Major venting about some CNA's

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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.

Well we had a dr. who actually came to see his patient and the patient wasn't in his room... The dr. asked where he was and the nurse said that he was outside smoking... That dr. went off.. Yelling something about malpractice..blah blah... I thought it was interesting... I do not take smoking patients out.. I am a non-smoker so I just don't do it.. We have enough smoking nurses/pca's that are more than happy to go out and smoke themselves...

And when we have patients that can't go out and smoke (broken hips etc..) they end up lighting up in their room.. Which is against hospital policy, but they do it anyways... I will go in the room if it is NECESSARY.. but otherwise I stay out.. Cig smoke makes my eyes burn and bothers my breathing... So I am not going to do it... And our charge nurse has no problem with it.. She understands...

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

AHHH why I love where I work. NO SMOKING ALLOWED ANYWHERE ON HOSPITAL GROUNDS OR WITHIN 50 yards of it. NO one has to take pt's out to smoke....nonsmokers don't get to whine about smokers taking too many breaks cause NO ONE CAN SMOKE when at this HOSPITAL PERIOD. Makes it fair for EVERYone. Those smoking patients who can't handle withdrawal are offered patches.......if they demand to go out to smoke, it's AMA. It can get dicey, but I think it communicates the right message to our patient/family population. Smoking is NOT healthy and NOT done by healthcare workers or patients while in our hospital. I like it!

Originally posted by Susy K

Here's my question.

Say you work with a bunch of non-smokers who refuse to take patients out for smoke breaks? Then what? Who does it then?

Isn't it along the same lines of refusing to take care of a TB, AIDS, pneumonia or other infectious patient because it's bad for your health?

As I said, it is policy in my hospital... family takes smokers out to smoke or it likely does not get done. We also offer patches and gum. I'm glad my hospital has taken this step for it's staff.

We have PPE and even reverse airflow rooms for infectous situations like TB, VRE, HIV etc. But what protection are we given from the smoke? Even the outdoor designated smoking areas are hard to take for those who are sensitive to smoke. The smokers congregate in that one small area and it gets pretty thick.

I suppose nonsmokers could wear hepa masks...can't see the facility liking that idea...;)

I remember the days when nurses were were discouraged from wearing gloves to 'avoid offending the patient.' I'm glad those days are past and we can now protect ourselves from some hazards. :)

Specializes in Geri, psych, TCU, neuro--AKA LTC.
Originally posted by mattsmom81

I agree with Kelli and Brownie.. The patient's 'right' to smoke ends at my nose, IMO.

At our Christian LTCF, staff is strictly forbidden from accompanying residents outside to smoke...

before i became an lpn at our hospital, i worked as an stna. I worked the MED/SURG floor. I was responsible for cleaning up the equipment after it was used and i too would hide certain pca pumps, tube feed pumps or iv's. People would come and ask where our whatever was, and i would go and find it for them.

when i got my license, i moved to another unit. The unit i now work on will always ask me where a certain pump or what ever can be found and i will go right up and find it. I tell the other unit that i am taking it, and i always return it to them. We all figure that if it isn't in use at the time i go up and get it, then it isn't hurting them for us to use it as long as it gets returned.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Suzy the answer is: NO ONE DOES---and that is FINE by ME. They can have patches ------I as a nurse who is busy enough, as well as a nonsmoker, refuse to take smokers out at facilities where it IS allowed.. (one of the places I work DOES allow smokers to go to a gazebo outside the ER). In the event a patient wants to smoke, I let family members do the honor of taking them down for one. In absence of family members, they may need a patch or gum to get by .....no one has DIED FROM NOT SMOKING that I EVER HEARD OF and I have never heard of effective care-planning that mandated taking smokers out for a cigarette......and also....

I am already asked to watch their babies when they DO go down for a cigarette, so I guess that effectively leaves me OUT as a candidate for smoker-escort! We simply don't have the staffing for it. It's not even on the radar screen of my priorities as their nurse.

Besides all this, it is silly to compare this situation to taking care of pts with conditions such as HIV, Hepatitis, TB or anything else. I don't refuse to care for ANYone including smokers, drug addicts, alcoholics, HIV + folks, what-not ...one has nothing to do with the other.

Originally posted by Susy K

Here's my question.

Say you work with a bunch of non-smokers who refuse to take patients out for smoke breaks? Then what? Who does it then?

Isn't it along the same lines of refusing to take care of a TB, AIDS, pneumonia or other infectious patient because it's bad for your health?

slap a patch on em. it is NOT the same as taking care of a contageous dse. pt....in the latter scenario, we are giving care, which is our role....the first scenario of escorting a pt to smoke is nothing but a luxury to the pt and a nuicence to the nurse. the pt own't die without a ciggarett, the TB/AIDS pt will die without nursing care.

I don't believe in taking pts outside to smoke. Give em the patch. I do believe however, that the detox patients should be allowed to smoke. It's hard enough to deal with one addiction, let alone two. Let then quit smoking after they have quit doing heroin.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

maybe flo, but NURSING does not have time to deal with smoker escort duty on top of all the OTHER stuff we do! There just ain't time.

Speaking of smoking...my pregnant sister in law continues to light up in front of me. I want to smack her. She also is about 5 months but has had no prenatal care. But that is another thread...

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

OMG flo....yea I hear you and the frustration you express, is palpable to me, having worked in OB AND had past pregnancy losses! Makes ya wanna scream.

SBE...are you following me? I was being sarcastic by the way about the detox pts. I mean, I actually believe that but I do understand. Some of the psych hospitals allow for smoking time but regular hospitals shouldn't. Who has the time? As for my sister in law, I seriously want to strangle her but I don't want to hurt the baby. And she had a c-section with my nephew due to malpresentation and fever. You would think she would want some prenatal care. She said she had no insurance. I told her to go to a clinic. She said she didn't know how to find one. I got her the number. She said she doesn't have a phone to call them. I told her to borrow someone's phone. She said I don't have a car. I told her MASS TRANSIT. Sorry...I am digressing. But Im so annoyed with her.

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