I need to vent.

Published

I have been at my new job for a month. And already I am getting complaints from the nurse manager in my unit. Amazing how I haven't done anything wrong, but yet people are complaining about me! She understands I am new, and it takes a while to catch on. I'm now wondering if my co-workers are tryng to get me fired! They should understand that I am not a pro just yet. I'm sure they made mistakes, and were slow when they first started as a new CNA! Another thing that bothers me is that It is hard to find help when you use the hoyer lift!!!!! I have been told by my co-workers to have everything ready before I call them! Well, sometimes you cant have everything f*cking ready!:mad: I have also notice they sometimes make up excuses to not help me. Or when they do help me they make me wait forever and then I am behind! Now the floor nurse is riding my a**! There are a few residents that are hard to turn, and change by yourself. Teamwork is hard to come by. The girls that I work with on the weekends all have this special clique. Even the floor nurse is all buddy, buddy with them, and helps when they need it. I feel left out....and ignored. Since it's a new month everyone swithes hallways. I now have all the hoyer lifts!! It's really hard, and I'm stressed. I just have one question: Will it get better?

Specializes in Med/Surg, Float Pool, MICU, CTICU.

I'm sorry about your situation. LTC is tough enough and having non-cooperative coworkers doesn't make it any easier. My advice to you is apply to hospitals or non-profit nursing homes. I've read that non-profit nursing homes have a better overall work environment and employee relations if you decide to go that route. In my area, hospital hires based on experience, so if you don't get a job offer right away, apply when you have 4-6 months under your belt. That's what I did.

Good luck to yay!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

Thank you all for your advice. It feels better to talk about this with people who understand. There is also a girl that I work with, and she is very childish! She makes snide snooty remarks when I make a mistakes. Or becomes down right rude for no reason. I'm trying to ignore her, but I'm getting to the point where I am going to blow up at her! I'm not at this job to argue, and fight with people. I need the money to pay for school. I already told the unit nurse manager about her, and I pray she does something about this girls attitude. Geez it's pretty stressful being a CNA! LOL! My residents dont stress me out! It's my co-workers!:rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

I think the best approach in a situation like that is to come right out and ask what that person's problem is. I'm suuuuper timid and I've had to force myself to do that a few times. Every time I did that the person behaved herself after that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Management at our facility requires two CNA when you're using a sit-to-stand, or hoyer lift. You'll be terminated if they see you using a machine without help because that's the company policy and a state requirement. The nurse or the nursing manager on shift has to see you and your partner use the machine on the patient.

I work with a good group of co-workers. We only have one lazy CNA who doesn't help out the other CNA's and he has the easiest group on the whole floor. :rolleyes: I became friends with a lot of my co-workers because I was always willing to help out anyone even if you were new to our facility. The new employees love me because I always help them and explain to them what each resident in the their group likes to do and what time they like to go to sleep.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We are required to have two for a Hoyer lift (sling lift) but not a sit-to-stand or PAL lift. It seems to me that if you go to the trouble to get a second person, you might as well do it SAFELY with the lift rather than killing your backs picking people up. Also, at least at my facility, many of the Hoyer lift residents are so heavy that two people probably COULDN'T pick up the people.

Also, I'm curious what the second person does in other facilities. For us, we mostly just have the second person to maybe guide the resident's legs in and out of bed, but mostly just there because we have to have two.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It is very smart, and not regrettable to try to find help for a hoyer lift. If you aren't comfortable doing a hoyer lift by yourself, then find help. So good job on that. Unfortunately, if you feel like theres a clique, left out, everyone is against your side... then you are becoming a CNA. I see people in cliques that are against each other.

