Help with hopeless horrible nurse's aides

Nurses General Nursing

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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 .

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?

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
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?
The CNA most certainly does not provide "all" of the care for the patient! :chuckle

If that was true, CNAs would be doing the admission assessment, advising doctors of changes in patient condition, receiving orders, and getting sore hands from crushing pills, not to mention staying overtime to document all the care.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
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?
The CNA most certainly does not provide "all" of the care for the patient! :chuckle

If that was true, CNAs would be doing the admission assessment, advising doctors of changes in patient condition, receiving orders, and getting sore hands from crushing pills, not to mention staying overtime to document all the care.

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I am currently a CNA, as I await my entrance into the Nursing Program. I have seen some pathetic CNAs, and some pathetic Nurses as well. I too have had a nurse go from room to room looking for me just for something stupid. In the time the nurse took to look for me, she could have done it herself. But, for the most part, the nurses are really good, and they will get in and help with patient care as well. There are always a few nurses that seem to think that they are beyond performing any menial tasks. :angryfire

At the hospital I work at, we are very team oriented. In other words, the nurses are not above the cna's nor are the cna's beneath the nurses. Yes, I view the nurses I work with as my immediate supervisor, but their authority only goes as far as patient care. It really does make for a good relationship, we are all very happy employees for the most part. I do have a great deal of respect for the nurses, as they really have alot on their plate on any given day. At least the CNAs can have some down time, but generally not the nurses. They are always hitting the ground running. So, I am kind of glad that as an aide, I can somehow make their day a little bit smoother, as I will be in the nurse's shoes before long. :)

Good luck to all! :p

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I am currently a CNA, as I await my entrance into the Nursing Program. I have seen some pathetic CNAs, and some pathetic Nurses as well. I too have had a nurse go from room to room looking for me just for something stupid. In the time the nurse took to look for me, she could have done it herself. But, for the most part, the nurses are really good, and they will get in and help with patient care as well. There are always a few nurses that seem to think that they are beyond performing any menial tasks. :angryfire

At the hospital I work at, we are very team oriented. In other words, the nurses are not above the cna's nor are the cna's beneath the nurses. Yes, I view the nurses I work with as my immediate supervisor, but their authority only goes as far as patient care. It really does make for a good relationship, we are all very happy employees for the most part. I do have a great deal of respect for the nurses, as they really have alot on their plate on any given day. At least the CNAs can have some down time, but generally not the nurses. They are always hitting the ground running. So, I am kind of glad that as an aide, I can somehow make their day a little bit smoother, as I will be in the nurse's shoes before long. :)

Good luck to all! :p

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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.

Yeah, there are some real butt-heads out there. :uhoh3:

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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.

Yeah, there are some real butt-heads out there. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.
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!

Well said! As a nurse I have never been above doing my part in pt.care--I have answered many a call light, changed clothes, toileted folks, fed folks, etc...but I have the nurse's job to do as well!!!!!! I cannot be in fifty places at once. As a few others have posted, I have a major problem with CNAs gossipping/talking in loud tonesnear the nurses desk when it can be clearly seen that I'm having trouble hearing the doctor or family member over the phone(evidenced by having to plug my other ear with my finger!!!).There is NO excuse for that rudeness on the part of the CNA. He/she SHOULD be able to find something to do(like answer a call light or help with another CNA's pt) besides making a lot of noise at the desk. There's also way too much c/o:He's not my pt--he is HER pt." What angered me the most and was the "final straw" for me was being bi-----at by the DON for always leaving late even after explaining to her I was answering lights, doing meds, tx, calling docs, etc--i.e. doing the CNAs duties as well as my own--- and she seemed to think I had a problem with "time management."! :angryfire Gee--I guess most of the other nurses had the same problem--because we were ALL clocking out 1-2 hrs late!!!! :uhoh3: I called it quits after six months of that crap and WILL NOT return to LTC.

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.
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!

