I am a CNA in FL and would like you nurses opinion on this matter, if you will.
I have been with this Home Health Agency since December, and have had this particular patient for 5 months now. She has Dementia, but mostly independent requiring supervision on a variety of tasks and activities.
We get along REALLY well. She likes me a lot and always tells me "thanks for making my day so bright" everytime I leave her house. I also like her a lot. We have fun together...
Anyway, she lives with her son who is bound to a wheelchair because of a car accident yrs ago. He does mostly everything for himself. At first he didn't bother us at all. But lately he's got into a crazy mood (I think he's jealous of us having too much fun :angryfire), and he's doing everything he can to either slow down my tasks or prevent me from doing it. The other day he said I could not wash her clothes, and she had wet her bed really bed. I stuck R (Refused) on my Daily chart for that day (laundry). Then another day he told me to go easy on the paper towels (he doesn't just say it.. he YELLS at me). Then I started using one of my patient's hand towel as a bib, instead of "wasting" his paper towels. He comes around her and SNATCHES the towel out of her chest... to which my patient turned to me in a desperate face... I told him to leave the towel where it was. He turns to me and yells "WHY?". I told him he had told me to not use the paper towels, he said "for this you can use". I said "I prefer using the towel because it shields it better all the way down to her legs"... because she makes a big mess especially on cereal days! Anyway, another day he came around the table, where my patient was sitting and eating lunch and I was sitting on the chair right next to her, he whams her against the table, trying to push her chair closer to the table (it wasn't that far away)... she screamed in terror! The only thing that came out of my mouth was "OH GOSH!". I could NOT believe what he had done. The way he treats his mom. The way he gets in between us.
Well, I told his sister -- my patient's younger daughter who lives 6 houses away on the same street -- all about this, that her brother is being an old fart, he tells me not to feed her this or that (things that she usually eats but now somehow he forbids her!), and the sister told me "please don't call your agency and tell these things, because if you do, I will have to drop your agency". I had told her I was unhappy with the conditions I was having now, all of a sudden her brother puts on a mood and creates a big problem for us. The one who pays for it is my patient and I'm very concerned. I'm there to do my job, whatever is on my aide Assignment sheet by my RN supervisor, I'm following it to the letter. I'm never late, I never miss work, I take my work very seriously, I enjoy what I do and excuse me -- but I do a DAMN good job! I'm proud of it! But at the same time I don't know how to deal with this old fart that is unhappy about life and is jealous that his mom and I are enjoying the time we have together... we walk, we watch TV, we play games together, we read, we laugh and tell jokes... I don't know why a family member could have a reason for a complaint about this! Anyway, I need the hours too as I am going to start nursing school now in May, and to be honest... I'm not ready to quit my job just yet, because like I said, I'm enjoying it very much. But I don't know how long I can stand this situation with the family members. I don't want to get in their business... the sister keeps telling me that her brother because of the accident, blahblahblah, that I have to have patience with him... I told her "I don't have to have anything for him... he's not my patient... I just want him to leave me alone so I can do my job properly"! Am I asking too much????
Tomorrow I have to go there again in the morning, and after that I'm going to my agency to drop paperwork for the week... but I am very tempted to tell the supervisor there about these things. But at the same time I'm afraid I won't have this patient anymore. I like her and I think she deserves the care I'm giving her. And I count on these weekly hours... I don't know if I can get another patient like her again.
What do you nurses think of my dilemma???? Should I put up with this problem or what?
Thanks a lot for reading... sorry it was too long!
I meant you are not being backed up by your employer. Also, if you let them know that you are not feeling well about going back to the bad environment (due to safety reasons) then that keeps the door open for your afternoon job.
Just by reading your posts I can pick up that you are stressed. I don't know what a doctor would say about this. If you don't want to go to a doctor, fine. Just quit the case. Call the after hours number and state that you won't be going to the case. Do that now. Nobody will be suprised. Deal with the agency later. Chances are high that there might be one and only one more conversation about it, and that is it. Call first thing in the morning and remind that staffing coordinator that you are off this case and you need more work. Meanwhile, continue to look for work with another agency. That is how home health employees stay working. Good luck to you.
I just called the 24-7 line of my agency, saying, because of safety reasons due to family disagreements, I won't be going to that case. She took note of everything. I am SURE my office manager will be calling me first thing when she gets there in the morning. Do you think she can fire me??
Good job Morango. You handled this in a very professional manner.
I don't think that they can fire with the reasons you have stated.
If your manager does have the nerve to call you in the a.m., you can just tell her that you explained it all to her yesterday. Don't let her intimidate you by making you feel guilty. That is really all that you can do. Also, the fact that she told you she would call you in the a.m. would not change any of the dynamics in that household with re: to your safety.
I agree with Cali = you need to look for another agency that will back you up.
Of course, she can fire you. But is your safety and mental health worth staying with this? Don't get worked up any more than you already are. Get some rest tonight or you will be tired for your other patient tomorrow. You call them first thing in the morning so you don't have to be stressing sitting around waiting for them to call you.
My office manager said she would call me in the morning, like I said. I told her "I have to be at my pt's house at 8am! I leave at 7:45am" (my pt lives 5-10 min away). Anyway, she said "ok, I will call you before you leave." Really, what good would this do anyway? Would she be calling the family and telling them "please do not attack my aide?". I don't understand why she said she'd call me in the morning before I go there. I AIN'T GOING BACK, I AIN'T GOING BACK, I AIN'T GOING BACK 1000 times. oh I feel better for saying that now...
I will miss my patient though. She's special and does not deserve the family she has.
I didn't want them to fire me because I wanted to have good references for the future. Especially because I'm starting nursing school.
I got a phone called 30 min after I called the agency's 24hr line from a lady, who I supposed is someone over my office manager. She asked what is going on, in an upset way. She said "why did you wait until the end of the day to call in for tomorrow morning when you know it's hard for us to find someone else to substitute?". I said "well, I'm following the agency's policies... calling in at least EIGHT hours BEFORE the start of my shift...which starts at 8am". When I called it was about 7:30pm, so really it's 12hr before the start of my shift, so I fall under the company's policy, right? The interesting thing is that this lady was more interested in chewing me out for calling in after business hours (so it "would be hard to find a replacement") than with the issue in the patient's house, the dangerous environment. I could not believe it.
Well, she said "if you didn't get along with this patient (I did NOT say that... I said the family members were creating problems), you should have informed your office manager a long time ago". The thing is, I told her, "I did. I have been telling her there are problems here and there, and she tells me to hang in there because it is just adjustments, and that they have not found another person to replace me." I told this lady that my patient constantly shows up with bruises on her arms, hands, neck, chest and back, and I have filed paperwork about that. She said "what?? bruises????" So apparently she wasn't aware of these things. I said all I want to do is go to work and do all my assigned tasks and have a peaceful environment to work at. I do not wish to argue with anyone. I told her they create so many issues, they get between me and the patient, ordering her around, telling me that some things I do are not right, or the way they do is right, and that they are making a game about my paper being signed before I leave. They know I need that paper signed so I can report to the RN and also so I can get paid, for goodness sake!! She said she would be calling the office manager as soon as she was done on the phone with me, and that the office manager would be in touch with me tomorrow morning. She could not understand why I felt unsafe under the conditions I described to her. I don't know how I could make myself clearer than I was!
I did not want to be fired. I don't think they have grounds for it... I called in more than 8 hours before the start of my shift (it says on my company policy paperwork). So what can happen? Am I going to have a bad reputation for that?
did you document anything for your own personal files re: the bruising and who you talked to in your office and when you talked to them?????
i was not aware that the patient had bruises on her neck chest and back, i only knew about the bruises to her arms and hands. i feel that those are definit signs of abuse and you absolutely need to call aps immediately for this ladies sake. this is a whole other story!!!!!!!!!!!!!! honestly, this sounds like abuse and you have every right to feel like you would be the next victim!
I did not personally document for myself, but I filed with the agency once or twice about the bruises. I know they keep these papers on their file, and it has dates on them because I put them down.
