I am a cna, and I love my job, but why is it we get pushed around so much?

[a "too caring" c]

I am a cna, I love my co-workers, office staff and all of the residents. When we do kitchen help the dietician is uaually critical of things we do. She will not allow us to wear gloves when cleaning the plates, says it's not a home looking thing to do. While it doesn't matter to her what we can pick up from the dirty plates so accused me of cross contaminating food tonite because of picking up dirty plates in one hand and handing out the deserts with my right hand. I have always been very clean with my caring for the residents and in the kitchen. Why is it that they don't try to get along with us during the meals. Only one cook is good to us and saves us the left over food to eat for our meal, the others throw it out befor we can eat. Once a resident needed to go to the bathroom and she is in a wheel chair, I took her out and was blessed out for leaving the dining rm befor all the plates were out, and there were two more in there working. What a rush hr, i hate the dining rm serving. What can be done about this. Or anything?

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

I was given a good piece of advice about stuff like this, because you'll work with difficult people no matter where you work:

Be a duck. Let it roll right off your back like water.

As for the not wearing gloves because it's not homey, that depends on the person. I cringe every time I see someone touching my food without gloves on. Gloves prevent the spread of illnesses like hepatitis. Also, it's easier to scrape the plates clean when wearing gloves. (But take them off to feed someone.) I've scraped plates just as easily with a knife, so the issue is not important enough to make a fuss about, in my opinion.

Oh, and here's a link about hepatitis: http://hepatitis.about.com/od/prevention/a/fecaloral.htm

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Moved to the CNA forum

[Equinox_93]

I am a cna, I love my co-workers, office staff and all of the residents. When we do kitchen help the dietician is uaually critical of things we do. She will not allow us to wear gloves when cleaning the plates, says it's not a home looking thing to do. While it doesn't matter to her what we can pick up from the dirty plates so accused me of cross contaminating food tonite because of picking up dirty plates in one hand and handing out the deserts with my right hand. I have always been very clean with my caring for the residents and in the kitchen. Why is it that they don't try to get along with us during the meals. Only one cook is good to us and saves us the left over food to eat for our meal, the others throw it out befor we can eat. Once a resident needed to go to the bathroom and she is in a wheel chair, I took her out and was blessed out for leaving the dining rm befor all the plates were out, and there were two more in there working. What a rush hr, i hate the dining rm serving. What can be done about this. Or anything?

Maybe explain firmly but respectfully that your first priority is to your residents and if your charge has to use the facilities, you are NOT going to make her hold it until everyone else is finished. Stand up for yourself (respectfully) and people will stop pushing you around.

[cutiek184]

Wow... washing others people's plates with out gloves?!?! What a gross thing! I hope you don't have kids.. you could be bringing home lord knows what! I would go to someone with authority and talk to them about the way you are being treated. Are the nurses being treated like this? I bet not. What if you had a reaction to the dish soap they use..it is none of their business if you want to wear gloves you should be able too! ooo that makes me so mad! :scrm:

[Equinox_93]

... I wonder if you brought in "homey" dish gloves- like with flowers or something on them if that would be OK with the facility... *pondering*

[south102001]

Yes gloves are actually very important to hep stop the spread of infection. Also don't allow peopel to disrespect you. I treasure the CNA that I work with.

[ctmed]

I find alot of it to be LTC/ Nursing Home culture. I have heard quite a few

LPN students bragging about how they won't have to "wipe buttocks" when they get out. There is also a perception with some people that someone without a degree is somehow lazy or not intelligent or they would have

made a sacrifice to get the degree and move up. From LPN.. I have seen

but a dietician?? The perception of CNA suffers in some people's eyes,

unfortunately.

Thankfully, this is not everyone. Just a few bad apples. Ive also worked

with many LPNs that value my assistance. (Especially as a male.) And I

always check dietary orders for the proper diet.

But.. going off because you where gloves to serve food because it isn't

"home-like"? If anything, considering what an LTC CNA has to clean on a

regular basis plus all the bugs like C-Diff and Hep C, I think wearing gloves

with plates would be encouraged. I'd have a word with the director if she

continues like that.. but do make sure to do your research and come to

her with intelligence and calm.

If not, try a different facility.. or even better.. a hospital or agency.