I saw the post earlier about the nurse getting confused as a CNA and the way she was treated, and I just had to say something about it. I'm a CNA, in a nursing home, and I get that kinda stuff all the time. I get treated with disrespect like I don't know anything, even though I know the residents better than most anyone else. There are some nurses who help and try not to disrespect me, but every now and then I get the feeling of distaste even from them. The truth is I do more actual care for these patients then anyone else in the field. Alot of nurses say they got into nursing because they wanted to take care of people, but the fact is they spend more time passing meds, and doing paperwork, and getting paid alot more for it, then the people who actually do the care. I'm sorry untill you wiped up someones BM, or vomit, or urine, can you really say you take care of those people. So if you want to do actual care every now and then try helping out a CNA.
Sorry but I get really bitter about the disrespect I receive constantly from the nurses. Heres an example. I have one nurse I work with and our personalities constantly conflict, shes from another country and has a very rude and arrogant attitude. One night I was having to stay late and work a shift I wasn't scheduled for, nurse K asked me if I had got urine output on one of our residents. I said no I was going to due it on rounds in a half hour, mind you I am quite busy at this time. She says well you need to go get it now because I need it before I go home in 10 min. Mind you she is quite not busy at this time, sitting and reading a magazine. Tell me why she couldn't get off her butt and get herself if it was important for her.
This same nurse has nearly killed a resident who was having a heart attack. She didn't care that I said the resident was having chest pains, trouble breathing, and high blood pressure. Her response was that the resident doesn't take her medication so this is whats going to happen. I didn't know this but I later found out that the resident had a prescription for nitro and ativan in cases like this. It took her at least an hour before she delivered the nitro and she never delivered the ativan. When I asked her how I could make the resident more comfortable, she again changed subject and said how this will happen because she doesn't take her medication. I responded that just because she doesn't take her medication doesn't mean we have to be cruel to her. I reported her behavior but shes still working here.
She also does stuff that makes it perfectly clear she doesn't get her hands dirty. She'll go out of her way to have me clean up something that she could have done herself. I get this from all the nurses but shes the worst. The fact is though that I'm not an idiot I have two bachelors degrees, and I'm going onto PA school. Sometimes I know what a resident needs better than the nurse does, and they should know that. And even the aides that only have a high school diploma or GED, most of them have enough common sense and are with a patient long enough to see things nurses can't.
Oh, for crying out loud. I was quite specific about my experience being limited.
And I know I couldn't do a CNA's job. No one has taught me how. In six months I'll be an LPN, in another year an RN, and all of my training re: transfers and bed baths were done in a "lab" on plastic and with a physical therapist who spent 1 hour demonstrating how to assist a patient with some mobility.
And my experience has been that I have never seen a nurse do anything on the ward other than meds and documentation. Period. When my mother was in for a hip replacement last spring she learned to get on and off the bedpan herself, because no one - CNA or nurse - would answer the call bell.
Acknowledgement that we are not perfect isn't nastiness. It's reality, and permits us to honestly appraise our performance. But apparently a non-rose-colored-glasses look at some things that can, yes, be problems is too critical and painful for those who can't manage to separate the personal from the general.
Oh, and as to CNAs being able to fill a nurse's shoes? I'm gonna bet that, if you taught them to read the MAR, they could dispense meds. They do in a lot of state facilities. And, yes, they are capable of enough critical thinking to say, "Wow, that pink spot looks bad. I'd better turn her more frequently." even if unable to properly document "Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity re: Immobility and Incontinence."
We're not in rocket science. We freakin' take vitals, administer meds, watch for changes, and use a limited amount of discretion regarding when to perform those limited interventions available to us and when to call physicians. Most other direct patient care is left to the CNA. The more educated and credentialed nurse does, indeed, do more, but I hear a real inflated sense of self-importance around here.
Tell me we aren't doing rocket science when a patient you've cared for and joked with and listened to the concerns of and cared about is being hooked up to a crash cart and all you know to do is run for supplies for the more experienced nurses and try to learn all you can from them as they collaborate with the physicians trying to save your patient and the only thing making A's in nursing school means is that if you work really hard at it, you might be able to learn to be a decent nurse, someday, if you have enough sense to call for back-up when you're over your head.
No, it really isn't rocket science, but as a one-time physics major, I can tell you for a fact that it ain't easy, and it gets harder and a heck of a lot more real when you're out of school and practicing in the real world.
To be honest, my feelings about nursing as a learned profession are similar to my feelings about nursing as a spiritual calling--I can see elements of both, but an honest, useful job that pays decently is all I really ask for. That said, I'm not impressed with anyone belittling my honest, useful job. In fact, I have a great deal of respect for anyone doing an honest, useful job. I'm lucky to work with a number of aides who work just as hard and care just as much as any nurse, including several from whom a novice nurse such as I can learn a great deal. But I would not for a moment tolerate the best of them disrespecting my role as a nurse, nor should I.
Some one suggested that I go into the hospital and hand carry an application. Guess this hospital does not allow this, only internet applications.
I was turned down today for the last application, that makes ten. I just get a not selected by the job under my file on the website, never been called for an interview! I have been doing CNA work for ten years, just to hope to earn the right to work in a hospital, but I really think there is prejudice against older CNAs. So, boo hoo! I decided today to retire. Once my last home health patient has gone to heaven, I am done!
Some one suggested that I go into the hospital and hand carry an application. Guess this hospital does not allow this, only internet applications.