Well, guess what... everytime I saw a bruises, which normally happened every other day, I would call my agency and tell them. My RN supervisor or the office manager would say "You must be a new CNA, aren't you? You don't have to report EVERY TIME this happens. This is already on our files... we are aware of it.". I thought that was STRANGE!!! Anyway, one day I went inside the RN's room and asked to speak with her. I honestly asked her "why is my patient getting all these bruises?" I mean, I am not a nurse, I am a new CNA, and I have never dealt with things like that. So she tells me "it is very common for Alzheimer's patients to hurt themselves." I said "but everyday? How come is always on the arms and hands?" I observe my patient throughout these months, and I have not seen her hurting herself or bumping on walls or furniture. She has a sense of balance, she is careful where she walks, or the way she moves around. I refuse to believe she's doing this to herself!!!
One time I got her on a Monday morning (I am off on the weekends), I was shocked to see she had a very dark ugly mark around her mouth, and fingers, and I can't remember where else. But this was SHOCKING. I asked the daughter, and she said "I don't have an idea where she got that". The funny thing is everytime I asked about the bruises, the daughter would say "I have no idea..."... like it's a casual thing. If it were my mother I would be extremely concerned!!!!
Anyway, these things were informed to the agency countless times, I expressed my discontentment with the family members meddling with my chores on the aide assignment sheet, my patient going to the bathroom and locking herself up for hours (of course not when I'm there), she telling me that she wants to disappear and never be found again, etc. Come on! I may be a new CNA but I am not stupid! Why doesn't the agency take this seriously?
Another thing, don't know if I've mentioned this, but the daughter is scared to death of DCF because one time my patient was left alone or Bozo apparently was home but cared less that she went out the door. This happened before I started working for my agency. Anyway, the daughter told me her mom wandered for hours and was finally found by police, and the police called DCF on her. So I think after a while they closed the file... but who knows... they might decide to reopen.
I don't know what can happen to the agency for not getting action on this issue. Would DCF or APS get after them? After me reporting countless times and them not doing anything proactive for my patient?
What you need to do is right down all of the conversations that you have had with anyone from your office re: your patient. Think back and try to remember. Do you best.
As I have said before, bruises are not a normal process of Alzeihmers, but they are a part of physical abuse.
The fact that she is locking herself in the bathroom when you are not there....I beg you , please call Adult Protective Service (that is what is called in CA) Is that what you call DCF? Please do it four your patient and to cover your a-s.
Muffin, I replied to your private msg but your mailbox was full! :-(
Anyway, I will try writing it down... everything.
I know most of the time I was trying to convey the message to anyone in that office, they were "too busy" answering phone calls, dealing with other aides, etc. Like I said, they did not pay attention to me throughout these months. And now that I finally can't take it anymore, they are looking at me!
Well, DCF is Dept. of Children and Families. And I think APS is part of DCF, as I just saw in the website.
I will be calling them tomorrow.
it made me feel so relieved (but at the same time VERY SORRY for my patient's sake) to know that I wasn't crazy about those bruises... everybody (including the agency, family members, etc) telling me that these are common in Alzheimer's disease! I am glad that you agreed with me, so I am not that crazy.
I told him to leave the towel where it was. He turns to me and yells "WHY?". I told him he had told me to not use the paper towels, he said "for this you can use". I said "I prefer using the towel because it shields it better all the way down to her legs"... because she makes a big mess especially on cereal days!
Anyway, another day he came around the table, where my patient was sitting and eating lunch and I was sitting on the chair right next to her, he whams her against the table, trying to push her chair closer to the table (it wasn't that far away)... she screamed in terror! The only thing that came out of my mouth was "OH GOSH!". I could NOT believe what he had done. The way he treats his mom. The way he gets in between us.
I'm proud of it! But at the same time I don't know how to deal with this old fart that is unhappy about life and is jealous that his mom and I are enjoying the time we have together... we walk, we watch TV, we play games together, we read, we laugh and tell jokes... I don't know why a family member could have a reason for a complaint about this! Anyway, I need the hours too as I am going to start nursing school now in May, and to be honest... I'm not ready to quit my job just yet, because like I said, I'm enjoying it very much. But I don't know how long I can stand this situation with the family members. I don't want to get in their business... the sister keeps telling me that her brother because of the accident, blahblahblah, that I have to have patience with him... I told her "I don't have to have anything for him... he's not my patient... I just want him to leave me alone so I can do my job properly"! Am I asking too much????
muffin7
193 Posts
I meant you are not being backed up by your employer. Also, if you let them know that you are not feeling well about going back to the bad environment (due to safety reasons) then that keeps the door open for your afternoon job.