I've worked at two places, and i got hired at 5 different places, and I have turned down the 3-4 places because right when i walk in, i see huge cliques. It is important to find the right group to work with. It is true, my employees stresses me out more than the patients. Which is not good. But to end this, just keep doing your best and don't let them get to you. As long as your residents are well taken care of, you'll be fine.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know exactly what you are going through. I too am a new CNA got hired at a LTC winthin 2 weeks of passing state exam. I worked every other weekend.I loved the residents and was ok with the work but the co-workers were horrible. I couldn't understand why they were like that. I'm older than them I'm not into drama, I couldn't understand why they were so mean to me. I needed to learn time management I was too slow, they purposely stuck me in the hardest section. And were happy when I was lagging behind so they could complain to the nurse their friend. I was at that job 4 months I just resigned end of Dec and I am so happy. I didn't need that crap. That was the worst job I have ever had. I don't even think I want to go to another LTC cause I don't want to put up with that. been thinking of assisted living. Does anyone have experiece w/al that can share. thanks.Anyways hang in there i'm sure like the others said they will eventually leave you alone.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

Hi everyone. I just wanted to do an update. I went ahead, and changed shifts and I now work nights. It got so bad that even the floor nurse was desperate trying to find things to get me in trouble. This is because her "buddy" got talked to about her attitude towards me. I guess she wasnt happy with that! So in turn she started being more rude, and blaming me for things. I'm upset that the unit manager couldnt handle this the right way. I went to her to complain, and all she offered to me was to switch days, or switch to night shift. And she even told me that the girls admitted that they didnt want me there, and they didnt have time for a newbie like me. I thought she should have fired them all after making comments like that!:mad: They are the ones who came to her, and cried that they needed another CNA to help on the floor. Well the DON hires a CNA to help them, and this is what they do! They batted me down! Now, I'm just using this job to gain experience so I can put it on my application, and THEN I am gone! It is less stressful on nights, and there is more team work. I just cant believe I had to switch shifts just to get peace!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am at an LTC, I found the same poor working enviorment as everyone else. I switched to the overnight shift. It is better. I asked a nurse I work with why it is like that. She told me nurses eat their young. It is just the way it is. On the night shift I have been lucky to work with great nurses. They have more time for you, there are very few times that you have to use a hoyer, sarita, or ultra lift.In NY State I 'm pretty sure it is mandatory to have 2 people while using a hoyer. We will be fired on the spot. I think it is a good policy. After all the elderly are weak and have fragile bones, I had a hoyer tip on me with a resident in it. Thank god I had another person with me, not just in the room, but we did it together. I stopped the hoyer from tipping with my feet and lowered the resident on the other aides feet, and there was no injury. I really don't care what the time issues are. If the 2 person rule can stop injuries to a resident, i will follow that rule always. As far as racing to get people up and giving less than quality care just to be done quick enough is BS. We are working with human beings, most of them are old and frail. They are important and these are the last days of their lives. We owe it to them to respect them, treat them with kindness, speak to them while working with them and always care. If there are people who don't work like that, I say shame on them. Wouldn't it be nice to change the CNA image from what it is, to a hard working, caring , health care proffessional .heart. There should be a movement CNA's for change

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wish I could say it gets better but it really doesn't....especially when u are working with unprofessional ppl with an ignorant attitude. I'm a 8 yr experienced CNA. I remember when I was new to this....only thing I can say is that "YOU" will get better learning how to give care independently, but no matter how long you have been on the job, sometimes co~workers don't change. I have my own short cuts, but I still provide safe and effective care and I ask no one for help, even when I have to use a hoyer or standup lift. Teach yourself seriously, as long as you feel comfortable though. Another thing, if it's really getting to you, that you need help, even if the care nurses won't help, the charge nurse is supposed to help, it's about the patient above all.

Find out your job's policy, and go up the chain of command, file a complaint with the supervisor next and if no action is not taken, then go above her head also. Any documentation that you give to complain, please keep yourself a copy for your own personal records. Look! you have to worry about YOU first, if you feel someone is trying to get you fired...you have to cover your own a$$ seriously. Need I say anymore!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion