Help with hopeless horrible nurse's aides

johnsontwo · Nov 6, 2004

Sorry to hear you're having bad time at work and that no one is backing you up. :angryfire On the other hand, I was a nurse aide once and it was the hardest job i've ever had in my life. How many pt's does each aide have at your facility?

I noticed a few CNA's at my job that avoided work, hid out and when I spoke with them they became inflammed. They did even worse. I spoke with my coworkers, who infomed me to just do the work myself and don't depend on them. I felt overwhelmed, to say the least, so I went a extra step and acknowledged and rewarded the assistance who did their jobs with pride and went beyond. This seemed to help the few, that were not in compliance, get with "the program". I speak a lot on team work. I assure them that I depend on them to be my extra eyes. I even help with changing, lifting and answering call lights. I assure them that I need their help and would help them whenever they need, just ask. I even have huddles, go team type of attitude. It's more work than I bargained for, but it is working for me. I hope you can use some of this information to help you. By the way, most licensed and registered nurses think that CNA's have thinkless jobs, this attitude is felt and also contributes to the nurses aide feeling unmotivated. Encourage them and watch them grow. Have a great day

susanna · Nov 6, 2004

Hey, horrible nurse aids???? Where to find good ones? Why hasn't anyone hired me as a nurse aid is what I don't understand. I've persistantly tried to get a position as a nurse aid at two hospitals for the past year, coming in, checking things out, yadah, yadah... I don't understand why I'm never considered for hiring, not even an interview??? I mean, I get real good grades in school and am a dependable and hard worker, I think, and have a good track record of being a good worker at my past jobs. I mean, why haven't I at least been hired as a nurse aid? The only thing I can think of is that I am pretty skinny, have a shy demeaner, and have a soft voice, but other than that, I thought I would be an excellent candidate because of my track record at least and would at least be considered for an interveiw. Do you guys hire nurse aids according to physical looks and brawn and other thing slike that? What I don't understand is why I've never even been given the chance to BE a nurse aid when I've wanted to be one so badly and was very willing.

Maybe HR doesn't hire the right kind of people? I don't know, can you guys tell me how HR selects candidates because I've always been looked over.

LEL · Nov 6, 2004

I think nurses need to stick together. Nurses need to start reporting these facilities to the State Department of Health. If we are expected to do our job, they need to provide us with competent aides.

kam801 · Nov 6, 2004

I was a nurse tech when I went to collage. Now I am a new grad RN (started working in August as an RN). I find that if I volunteer to help the aid out once in while the aid will help me out more. I make it a point to to say thank you when they do something for me. There are those few who always say that they are too busy to help me and then five minutes later I see them reading a magazine or talking on the phone to a friend, and that does frustrate me. Being an aid is not easy just as being an RN is not easy. In my short time of being a nurse iI have found that if give aids a little respect and don't treat them as though they are my slave (as I was treated as a nurse tech) and they will give you more in return.

been there · Nov 6, 2004

Hey, horrible nurse aids???? Where to find good ones? Why hasn't anyone hired me as a nurse aid is what I don't understand. I've persistantly tried to get a position as a nurse aid at two hospitals for the past year, coming in, checking things out, yadah, yadah... I don't understand why I'm never considered for hiring, not even an interview??? I mean, I get real good grades in school and am a dependable and hard worker, I think, and have a good track record of being a good worker at my past jobs. I mean, why haven't I at least been hired as a nurse aid? The only thing I can think of is that I am pretty skinny, have a shy demeaner, and have a soft voice, but other than that, I thought I would be an excellent candidate because of my track record at least and would at least be considered for an interveiw. Do you guys hire nurse aids according to physical looks and brawn and other thing slike that? What I don't understand is why I've never even been given the chance to BE a nurse aid when I've wanted to be one so badly and was very willing.
Maybe HR doesn't hire the right kind of people? I don't know, can you guys tell me how HR selects candidates because I've always been looked over.

How do you present yourself? When I interviewed for CNAs my turn-offs were: jeans and tops that showed belly,lots of jewelry, flashy nail polish, sandals with toe rings, lots of make up. I preferred someone who would hold up their heads, look me in the eye and sit up straight in the chair. A "too casual" attitude and "too personally friendly" approach made me a little leery, including lots of "uhh" or hesitations in answering questions. Are you available on the shifts they need you (you must still be in school). By the way, did you interview with the one who would supervise you or was it a fashionably dressed little thing in the HR office who had no conception of what we do? You also need to consider the past jobs you have had and how many in a short time frame....its possible that this may be hindering your search so you might want to explain why you left them (in your favor of course). Good luck.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Nov 6, 2004

I wouldn't answer them either SINCE it's technically the CNA's job.

