, and those that can't adapt, should find ... new jobs ! If you dont like pt care, and dont like taking care of people, your in the wrong field! I will always help my aides, and if you have ever been an aide, I think you make the best nurse..its all about understanding where they come from!

LittledebX2 · Oct 27, 2004

what to do when stuck with a few bad nurses aide's ?
i have reported and written up . i am getting no back up from my don ? what's a nurse to do . any advice would be helpful . i find myself running like a madwoman , toileting people , answering call bells because my aides have disappeared , or are hiding in pt's rooms on their cell phones ? ughhhh so frustrated .

i have had good ones and i have bad ones. you really need to sit this aide down in private and talk with them. don't act like you are superior to them and tell them your concerns in a non-threatening way. maybe this person feels like she is being treated like they are nobodies:o . and they figure if nobody appreciates me then to hell with them. just speak for yourself and not any other staff member because they will feel like they are being attacked. just let them know that this is a tough job but that you are thankful:) that they are there. instead of giving orders, when you need something, go to where they are, and ask if they could help you, and then go with them and help. trust me they will start seeing you as someone who respects them and who is willing to "get dirty" with them and they will be more willing to assist you. i would make the bed, when the aide had the patient in the chair or shower. i will ask the aide when she would do so-and-so's bed bath and i would go and help them, this way i am killing two birds with one stone, i could assess my patient from head to toe and bathe them at the same time. i know nurses say they are too busy doing more important things, but unless you want no help at all, you manage to find the time. if my patient needs assistance to go to the bathroom, i am not going to spend a great deal of time looking or paging the aide, by the time you call the aide or go around looking for her, you could have done it by then.i don't know about you but i kiss the ground the aides walk on, i make them feel like what they do is the most important aspect of patient care and try to make them feel wanted and proud to be a part of healing a patient.:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[color=#00ff00] if nothing works then you have to go up the chain of command, if you can't get anywhere with your boss, i guess you could file a complaint with your state board.

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 27, 2004

I'll admit I have (in acute care PCU unit) asked students, staff and aides to vacate the nursing station.My job needs to be done THERE. All the chatter was distracting; I had orders to do, doc calls to make and to answer, monitors to watch, etc etc. This CAN be done without being rude...altho I admit when people stand around gossippingin my way when I'm swamped I've been known to be a bit testy, because they have eyes and can't possibly be so dense as to not notice how swamped the desk is.
I think the key is respecting the job each of us does and give that respect to ALL your coworkers; reward the good ones and show leadership with the bad.
I know what a good CNA CAN do because I worked as one and with many...through nursing school and even now. I agree bad management allows the bad performers to continue and its sad.
All we can do is document, try to deal with people professionally, and if it gets to us too badly move on. We can't always change these dysfunctional workplaces and if your manager won't back ya up...best think about moving on IMO.

Wise words indeed. This post says it all. Document, deal or ditch. It comes down to that in the end.

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 27, 2004

I'll admit I have (in acute care PCU unit) asked students, staff and aides to vacate the nursing station.My job needs to be done THERE. All the chatter was distracting; I had orders to do, doc calls to make and to answer, monitors to watch, etc etc. This CAN be done without being rude...altho I admit when people stand around gossippingin my way when I'm swamped I've been known to be a bit testy, because they have eyes and can't possibly be so dense as to not notice how swamped the desk is.
I think the key is respecting the job each of us does and give that respect to ALL your coworkers; reward the good ones and show leadership with the bad.
I know what a good CNA CAN do because I worked as one and with many...through nursing school and even now. I agree bad management allows the bad performers to continue and its sad.
All we can do is document, try to deal with people professionally, and if it gets to us too badly move on. We can't always change these dysfunctional workplaces and if your manager won't back ya up...best think about moving on IMO.

Wise words indeed. This post says it all. Document, deal or ditch. It comes down to that in the end.

sheliamd · Oct 27, 2004

It seems like most people have pushed the "task" of total patient care on the CNA's. Isn't it the "nurse's" job to care for the patient? Why is it the CNA's sole responsibility to provide "all" of the care for the patient?