I am so sick of hearing attitudes from aides. I'm sick of it up to my chin. I can't hear it anymore. I think if an aide gives me attitude tomorrow I am going to flip out. I don't know what to do. They don't want to clean patients, turn patients, take vitals, get water, do a blood sugar, do I/Os, help patients to the bathroom, answer call lights, or anything! I shouldn't have to remind them to do their job... Oh but when I do because it isn't done all I get is attitude. All day with my 6 patients I did my job and I did their job. When I page them over head they don't answer. So i have to stop what I'm doing to put the pt on the bedpan, take them off, get water, ect ect.. I don't mind helping out.. I help out more than most nurses!!! But yet they still give me crap. Most of these aides have been working here for years.. Instead of setting a good example for the younger aides they are teaching them how to have an attitude..
I'm going to my director tomorrow. I can't put up with it anymore.. Either something has to change or I'm leaving. I love my job.. But I hate dealing with this everyday... Every nurse is sick of it.
They aren't even giving baths!! It is absolutely absurd. We've had this problem for a while.. The DON will talk to them and they'll act better for maybe 2 weeks, then it is back to the same ol' attitude.
Are there not any good CNAs anymore? Where are they?
I completely understand it is about lazy ones, but you stated there are more lazy CNA's than there are RN's and I do not think that is a fair assumption to make at all.
To be completely honest.......I KNOW there are some very lazy nurses. And I don't think that I said there were more lazy CNAs that nurses. Read back and you will see that I said there were more lazy CNAs than good ones.
This is such a long thread I doubt anyone will read it to the end but here are my two cents: If you were bright, motivated, self starter with a vested intrest in patients' well being why would you settle for a career as a NA. Lets face it-people that make that job a career are the ones that find working in fast food too stressful and can't stand on thier feet long enough to be a clerk/cashier at the local A&P. I have met 1 or 2 very good aids in my long career but for the most part the ones that did a good job always seemed to move on to other positions or become nurses. It's a lousy, back breaking job that would burn most of us out if we did it the way it should be done for long. The only aids that can stand to stay in it for long are the ones that don't actually do the job.
This is such a long thread I doubt anyone will read it to the end but here are my two cents: If you were bright, motivated, self starter with a vested intrest in patients' well being why would you settle for a career as a NA. Lets face it-people that make that job a career are the ones that find working in fast food too stressful and can't stand on thier feet long enough to be a clerk/cashier at the local A&P. I have met 1 or 2 very good aids in my long career but for the most part the ones that did a good job always seemed to move on to other positions or become nurses. It's a lousy, back breaking job that would burn most of us out if we did it the way it should be done for long. The only aids that can stand to stay in it for long are the ones that don't actually do the job.
IMO, compared to other entry level positions, PCT work doesn't pay bad, often well above minimum wage. I've known a number of single parents that have made excellent PCT's that chose not to go to nursing school because of family responsibilities. I've also known alot of older PCT's that have an excellent work ethic that never want to go to nursing school. They simply feel that being in their 40's-50's that they are beyond the age for school. I even know of at least one older PCT that stays a PCT because she likes having all the direct pt care, which she feels she would lose if she became an RN.
Have you ever worked as a CNA? Perhaps they have too much to do. They aren't superhuman. I work my tail off, and it is never enough.
It depends on the nurse you work for. And it depends on the CNA.
I've been on both sides of the fence. Even as a CNA, you have to admit that some CNAs are lazy as hell...I'm sure there are particular people at your job that you feel like you have to "clean up after" when you go to work.
Also, some of the best CNAs I've ever worked with were career CNAs. They were happy with their jobs, had been doing it for 25+ years, and were pretty sharp. Oldschool for sure. I know one that was so oldschool that she only used one glove when wiping a butt!! She was 63, and was planning on retiring in a year with a fat pension and social security check. Despite her one glove technique, she was probably one of the most compassionate hard working people I've ever met, and advocated for her patients FAR more than most of the RNs at the facility.
The bottom ten CNAs I've worked with were nursing students. I hate to say it, but it's true. On the flipside, most of the best RNs I've worked with were CNAs before they were RNs. Go figure.
Just giving my 2 cents from both sides of the fence.
Well. This thread got uglier than I imagined... But I was a PCT before I was a nurse. I know what the job entails. I have done what they do. I'm not saying every CNA on my floor is terrible. We have some that are awesome. But we have about 8 that are terrible. When I posted this Tuesday the only CNA's we had that day were 4 of the WORST. Yesterday 1 bad one had half of my patients and 1 good one had the other half. So it wasn't as bad because half of my patients were getting good care. Still 2 of my patients yesterday didn't get their bath until about 3pm. I had to ask the patients if they had had a bath, they both said no. I went to the CNA and told her that both pts needed baths before she left. She tried to tell me they had refused that AM, maybe so? But either way both patients told me they wanted a bath. So I just told her that it didn't matter because they want one now. She huffed, but she went and did it.
We have a lot of older CNAs that have been working for too long. They are burnt out and they are the ones with the worst attitudes.
And I truly help my CNAs out a lot. I take pts to the bathroom, i set their meals up, cut up food, change briefs, take snacks. I take my own vitals when pts are getting blood or are just getting back from procedures. I help them. But the other day I had 1 death, 3 discharges, 2 admissions, 1 pt in restraints, and 1 sick one that just converted to A-fib... When my day is like that, I need a good CNA to help me. I know that their job is my job. But unless I have fewer patients I can't do both jobs alone.
but the other day i had 1 death, 3 discharges, 2 admissions, 1 pt in restraints, and 1 sick one that just converted to a-fib... when my day is like that, i need a good cna to help me. i know that their job is my job. but unless i have fewer patients i can't do both jobs alone.
tiger
i feel for you and sooo agree with you on the above statement. i know personally when i see an aide is busy or has a lot to do i will gladly empty trash, change sharps containers, etc. sometimes i wish they would see and do the same when i need a hand instead of texting so and so while hiding out in the dirty utility.
zimsaint
113 Posts
To be completely honest.......I KNOW there are some very lazy nurses. And I don't think that I said there were more lazy CNAs that nurses. Read back and you will see that I said there were more lazy CNAs than good ones.