I didn't get all this education to wipe behinds!

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · May 30, 2006

My question is, do you think their should be a change in what nurses do? Will there come a time when basic hygiene and certain other tasks often done by nurses in the past will be the responsibility of CNAs and others in similar roles? Would this be a good thing for nurses? Is there really anything wrong with nurses who feel that four years of education + all of their other demands and responsibilities should mean that they shouldn't have to do these tasks?

I suppose it would be nice to delegate ALL those tasks to CNAs or other staff. The reality is though that when you're busy and it needs to be done, you might as well understand that you will end up doing it from time to time. I can't imagine letting a patient lie around in soiled underwear because there's no one around to clean it up. I think it's part of the relieving suffering thing that nursing is for in the firt place. I'm not a nurse but I have cleaned up a messy patient or two even thought it "wasn't my job". I felt the patient's dignity and comfort were important enough for me to do it.

zacarias, ASN, RN · May 30, 2006

I think that already that basic hygiene and certain other tasks are the responsibility of CNAs, at least the ones I work with. However, I am not above doing those tasks if I'm with a patient that needs those things ONLY if there's nothing of higher priority (monitoring drip, timed med etc).

The day that a nurse refuses to do a task because she/he's trained for so much more is the day that nurse becomes nothing more than a selfish employee

meownsmile, BSN, RN · May 30, 2006

Ill go ya one farther,, not only do most of the CNA's do those tasks now but i seriously think in the future patients families will take a more active role in hygiene and daily care in the acute care setting.

Do i think i shouldnt do those tasks,heck no, im right along with the others in there cleaning, turning, etc. But i do know between the growing elderly population and no increase in nursing numbers there will be a great need for families to get even more involved in their families care.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · May 30, 2006

Is there really anything wrong with nurses who feel that four years of education + all of their other demands and responsibilities should mean that they shouldn't have to do these tasks?

If they have the attitude that their 4 year degree is way too good to do such, then yes that's a problem. However, it's safe to say there's a few ouot there that have that mentality even though they're still getting their pre-reqs out of the way.

When i read that line, i instantly thought of a local 4 year school who employs a clinical instructor that i've heard say way more than once "Focus on the charting and meds. Baths and ADLs, that's what the aides are for" So thanks to an instructor like that, there might be quite a few nurses that 1) graduate thinking they'll never have to wipe a behind again or 2) get a huge reality check when they get a bedside job.

I must say that thanks to that instructor, i will never set foot in that school's nursing program.

Will there come a time when basic hygiene and certain other tasks often done by nurses in the past will be the responsibility of CNAs and others in similar roles? Would this be a good thing for nurses?

Possibly. However, will there be a time when the resonsibility of those tasks fall only on CNAs? I don't think so. Since basic hygiene, however basic, is still considered a part of pt. care, the nurse will always be responsible for it getting done, either by herself (himself) or the CNA.

jcarew · May 30, 2006

Hello,

I am a student nurse extern and know that we have to wipe butts sometimes. However, we should realize that the current flow is to the magnet status hospitals. For example our school is weeding out LPN program because most of our hospitals will no hire LPN's. Currently the hospitals are moving toward only RN's giving direct care, which means we will be wiping a lot more butts in the future :) Btw the hospital I work at has no CNA's and only a few LPN's. Within 5 years they hope to have only RN's on the floor.

TazziRN, RN · May 30, 2006

Wow! I was sharpening my claws and rolling up my sleeves when I saw the title!!

My feeling is that there is no task that belongs to the CNA's. All the tasks are actually ours and they are our assistants. They work under our licenses, their tasks are ultimately our responsibility.

Rn2bKatie · May 30, 2006

Im not above performing personal care however I think it does somewhat distract the patients view of our ability to asses, and assist in their care plans. if a patient sees us changing their briefs and then admin IVs they tend to doubt our ability

ZASHAGALKA, RN · May 30, 2006

Wow! I was sharpening my claws and rolling up my sleeves when I saw the title!!
My feeling is that there is no task that belongs to the CNA's. All the tasks are actually ours and they are our assistants. They work under our licenses, their tasks are ultimately our responsibility.

Perfect take on it.

However 'white-collar' nursing eventually becomes, there will be 'blue' stains that no amount of education will ever wash clean.

Simply put, if you don't want the 'side-effects' that come with intimately dealing w/ people; there are plenty of jobs out there that don't require it.

Nursing . . . does.

CNAs only do 'delegated' tasks. That means that it is YOUR responsibility, delegated to them. Hint: YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

The moment we choose to define nursing in a way that leaves those responsibilities behind; that is the moment bedside nursing becomes the province of non-nurses.

~faith,

Timothy.

TazziRN, RN · May 30, 2006

Im not above performing personal care however I think it does somewhat distract the patients view of our ability to asses, and assist in their care plans. if a patient sees us changing their briefs and then admin IVs they tend to doubt our ability

Huh??? WHY?????? As long as the hands are washed before the IV's are touched, why would this matter? I have cleaned up incontinent pts and then administered meds or IV's (with hands washed!!) and I seriously doubt their perceptions of me changed because of that.

jcarew · May 30, 2006

Just wanted to add something to my last post. In our hospital (and many magnet hospitals) the nurse to patient ratio is low. Yesterday in the ER we had 4 rooms assigned to us and at any on time we only had 2 patients. The most I seen any nurse have at once was 4. Therefore, there is the extra time to wipe buts and give continuity of care.....each pt has one nurse for everything and they seem to like that.

SeekingNur · May 30, 2006

Wow! I was sharpening my claws and rolling up my sleeves when I saw the title!!
My feeling is that there is no task that belongs to the CNA's. All the tasks are actually ours and they are our assistants. They work under our licenses, their tasks are ultimately our responsibility.

lol, i admit i was hoping for that reaction to at least get folks to open the thread. But really I was just trying to get a feel for where nursing is headed in the opinion of all the smart nurses 'round here. I'm enjoying the replies thus far. and really appreciative of everyone who has bothered to reply.