lazy mean assistants

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

This morning while I was trying to calculate I/O's, admin meds, cover fingersticks, etc...the end of shift duties, I asked my assistant if she had emptied the NG and colostomy and f/c in room 6. She said "nope". I asked her if she would do it. She said "nope, I wont." So I asked her why not. She said that the assistant-trainee needs to do it (this assistant is training her). Now normally I do this stuff myself because it always turned into a confrontation when I asked them to do anything. Well, this assistant-trainee doesnt know how to do it, she says she has never been shown how to. At this point, it was just easier to do it myself. But the rude assistant wouldnt leave it alone. She yelled at me in front of the entrie nurses station about how these new people need to do their job or find another one, that I need to go and show her how to do it! Umm, excuse me? It isnt my job to train the assistants. Im doing my job and its hard enough. Then she follows me to the medcart to argue with me some more. She gets mad and walks off yelling at me. Ya know, when she is swamped or busy, I always helped her do her blood draws, empty trash. I tried to work as a team. But apparently thats what is EXPECTED of me now. When I need help, there is no help to be found. Another nurse is the one who has to help me clean a patient who is a complete when they have a bm in the bed. The assistants on our floor will not clean a patient, will not empty f/c's, will not do any I/O's, they want to skip out on the vitals by asking "which patients do you have to have vitals on." I never ask an assistant to help me, because I get yelled at! The answer is "I dont have time." One day I had a shot in one hand and a cup of pills in the other and was going to a patient's room when another patient called out needing to go to the bathroom. Who do you think had to go...ME. I had to put the meds back in the medcart and go assist this patient to the bsc because the assistant didnt have time (she was standing at the nurses station talking). Ive gone to my nurse manager several times, as have many other nurses. It doesnt do any good. We are short staffed, which allows this behavior to continue. Im ready to QUIT but if I dont figure out how to handle this now, it will happen again at my next job. I dont know how to be assertive. This assistant has worked on this floor for 17years, Ive only worked there for 2 1/2 years. She literally thinks her role is more important than anyone elses. How would you handle an aggressive assistant like her?

[Katnip, RN]

Talking to her obviously does nothing. Document these incidents. Her behavior of following you around is not only unprofessional but hostile. You need to talk to your NM about this. Yes, it might make things worse with this assistant but she's creating more work for you. If other nurses are having the same problem, get them on board too, if they have the courage.

I've seen some units where nurses are so cowed by the assistants that the assitants literally run the place. That's not how it's supposed to be. Each person has a specific job to do, and you're supposed to do.

[StNeotser, ASN, RN]

Are you in a nursing home?

I think if you document these incidents her behaviour can be regarded as abuse related to neglect. For example, leaving someone in urine and not answering the call bell, not doing catheter care and such things are all neglect of her duties.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Here's how I would handle it (may not be the best way):

1. Ask her politely to do the task.

2. If she refuses, tell her to the task.

3. If she still refuses, state to her: "are you refusing to do as I ask?"

4. If she says "yes," then she gets written up and I keep a copy of the write-up and the original goes to the manager.

5. In the write-up, I state specifically (and dispassionately) what happened and what I expect in the way of correcton, ie, further teaching, more emphasis on teamwork and cooperation. I also ask the manager when can I expect some feedback as to a solution to the problem.

6. If the manager doesn't come back to me, then I hunt them down - lol.

[Sassybottom]

Wow your unit sounds like my worst nightmare come true ... I am so sorry. I know I could never do my job without nursing assistants. And, good, responsible, caring, and knowledgeable (i've learned a lot from them) nursing assistants are truly gems. I agree with documenting her refusal to do her job and her verbal abuse towards you.

I hope work conditions change for you.

[leslie :-D]

you said you've talked to the nm and s/he doesn't do anything, r/t being short-staffed?

hmmmph.

i've worked under identical conditions.

the assts ran the place.

(there were 2-3 excellent assts but around 5 of them, called the shots.)

and nothing was done about it.

nurses were writing them up, left and right.

this DON had no backbone.

the final straw was when i found one of the assts sleeping in a pt's room, while she was supposed to be fdg him.

she didn't know i saw her and she returned the tray to the cart, stating the pt didn't want to eat.

i confronted the asst.

she denied everything and told me to "f"-off.

when i reported her, the DON got a lunch and fed the pt herself!

that was it.

i quit on the spot and stormed out.

now, i don't advise you handling it this way.

but if your leader has been rendered totally ineffective, you have little recourse.

it's time to go.

unless you choose to remain someone's doormat, which i hope you don't.

best of everything.

leslie

[dekatn]

I used to work in a place like that, it was in KY, wonder if it's the same place, lol. Anyway, I reported, wrote up, did everything by the book. All to no avail. I quit, didn't look back. That has been several years ago, the nh has been through numerous nurses since then, guess what? That aid is still there. What goes around comes around, but it will come around without me there!!!

[Sisukas]

Here's how I would handle it (may not be the best way):

1. Ask her politely to do the task.

2. If she refuses, tell her to the task.

3. If she still refuses, state to her: "are you refusing to do as I ask?"

4. If she says "yes," then she gets written up and I keep a copy of the write-up and the original goes to the manager.

5. In the write-up, I state specifically (and dispassionately) what happened and what I expect in the way of correcton, ie, further teaching, more emphasis on teamwork and cooperation. I also ask the manager when can I expect some feedback as to a solution to the problem.

6. If the manager doesn't come back to me, then I hunt them down - lol.

I agree with everything up to half of number 5. If you are not a supervisor, you shouldn't tell the supervisor how to correct the problem. This puts you dangerously close to showing the same attitude that you are complaining about. And you are right to expect feedback, but expect to see it in action, don't expect the supervisor to tell you how she disciplined the employee. That's not your business. Ideally, you'll see results of your write-up visible as improvement of attitude.

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

we had a few cna's just like that until the new don was hired. this woman backs up the nurses and actually stands up to the administration. now when one of us has to do a write up, something is done. they may be talked to or fired. the lazy ones are really being weeded out.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

you said you've talked to the nm and s/he doesn't do anything, r/t being short-staffed?

hmmmph.

i've worked under identical conditions.

the assts ran the place.

(there were 2-3 excellent assts but around 5 of them, called the shots.)

and nothing was done about it.

nurses were writing them up, left and right.

this DON had no backbone.

the final straw was when i found one of the assts sleeping in a pt's room, while she was supposed to be fdg him.

she didn't know i saw her and she returned the tray to the cart, stating the pt didn't want to eat.

i confronted the asst.

she denied everything and told me to "f"-off.

when i reported her, the DON got a lunch and fed the pt herself!

that was it.

i quit on the spot and stormed out.

now, i don't advise you handling it this way.

but if your leader has been rendered totally ineffective, you have little recourse.

it's time to go.

unless you choose to remain someone's doormat, which i hope you don't.

best of everything.

leslie

:yeahthat:

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

yes i have been in that situation alot. the aides disapear and you can never find them. i get so sick of cnas that run the nurses. i wish someday i could say " you are the assistant to the nurse , i am not the assistant to you, without me , you wouldn't have a job".. but of course i never would because it's not the way to do things. sometimes i am so exhausted by the end of the shift , from doing all my own care , my own everything.. i can barely give report. i was told by one DON , "that because they hardly have any education, you have to expect that behavior"....seems like a loosing battle.. so i just do everything myself.. i really am grateful for the aids who help me, i am so happy to see the good CNAs i thank them all day. i was so happy one day i had an CNA say to me " just do your work and i will take care of everything" i could of cried... i was so so relieved.

[Evangeline2000]

Sadly, this is the rule, rather than the exception.