Major venting about some CNA's

Nurses General Nursing

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First, let me say that I am not venting against all CNA's or even most...I've been one myself. I know how hard they work. I applaude the good ones.

My problem is the majority of the ones at where I work. They talk back, they leave people in messes...it's really making me mad. Just this morning, I told a CNA that was going to get my blood sugars at 5:30, to wait until at least 6:00 because I didn't feel comfortable giving insulin at 7:00 on a 5:30 accucheck. I had originally told her 6:30, but, after she explained to me that she couldn't at that time, I told her I would compromise and make it 6:00. (Sometimes our patients don't get their breakfast trays until almost 8:00 and 11-7 is responsible for the insulin at 7:00) She flat out refused. She told me that the boss said it was ok. I told her, she's not here right now, is she? You're working on MY license, not her's.

She told me no and went and got them at quarter of 6 in defiance.

I told the 'boss' when she came in, but, this is the same boss that let another CNA get away with telling me to 'shut the hell up', as well as, telling a patient to shut up. (Which is why the CNA told me to shut up...I was getting on to her for doing that)

I am so SICK of not being backed up when I tell a CNA to do something. I know I am just a little 'ole LPN at this time, but, I still expect the CNA's to do what I tell them.

I try to be fair. Like I said, I was a CNA, I know how hard the work can be....but, I didn't talk to my nurses any old way I feel, much less, tell them no when they told me to do something.

If the big bosses won't do anything, what am I to do? Go over their heads?

This is my last night tonight. I've done decided that the next place I work, I am not going to be so nice. I've got an interview tomorrow and I am going to explain to the administrator that I DEMAND back up. If I tell someone to do it, and, they snap off, I EXPECT there to be repercussions.

I hate to be so down and dirty, but, I had an spiritual experience a couple of weeks ago that made me see that every patient I come in contact with, is someone's loved one. I don't expect to see them laying in pee or dried food for hours. That is soooo undignified. :o If I don't take up for them, who will?

Any advice? Should I go to the ombudsman if the bosses won't do anything about these CNA's with an attitude?

I hope any CNA's that read this don't take offense. If you do your job honorable, I am not talking about you.

Specializes in LDRP; Education.

I could too! Hell, if Rebel would do that for me, I'd do all her bedside cares! :D

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i don't know about your facility, but at mine, if we would all quit thinking about what job is the cna's and what job is the nurses', and just do whatever it takes to care for the people we are in this profession to care for, we might even make a difference in some lives. We, too, can't seem to stop the bickering about what who does what and why.

Perhaps we should re-read the job description. especially the part that says...."MUST BE ABLE TO DO ALL ASPECTS OF PATIENT CARE!!!"

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Lateblumer, I hear you, the bottom line is the patient. But if I'm doing my job and the majority of what the CNA can do...What patient is really getting the best of care?

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Lol - this is the coolest info to read. I would help any RN who ask me because I am a certified and liscenced certified nursing assistant. If RN ask me to help with bedside stuff, I am the one who starts raising the bed on one side. Two people working side to side is easiest, and saves time (logical.) At this beginning point in healthcare (

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.
Originally posted by rebelwaclause

Lateblumer, I hear you, the bottom line is the patient. But if I'm doing my job and the majority of what the CNA can do...What patient is really getting the best of care?

Excellent point. If members of the team are not doing their job, the nurse is stretched thinner and thinner, and ultimately the patient suffers. THAT is the point.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Originally posted by KellieRN

