I am a worried CNA

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 22, 2004

You need to report this crap.

If the CNAs are turned in by someone else, they can just say "Oh well you know so-and-so knew about this too ya know" out of spite and to not be the only ones that go down.

And the fact that you know this is going on and say nothing about it to the higher-ups will make you just as liable.

itsme · Mar 22, 2004

What they are doing is neglect of a vulnerable adult. Not good. These people need to be turned in to a supervisor, and I would also consider turning them into the state also. Hopefully the supervisors will nip this problem in the bud. Just do what you would do if these were the people taking care of your parent. That is how I try to treat all the residents at the LTC where I work- just like they are my parent...Let us know what happens..

Katnip, RN · Mar 22, 2004

Document, document, document.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Mar 22, 2004

That makes me want to urrrp...and makes my blood boil. :angryfire

I wouldn't last a day in LTC... I'd be raising holy @**!# all over the place.

Not one to easily anger, but THIS kinda stuff gets to me, and I have zero tolerance for it.

Please report this to your superiors, and I hope and pray something will, indeed be done about it. Too often we hear the same old response... "we can't get anybody to work LTC... have to take what we get."

Then they need to shut down, I say. :stone

MandyInMS · Mar 22, 2004

You sound like a caring person Krissy..these things need reporting..as above mentioned if you don't report you are just as guilty..just imagine one of the pts being neglected was your Mom..or Granny and how you'd feel..please don't let this continue..these people are at your mercy.

ktwlpn, LPN · Mar 22, 2004

Hello
I am a CNA at a large long term care health care facility, most of my residents have alzheimers or are quite combative
I am 32 and the other CNA's I work with are 21 or 22. They are extremely unprofessional...admitting to me that they "make up temps" and "make up weights" "why waste time on that when you can go outside and have a cigerette???"
It sickens me. They do not answer call bells.THey steal linen from beds I open. They try to switch residents with me on the night they know the resident is a shower or a treatment. They take advantage of the new nurse on the floor..i.e. only doing their last turn to save their butt
Please tell me it is not always like this. I am also curious as to how a 21 year old has 3 kids and is a heavy smoker already???? These are my co-workers
I put in for a floor change...I hope it works
Krissy

I would document and report everything and hopefully you'll get tranferred to a unit with some more mature staff....LTC can be so difficult-and often the nurses will overlook this kind of thing ( they are too busy or believe that "this is the way it has always been and nothing will ever change" and often when you go to administration you are treated like an annoyance) I could not sleep if I did not truly believe that the aides on my unit are caring for our residents as if they were family...I am on a great unit now and very thankful....

Cherish · Mar 22, 2004

Where do you live West Virginia? *jokin* You should document everything they are doing and report them so they don't do this again. If management won't do anything report them to the state with your documentation! I hope you don't think that all 21 yr olds act like this. I am 21 and do not treat my patients like that! I care about my patients. I am a CNA, and would never treat someone like that. Thats horrible and if you don't do nothing now, I'm sorry to say but your as guilty. Document and Report!

MiaLyse, APRN · Mar 23, 2004

admitting to me that they "make up temps" and "make up weights" "why waste time on that when you can go outside and have a cigerette???">>

Yup, the reason I try and get all my own temps. (There are some CNA's I can trust) And just checked the weight book the other day because I had a pt. who had 0 intake of solids and liquids that day and of course there is NO charting done in his chart on his decreased appetite. Needless to say, the weight book was sporadically done and couldn't help me even after I went and got his weight. Not much to compare it to. Ugh!

Kelly

jkaee · Mar 23, 2004

Hello
I am 32 and the other CNA's I work with are 21 or 22. They are extremely unprofessional...admitting to me that they "make up temps" and "make up weights" "why waste time on that when you can go outside and have a cigerette???"
It sickens me. They do not answer call bells.
Please tell me it is not always like this.
Krissy

"Making up" information and documenting it is falsifying records, and these CNA's can lose their license for doing that (sounds like they should anyway). Not answering call bells constitutes resident abuse.

Try to feel out other CNA's or nurses that maybe feel the same way you do. There's power in numbers, esp. when you go to administration. If they won't do anything, call the state immediately. You don't have to give your name, and they will look into it ASAP.

No, not all LTC facilities are like this. I have worked in some good ones, and the not so good ones I get out of quickly. Maybe you should consider doing the same.

Long term care can be such a challenging and rewarding place to work, don't waste your skills and compassion in a place that doesn't adequately supervise their staff.

Whatever you decide to do, PLEASE report this to the state. I'm sure admin knows about these CNA's and has heard complaints about them before. Lots of times management doesn't want to deal with these types of problems, and that's when the state needs to get involved.

Good luck and let us know how you are doing!

Jennifer

jyoung1950 · Mar 23, 2004

I'm a CNA also and became one when I was 51! About 2 years ago. I'm lucky that after a few months on a floor with aids young enough to be my daughters i was moved to a unit with aids around my age.

We've got a few who could care less what shape their residents are in also.

Trouble is, on my shift (3-11:30), we are always short-staffed. The two floors with 62 residents on each floor are staffed with 3-4 aids 5 days out of 7. So I think sometimes that management won't deal with the problems till State shows up because they can't find enough help and need warm bodies employed to do something!! Anything!!

But if you have enough staff and people aren't be taken care of correctly, time to take action.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 23, 2004

The ultimate guide on how i care for residents or patients:

"What if this person was my mother. What if they were my father."