I can do your job, you can't do mine.

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hello,

I've been a CNA for 8 years. I've been recognized and awarded for outstanding patient care 6 times. I don't say this to boast, I just say it to establish the fact that I am a good aide. So when I ask a nurse for help, it's not because I'm a slacker, it's because I'm desperate.

My facility, like many others, is chronically short staffed. This past four months, we have experienced the worst staffing crisis I have ever seen in my entire time as a nurse aide. The current ratio on the evening shift, on average, is 26 total assist residents per aide. Several nights a week, I take both halls for several hours before I get another staff member with me. This means answering lights and toileting for over 50 residents. LTC residents on the DEMENTIA ward.

I run. All. Night. Long. I almost cried when my HR lady told me that she was reviewing the security camera for an unrelated-to-me matter when she saw me, buzzing in and out of rooms - she thanked me for working so hard. I was so happy that someone had noticed.

My primary nurses do not lift a finger to help. Last night, I couldn't believe it when I saw one of them actually answer a call bell. I thought to myself, "Thank God, maybe she's changed her attitude and is going to help me!" Then she came and told me that the lady had to go to the bathroom. She then went back to the nurses station and ate some doritos.

When I told my two nurses how overwhelmed I feel, that it is physically impossible for me to follow resident care plans, and asked how in god's name I'm supposed to do two assists with no other aides, I was told exactly this: "When I was an aide, I had way more residents to do than that. It's not even that bad." When I asked if they could help me, I was told, "I can do your job, you can't do mine." I went to my supervisor who literally shrugged his shoulders and WALKED AWAY.

I've been at this facility for over two years. I get free health care, four weeks vacation which is basically unheard of for a CNA, and the other primary aides I work with need me. They really do need me. I cannot leave them, and I won't, so please don't reply with responses like, "you need to get out of there." Yeah, not happening. My loyalty is to my two other CNA's who have stuck with me through thick and thin.

My question is this: Why won't the nurses help me when my situation is so desperate I have resident family members asking me if there's any way they can help? (I know, it's crazy - I work at a magically facility where the family members are all understanding and aren't constantly yelling at me for not answering lights fast enough. Seriously, I'm not joking - I'm very fortunate when it comes to this). Why won't my nurses help me when they see me run, see me visibly sweating through my scrubs, see the fact that I'm being forced to break care plan / the LAW with these two assists?

You sound like the kind of CNA I always loved working with. I am sorry that you are having these issues, and that you aren't getting any support from tee nurses you work with. I would go to your DON and explain, calmly and objectively, the problems you're having. Remember, staffing is the facility's responsibility. Maybe if they realize that a hard working, valuable employee is at her wits end, they might make some intervention. I know you don't want to leave, but remember this: as much loyalty as you feel for your facility, I guarantee that it is not reciprocated. I'm not talking about your coworkers, I mean the administration that's forcing the staff to work short constantly without support.

I wish you the best, and I really hope things get better. Soon.

Specializes in PICU, Pediatrics, Trauma.

I have NEVER refused to help a CNA/Aide. I have helped the front desk and Hhousekeeping at times. It's is very rare that I am not already running around as you described, but when able, I believe we all should help one another. I have seen RN'S not even help each other at times. One nurse running around like a chicken with her head cut off while 2or 3 sit at the nursing station chatting away or on the internet. I offer to help when I see someone very busy. It is a sad statement of our times. I don't remember it being this way in years past, and I don't understand why it happens. Lazy is one thing, but if they care about the patients, let alone their co-workers, why not help? I am so sorry you are treated this way. NO EXCUSE FOR THIS!

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Welcome to allnurses.com

Thread moved to CNA forum.

If your supervisor isn't willing to do anything about it, and the facility is always chronically understaffed, I think you know what the answer is.

You can't panic and try to put out a fire someone else started. I can understand the benefits of the job; I had great benefits at my previous job, too. I also ran myself practically into a nervous breakdown trying to compensate for the choices of the higher ups. I never complained to them when I was punished for the actions of the administration pets. I took on extra shifts, gave up my days off, stayed late, came in early, and only called in once in 2 years because my stomach hurt so bad, I had to crawl across the floor to call them.

