I'm a new registered nurse, I work on an Alzheimer's unit. There is a CNA who is being repeatedly scheduled on my shift, and to tell you the truth, I just don't know what to do with her. She is way older than me, and has been a CNA since I was 8 or something. She feels like she is firmly in charge of the unit, and tells the other CNAs what to do, when to take breaks, and when to go home, and then loudly informs me of her decision.
What concerns me the most is the way she treats the residents. When my one my residents was talking about her husband, the CNA informed her quite flatly, and publicly that her husband was dead. This made my resident cry. Later, the resident was talking about her home and family, and the CNA told her, "You're not home. You're in a nursing home. Your family brought you here and left you." The resident started to really cry then, and say, "My family would never do that to me!" "Well, they did!" is what the CNA said back, and laughed. My resident was distraught by this time, and so was I.
Later, this same CNA ignored me while I was desperately trying to get her attention to get her to get up and put a walker in front of a wondering resident who is a fall risk. She was chatting it up with the girl from housekeeping. I finally shouted at her to get her attention. I never shout at anyone. I didn't know I had it in me, and I shocked myself. It still feels hot in my chest. It gave me a headache.
I am frusterated. Please give me advise on what to do about this.
Thank you all so very much for your replies to me. I'll tell you haw this went. When I got in yesterday, I requested a meeting. Another staff nurse was in charge, so she called the Director of Education in for support. (This is not the first time a nurse has had trouble with this CNA.) I took the CNA to her office and sat her down. She was really nervous, and asking questions, which I refused to answer. When we got to the door, I said, "I want you to remember that I love you."
The Director of Education let me say just what I've told you, and let her defend herself on each point. The DOE sided with me, and told her that we don't do reality orientation. The CNA denied laughing at the resident, and denied saying to her, "You're family brought you here and left you." I told her that that is what I had heard, and that I never wanted to hear anything like that again. My voice was very soft. The Lord was helping me.
I brought up the issues of her challenges to my authority. She attacked me back. I apologized for what I did that she perceived as rude. The DOE took up for me, and reminded her that I was the supervisor.
The shift went along nicely. The CNA was smiley and sweet as an angel. The other CNAs did what I told them without giving me trouble or running to the CNA who thought she was in charge to get it changed. I was able to focus, and get more of my work done. It worked out well, and I'm so glad the management supported me.
Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Good advice-she sounds like the type to sit back and look for ways to hang you-don't give her any ammo..... Why don't you look into some inservices for your staff? Your local chapter of the Alzheimer's assoc. can recommend some material and probably has a facilitator who mighr come to your facility to sepak to staff. You have the chance to make a positive impact on these residents-you can change the culture of the unit and really improve the quality of your resident's lives.Use this experience as a springboard of learning and growing....
Gee I would take this in a different approach, first I would document all convertsations in a small notepad and then i would go to unit manager and discuss this with her,this cena sounds like she needs inservicing in reality orientation/behavior modification the latest trends/ in alz care and redirection , sounds like shes burning out and maybe needs to be transfered to another floor. Oh is this ltc unionized if so you may have to let this sit in the hands of the unit manager or adon/don Also the legal ramifications regarding age discrimmnation is a factor and also, Better to retrain so as to retain the woamn has a lot of years experience,how about a postion as team leader?As far as bon goes duh, only if she kills someone,with malice of intent physical. verbal abuse cases very seldom hold water when investigated and then I big can of worms could be opened up, Be carefull and judicuous with advisement to terminate the raminfications could be extrememly unpleasant . Good luck to you
thank you all so very much for your replies to me. i'll tell you haw this went. when i got in yesterday, i requested a meeting. another staff nurse was in charge, so she called the director of education in for support. (this is not the first time a nurse has had trouble with this cna.) i took the cna to her office and sat her down. she was really nervous, and asking questions, which i refused to answer. when we got to the door, i said, "i want you to remember that i love you."
the director of education let me say just what i've told you, and let her defend herself on each point. the doe sided with me, and told her that we don't do reality orientation. the cna denied laughing at the resident, and denied saying to her, "you're family brought you here and left you." i told her that that is what i had heard, and that i never wanted to hear anything like that again. my voice was very soft. the lord was helping me.
i brought up the issues of her challenges to my authority. she attacked me back. i apologized for what i did that she perceived as rude. the doe took up for me, and reminded her that i was the supervisor.
the shift went along nicely. the cna was smiley and sweet as an angel. the other cnas did what i told them without giving me trouble or running to the cna who thought she was in charge to get it changed. i was able to focus, and get more of my work done. it worked out well, and i'm so glad the management supported me.
wow! what an amazing way to deal with a difficult problem!
all too often, when we nurses encounter hostility in our co-workers, we react with hostility. i admit i've been caught in that trap myself. your approach was brilliant and inspired.
thanks for posting this. i will keep you in my mind and in my heart monday morning.
wow! what an amazing way to deal with a difficult problem!
all too often, when we nurses encounter hostility in our co-workers, we react with hostility. i admit i've been caught in that trap myself. your approach was brilliant and inspired.
thanks for posting this. i will keep you in my mind and in my heart monday morning.
the lord was my help in this situation. it was the most amazing thing. i didn't know what to do, but he was there beside me. the inspiration, and the brilliance are his. if you keep him in your mind and heart, he will guide you through the things you face, and work things out for you. the people looking on will say, "wow! what an amazing way to deal with a difficult problem!"
I've fired CNAs for hollering at residents like this.
So have I! I don't care how long they were employed, they did not last 2 minutes after such hurtful, disrespectful nonsense. I had to terminate them immediately because I believe it takes a certain type of person to abuse (verbal, physical, sexual, etc.) a defenseless senior citizen or anyone else for that matter. If they can do that to a person they are liable to do anything to them when they feel no one is observing them.
BTW, I did not even waste the time and money giving employees like that 'sensitive training' in lieu of termination. IMHO such cruelty is like a social cancer that one has to cut out of an organization.
This CNA is being verbally abusive to the residents. Write down eveything that has happened, everything you wrote here- do it factually with no opnions and present it to your mgr. If the CNA is not fired, I would look for another place to work.
If the CNA is not fired, you should go up the chain of command and even call in the state if nothing is done.
She doesn't need to be fired. She is used to having her way. Maybe this new nurse can speak with the CNA about her behavior. Then if she continues she can report it to her manager. Then it is up to the manager what is done. Wow, i'm glad that i don't work with any of you all. You guys are quick to want to fire some one.
Outright abuse is grounds for immediate termination and reporting to the licensing/certification authority. In some cases, it is grounds for criminal charges. Any supervisor who observes such and fails to take action, incriminates themselves.
arelle68
270 Posts
Thank you all so very much for your replies to me. I'll tell you haw this went. When I got in yesterday, I requested a meeting. Another staff nurse was in charge, so she called the Director of Education in for support. (This is not the first time a nurse has had trouble with this CNA.) I took the CNA to her office and sat her down. She was really nervous, and asking questions, which I refused to answer. When we got to the door, I said, "I want you to remember that I love you."
The Director of Education let me say just what I've told you, and let her defend herself on each point. The DOE sided with me, and told her that we don't do reality orientation. The CNA denied laughing at the resident, and denied saying to her, "You're family brought you here and left you." I told her that that is what I had heard, and that I never wanted to hear anything like that again. My voice was very soft. The Lord was helping me.
I brought up the issues of her challenges to my authority. She attacked me back. I apologized for what I did that she perceived as rude. The DOE took up for me, and reminded her that I was the supervisor.
The shift went along nicely. The CNA was smiley and sweet as an angel. The other CNAs did what I told them without giving me trouble or running to the CNA who thought she was in charge to get it changed. I was able to focus, and get more of my work done. It worked out well, and I'm so glad the management supported me.