I worked with a few nurses who said this. Ironically they were the ones the CNAs couldn't stand, because self-entitlement doesn't make a very good delegator.

My job is making sure I pass my meds, do treatment, talking to the doctors, AND "SUPERVISE" all these CNA's on their cell phones.

Did you know that what a CNA does is ALSO listed under your job qualifications. Don't believe me? Check your facility's handbook.

I don't give a rat's butt about callights. If I had to answer callights, what's the point in having CNA's? I'd rather do primary if they paid me a little more.

That's very sad. :uhoh3:

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Nov 6, 2004

Maybe I'm wrong here, I'm a CNA and nursing student, and I was under the impression that we were all supposed to work as a team to take care of patients.

That's the way it's supposed to be. Unfortunately there are those people out there who act like everyone owes them something, either that or they preach about teamwork yet do not PRACTICE what they preach.

boulergirl, CNA · Nov 6, 2004

Yes. I had a job which was staffed by nurses only- no CNAs. There had been CNAs, but they all quit or were fired over a period of time and were not replaced. The teamwork, quality of pt care, and general attitudes of staff improved greatly once the CNAs and all problems associated with them were gone.

Then why have CNA's at all? It seems that those of us who are nurse's assistants are more trouble than we're worth.

kellisdomain · Nov 7, 2004

i was once a cna in a texas and i absolutely loved it! loved the nurses i worked with the other cna's i worked with as well as my residents. like our teacher told us when i was becoming a cna we are the front men of the war. we deal daily with the residents so if mrs. jones were to have a bed ulcer or bruising the next day i would tell my nurse. also, i worked a hall of 27 residents myself; on the occassion that i did need help putting some of my people to bed i would ask another cna and they would be helpful and vice versa.. sure i got to sit behind the nurses desk when i was done, i may have watched tv with her, we (my friend and i) may have gone to smoke (when i did smoke) but i will tell you what i made my rounds every 2 hours, passed ice, answered lights, adl's and charting as well. i did not have a wet resident on my side. my nurse would do her rounds (bed checks) while i was charting i & o..come back to the desk and do what she had to do. i think its all about personality, determination and hard work. if they see that you will bust your butt doing your job and helping others as well then there won't be any problems.

mattsmom81 · Nov 7, 2004

I absolutely LOVE my good CNAs/PCT's. Unfortunately the push for primary care has left us with too many nurses who do not know HOW to do team nursing. I have worked as a CNA so I know how to relate to them (the good ones anyway) and I make sure I appreciate their hard work. I also don't expect people to do the impossible, nor do what I could not do.

Good leadership means we help our staff prioritize, and support them vs browbeating them. Good people respond to this in my experience. And yes, the bad 'uns need weeding out. The bad nurses as well as the bad CNA's.

That said, I could (as a RN) verrry easily get all wrapped up in doing the CNA's work if I'm not careful, and be be found to be negligent with my OWN. In LTC particularly, the place wouldn't stay open long if the nurse doesn't do the legal documentation...which is VERY time consuming.

An aside: Ignoring call lights is a recipe for disaster...I did a LTC agency perdiem assignment once where a call light was ignored by CNA's...(they were asked to respond to it and stated to me they had) I found the poor woman hanging from the bed...blue... appearing to have been choked on her restraint. I will NEVER forget that.

MylissaG · Nov 8, 2004

yikes i just gotta say i'd be pissed if my family member were under your care and you "don't give a rat's butt about call lights"! You are the licensed individual so you probably should care just a bit, because if something goes wrong you better believe you are responsible for it. That said i do understand that CNA's are hired to do certain things and they need to do them without having to be asked. But everyone needs a little help once in awhile...

Yo, smkoepke,

You are upset at the wrong person, I was replying to the individual that made the nasty remark about not giving a rats butt about the call lights. I'm with ya!!

Thanks

nursen06 · Nov 8, 2004

Our facility would not function without CNA's. I heard one LPN say yesterday that she usually doesn't 'work the floor' just does meds & the like?! Of course she was the minority. Alot more experienced LPN's and RN's that work there help c everything.

It's a team effort people! :)