I did all that because the CNAs who did the same as me and the residents needed me. The nurses there needed me, too, but in the end, I had no choice but to leave before I put myself in the hospital. The administration didn't care that I worked twice as hard as anyone else there on the floor as a CNA. They only worried about keeping the ones who didn't do anything happy and at the job. It was my mental health or the job.

Now things are better, I don't commute to work, but I am valued as an employee and I work with RNs and CNAs who care about their jobs and help out no matter the letters behind their names.

You probably know deep down what to do. Just food for thought.

I can always tell the nurses who were once CNAs. They're helpful and kind. I honestly couldn't work LTC as a CNA. Nurses would be chatting down the hall, call lights going and I would be breaking my back praying for help. I much prefer home care as a CNA.

Specializes in Emergency.

I always try to take great care of my care partners. I even tell nursing students and orientees that they should follow a PCT for a day just to see what it feels like doing what they do.

Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.
My question is this: Why won't the nurses help me

They should help you when asked. And you should never ever have to help a 2 or more assist all by yourself. The supervisor/manager should handle the situation by reminding everyone care is a TEAM effort, and no work is beneath anyone. You are an extremely valuable member of the team, and so are the nurses. While their is a chain of command, scope of practice, etc., there's nothing forbidding a LPN or RN from helping any unlicensed personnel. Hopefully someone will politely (or firmly) remind the nurses where you work about the facts... team work, cheerfully helping one another, etc.

Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

If the nurse is not on a med pass, wound treatment or on the phone with a dr they need to help! Don't they care about the residents? 26:1 is impossible for a CNA. I would report to the state.

1 Votes

The same thing happens where I work, also when I am working with another tech. If you are a hard worker people see that and use it to their advantage sometimes but props to you for being such a great CNA! As to why no one will help, because they are lazy! Just keep asking for help when you need it and hopefully you will find someone who is willing to work as hard as you!

Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.

I tell the CNAs that if I am not doing a med pass, I will help them out. They appreciate that.

When I worked LTC I always tried to help the CNAs when I could and they helped me when I needed them. That's the way it's supposed to be.

I have noticed though that some CNAs fail to realize that; even though we're sitting at the nurses station, it doesn't mean we're not working. I'm not saying that every CNA thinks that or that every nurse is always working at the desk but, where I worked we were working 100% of the time we were at the nurses station. At some places 40%-50% of our job is done right there at that desk. We could be trying to do many things at once while sitting at the nurses station: charting, waiting on a call back from the Dr, waiting on blood to get done in the centrifuge for labs, incident reports, skin assessments, filling in Dr's orders, filling out med refill requests, calibrating the glucometers, waiting on so and so's IV pump to beep or getting ready to go change out a feeding bag etc, I could go on and on. I never got lunch either so, I ate while working at the desk. In some people's viewpoint, if they walked by it might look like I was just "sitting at the desk eating chips", when in reality I'm trying to get 10 things finished before med pass. The nurse could've been more tactful with her response but, she is right.. we can do your job but, you can't do ours.

I've seen both viewpoints. I was a CNA first. When I became a nurse I was determined to be the kind of nurse who jumped up and helped CNAs every chance I got and I was...at first. Then reality hit. With 55 patients to 1 nurse and 2 CNAs I couldn't finish my own work for helping the CNAs. When the CNAs clocked out at 7am and went home, I was still sitting at the desk till 10am finishing up my work. That's an aspect of the job CNAs didn't see. Eventually I had to stop helping so much and focus on my own job. Most CNAs understood but, a select few were resentful because, they got used to me helping so much. I always thought the CNAs on my unit and me made a great team. I still covered the CNAs lunches (although I never got one myself) and helped out when I legitimately could but, the jumping up and getting every call light etc had to stop. After that I could get done by 8a-8:30am while only the nurses that NEVER helped out would clock out on time, at 7am.. with the CNAs. I just couldn't do that though. Helping each other out is great and teamwork is key to a good working relationship but, both the nurses and CNAs have their own jobs to do as well. You never know how things are till you walk in the other person's shoes though.

It's your facility's responsibility to provide adequate staffing. At my facility CNA ratio was routinely 1/25 and nurse ratio 1/25 skilled unit, 1/55 LTC unit and 1/40 dementia lock down unit. Short staffing was the reason I left LTC.

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