I was turned down today for the last application, that makes ten. I just get a not selected by the job under my file on the website, never been called for an interview! I have been doing CNA work for ten years, just to hope to earn the right to work in a hospital, but I really think there is prejudice against older CNAs. So, boo hoo! I decided today to retire. Once my last home health patient has gone to heaven, I am done!
I LOVED this work!
I called an talked directly to HR, and they say I can not get a job in the hospital because I have no hospital experience. So it is not my age. She said that home health does not prepare you for the multi-tasking you need to deal with patients in a hospital.
Boo hoo! I really think I could have done a good job.
Thank you all for your help and encouragement.
I know this is silly, but I have had a good cry today.
i have worked as a cna for 23 years. i have also worked as a medication aide, when i lived in texas. passing medications is no "picnic" it requires concentration, and attention to detail. i have worked with a lot of terrific nurses. cnas are the eyes and ears of the nurses, their obvservations can mean the difference between life, and death. the ability to recognize the symptoms of a diabetic in trouble, or the beginnings of a heart attack, ect. cnas work hard, "back-breaking work" and their powers of obvservation, are priceless. nurses also work hard, even though their job is more "mental" it is no less stressful.
my main complaint, is with administration. the common practice of "deliberately " working their facilities short-staffed, to increase their profit margin. overworked nurses, and aides, can become resentful, and stressed out, because of high staff to resident ratio which forces aides to have to work alone dealing with paralyzed, obese, and un-cooperative residents. turning, and positioning, toileting, changing, and dressing these type of residents is more difficult, time consuming, when you are required to do this alone. the days of adequate staffing, and teamwork, appear to be a thing of the past, and just are not even considered by the "powers that be" i was always taught that safety, and patient comfort was our first priority! does anyone believe, that a cna, working alone, under these conditions, is working in a safe manner? i was taught that two people working together as a team, is the safest, and best way to do the job.
it is so sad, to see the deterioration of the "quality of care" in long term care facilities.
again, if the focus is quality patient care, and we work as a team to accomplish that, there does not need to be this stress. the key reason that our patients are in these facilities is that they need medical attention. that is why they are in skilled nursing facilities. the nurses provide the skilled nursing care, and we, as nursing assistants, must provide basic hygeine, and assistance with daily needs. without this, the nurses would not be able to focus on the patients medical needs. i love to assist a nurse with something like a dressing change, or report to them if i have observed some change in the patient that may have some medical implications. but it is the nurses responsibility to evaluate, plan care, report to the physician, do treatments, pass meds, be aware of drug interactions and implications, and (well, i am not a nurse, so bear with me. i dont really know all you have to do but:) paper work must be a pain in the.....
all i am saying is that the real problem isn't them or us, it is understaffing. the stress in these facilities is like nothing you ever see out in the non medical world.
Specializes in Telemetry, Oncology, Progressive Care.
I think I understand what you are saying even though you got quite flamed but I haven't read all the responses. You are upset that the nurse is not helping you out when it is quite clear you were very busy and she was just reading a magazine. I agree she could have gotten up to help you out. I don't believe for a minute that it is just the aides job. I do believe that you are there to aide the nurse and if you're having trouble you need to let the nurse know. For the record I have never talked to a CNA in the tone she spoke to you and I find that pretty disrespectful especially knowing that you were busy.
You should realize though that nurses do quite a bit more than what you think they do. They may be sitting there but they are doing charting and even though it may look like they're doing nothing it is all part of the job and taking care of the patient. Just because a nurse is not at the bedside does not mean patient care is not being done. Patient care involves many things and not just cleaning up someone. It involves assessing, administering meds, calling docs, checking labs, etc. Basically anything that is in the interest in the patient - it is all for the patient.
I am planning on getting my CNA next semester and everyone I talk to says Don't Do it, it's miserable work, you have to wipe butts and so on...To which I say, I'm not afraid of a dirty butt!!!!
I feel that the bad rap CNA jobs get are propagated by many ( not all)of those same CNAs who complain about their jobs and aren't willing to really work. I may be naive yet, but if you just jump in, do what you're told and keep your eye on the bigger prize (RN in my case) the job isn't bad. CNAs are needed like RNs are needed, like MDs are needed. We decide to do this type of work, at least in my opinion, to help others feel better and if not better, more comfortable. And you have to work your way up to what you want. RNs still clean dirty bums and deal with snippy MDs. I think being a CNA is going to be great training for the life of an RN....CNAs wipe em and deal with crabby RNs...RNs wipe em and deal with crabby MDs...I think there is more to it than Heirachy (sp?) Don't forget, there is a patient in need at the root of it all and that's the most important thing to me.
Bring on the dirty butts!!!!!!! I'm ready for the challenge and I think that's what will make me a great CNA and an even better RN when the time comes...(I hope)
Perhaps, again, I am looking through rose-colored glasses but I also believe perception is reality and I welcome the chance to potentially change the lives of others with all it's ebbs and flows. See you on the Floor!!!
i have worked as a cna for 23 years. i have also worked as a medication aide, when i lived in texas. passing medications is no "picnic" it requires concentration, and attention to detail. i have worked with a lot of terrific nurses. cnas are the eyes and ears of the nurses, their obvservations can mean the difference between life, and death. the ability to recognize the symptoms of a diabetic in trouble, or the beginnings of a heart attack, ect. cnas work hard, "back-breaking work" and their powers of obvservation, are priceless. nurses also work hard, even though their job is more "mental" it is no less stressful. 
prmenrs, RN
4,565 Posts
Please remember to keep this debate w/in TOS, ok??