Well said! As a nurse I have never been above doing my part in pt.care--I have answered many a call light, changed clothes, toileted folks, fed folks, etc...but I have the nurse's job to do as well!!!!!! I cannot be in fifty places at once. As a few others have posted, I have a major problem with CNAs gossipping/talking in loud tonesnear the nurses desk when it can be clearly seen that I'm having trouble hearing the doctor or family member over the phone(evidenced by having to plug my other ear with my finger!!!).There is NO excuse for that rudeness on the part of the CNA. He/she SHOULD be able to find something to do(like answer a call light or help with another CNA's pt) besides making a lot of noise at the desk. There's also way too much c/o:He's not my pt--he is HER pt." What angered me the most and was the "final straw" for me was being bi-----at by the DON for always leaving late even after explaining to her I was answering lights, doing meds, tx, calling docs, etc--i.e. doing the CNAs duties as well as my own--- and she seemed to think I had a problem with "time management."! :angryfire Gee--I guess most of the other nurses had the same problem--because we were ALL clocking out 1-2 hrs late!!!! :uhoh3: I called it quits after six months of that crap and WILL NOT return to LTC.

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Good luck. I worked as a nurse tech when I was in college. It was horrible, back-breaking thankless work. The nurses were rude, they did not help at all, they were patronizing and they tended to treat the aides like property(where's my aide?). Plus some of them made it their mission to see that you never took a break or stood still for more than 10 seconds so they were constantly looking to keep you busy. I will never forget how I used to get to work and I would be taking my coat off and they would be in your face talking about what needed to be done. And all of that for NO recognition and piss-poor pay.

Anyway, my point is that I can see why many of them would be less than motivated to do a great job. And I have been on the other side and I have worked with some great aides and some shamefully lazy aides. But I still remember what it was like.

My feelings exactly Sharon. Everything you just said is exactly how I felt working as an aide. Just the thought of ever doing that again makes my skin crawl. I just felt terrible for those patients who don't get good quality care because the aide's are too busy and overworked. At the facility I was at the only thing the nurses did was order us around (don't know abut other facilities). I left there crying everyday because I was so completely overwhelmed. Hopefully I can take that experience and use it when I become a nurse to remember what the aides went through.

Yep. Me too. BTDT. I was an aide before I was a nurse, and I felt the same way. Used and abused. Overworked. Lazy nurses sipping coffee at the nurses' station, a zillion call lights going off, me running like a crazy person and sweating buckets, and them saying, "are you gonna get that (call bell)?"

:angryfire

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Good luck. I worked as a nurse tech when I was in college. It was horrible, back-breaking thankless work. The nurses were rude, they did not help at all, they were patronizing and they tended to treat the aides like property(where's my aide?). Plus some of them made it their mission to see that you never took a break or stood still for more than 10 seconds so they were constantly looking to keep you busy. I will never forget how I used to get to work and I would be taking my coat off and they would be in your face talking about what needed to be done. And all of that for NO recognition and piss-poor pay.

Anyway, my point is that I can see why many of them would be less than motivated to do a great job. And I have been on the other side and I have worked with some great aides and some shamefully lazy aides. But I still remember what it was like.

My feelings exactly Sharon. Everything you just said is exactly how I felt working as an aide. Just the thought of ever doing that again makes my skin crawl. I just felt terrible for those patients who don't get good quality care because the aide's are too busy and overworked. At the facility I was at the only thing the nurses did was order us around (don't know abut other facilities). I left there crying everyday because I was so completely overwhelmed. Hopefully I can take that experience and use it when I become a nurse to remember what the aides went through.

Yep. Me too. BTDT. I was an aide before I was a nurse, and I felt the same way. Used and abused. Overworked. Lazy nurses sipping coffee at the nurses' station, a zillion call lights going off, me running like a crazy person and sweating buckets, and them saying, "are you gonna get that (call bell)?"

:angryfire

Up Vote Up Vote ×
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!

Well, that's why aides are aides. They are supposed to aide the RN or LVN. This is coming from an ex-CNA like myself who worked in acute care and CONVALESCENT hospitals. I can't stand whiny CNA's who can't handle their patients. I used to give showers on the swing shift which is unheard of in a LTC setting. CNA's usually gave baths during the day, I did some on the PM when I didn't have to. Was I the perfect CNA? no! but looking at all these CNA's today cracks me up. During my time as a CNA (1992-1998), I took pride in answering my callights before the helpful RN/LVN did and I didn't care if I worked with a lazy RN because I knew it was their *** on the line rather than mine's. CNA's during my time drew blood, did EKG's Qshift, inserted foleys, changed dressings, and all the other basic CNA stuff.

I also hurt my back twice working as a CNA (none of that sissy hoyer lift bs).

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