I DID NOT MEAN TO COME ACROSS AS MEAN ABOUT LVN'S HAVING AUTHORITY OVER CNA'S. YES I UNDERSTAND THAT WE AS CNA'S ARE THERE TO ASSIST THE NURSE IN PATIENT CARE. BUT IN MY POSITION, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THE PATIENTS TO SMOKE...........I DON'T SMOKE, SO WHEN I SAID NO I'M NOT DOING IT B/C I DON'T SMOKE.........I WAS NOT WRONG ABOUT THAT, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO RISK MY LUNGS GETTING CANCER BECAUSE SHES TOO LAZY TO GO OUT THERE AND INTERUPT HER DAY FOR IT. ABOUT THE RESPECT ISSUE, I DIDN'T MEAN THAT AN LVN SHOULD HAVE TO EARN MY RESPECT. I GIVE EVERYONE RESPECT AS A HUMAN BEING, BUT ONCE YOU ORDER ME TO DO ANYTHING, I LOSE ALL RESPECT WETHER YOUR THE DON OR THE LVN OR MY FELLOW CNA. I THINK IF YOU THINK YOUR TOO GOOD TO HAVE TO EARN ANYONES RESPECT, WETHER ITS A CNA'S OR A FELLOW LVN'S THEN YOU SHOULD MAYBE GET A MIRROR AND LOOK IN IT AND ASK YOURSELF WHAT KIND OF NURSE YOUR PATIENTS REALLY HAVE TAKING CARE OF THEM. REMEMBER OUTSIDE OF THAT NURSES UNIFORM, WE ARE ALL THE SAME, RESPECT COMES IN ALL DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES.

KELLIE

You defied a direct order from your supervisor,Kellie....your smoking has nothing to do with the main issue here-I do not poop my pants but I have to clean up my incontinent residents....Supervising your smoking residents is within your job description and refusing to do so may get you relieved from your duties.Saying that the nurse was lazy because she was sitting at the desk doing paperwork shows how little you really know about the nurses responsibilities...Is it a good idea for the nurse to go outside for something like that and leave the unit unattended? We all have to follow someone's orders...Unless your name is Donald Trump...seems that you have a real problem with authority and I bet your residents suffer because of it....
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BB, I can relate when you say it is often easier to do the job yourself. I just worry about nurses who do this continuously...as I feel it can lead to nurse burnout. Plus it enables lazy coworkers. :(

It is indeed 'easier' and 'faster' to handle many things ourselves but we need to learn to delegate too if we work in a team setting. When I'm way OT and breakless and others get all their breaks and leave on time that's a big clue I need to delegate more to others.

I understand about picking battles...but there is no way I can do my job PLUS the CNA's job...if a CNA is in my ICU it is because we are probably short a nurse so I desperately NEED him/her to help get things done. :)

Have you tried to get a good CNA to help write a CNA job description/expectation to make policy...and ask your director to use for evaluations? We did this on my PCU and it was helpful in motivating the lazy ones. We even named her 'lead' CNA and she oriented new CNA's...it worked well too and she made some extra $$ with her new title.. ;)

So true we all have to 'take orders' and answer to someone in healthcare. Even docs can lose their privileges and their license if they fail to impress the right people one too many times.

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Originally posted by mattsmom81

BB, I can relate when you say it is often easier to do the job yourself.. :)

Have you tried to get a good CNA to help write a CNA job description/expectation to make policy...and ask your director to use for evaluations?

Excellent idea, Mattsmom. We do have some real go getters. That deserve that responsibility. It might be the most efficient way to go. I will bring it up.

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merry hoho and all that jazz :cool:

let me say that having finished my first clinical rotation i have a healthy respect for cna's, who by the way do way more than they can handle....however, being overworked as they are does lend itself to certain behaviors that stumpted (sp?) even this first year lpn student....

1. strange disappearances...when we student lpns were on ...they disappeared....was it a black hole or a vortex?

2. playing hide and seek with the cna's. they hid the supplies while we hunted them down...

3. finally, the different p.o.v. (point of view) when it came to patient care..fast vs. patient oriented...

4. grandma...was right...one does get more with honey than attitude...a please and wow...thanx went a long way in getting certain things ...ie...peri-spray to clean a patient that was incontinent....

so any comments....

cheers

karma...:kiss

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:confused:

hi, can someone explain what a crn is? In england we have auxillary nurses, i think crn must be the same thing?

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Karma your comment about playing hide and seek made me smile...my favorite CNA in the world would 'hide' our IV pumps and other stuff after she had cleaned them to make sure another unit didn't steal them.

At first I wasn't sure what to make of it...but we sure were glad later in the shift that she did this for us...hehe!

Don't ya'll hate running all over the hospital hunting for your own pumps and equipment??? Specially when you have a patient going bad and there's no pump for emergency drugs...:(

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Originally posted by mattsmom81

Specially when you have a patient going bad and there's no pump for emergency drugs...:(

Your sentence is my first real holiday gift. I have never heard "go bad" used in terms of anything but food. I am still grinning hard!

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