My CNAs dont seem to respect me...

[CCFCP]

Ive been a nurse for only a year now and Im finding it very difficult to gain the respect of several of my CNAs. Im not sure how to gain control of my floor and the nurse that usually works with me sees the same problems. I know that the aids work hard.. I used to be one at this LTC.. so I know the job well and I know what needs to be done. Im a nurse that is always willing to jump in and help out with toileting, transferring, feeding, vitals and any other job that the CNAs regularly do so its not like Im asking them to do anything that I wont do myself. Im frequently met with negativity and rudeness when asking for a job to be done, Im hearing aids speaking inappropriately about certain residents in patient care areas, and when I approach someone and try to correct the behavior or issue it falls on deaf ears. I dont know how to take control and get my floor working as a team.. Im so tired of how things are at work right now that I just want to quit but I know that if I dont learn to gain the trust and respect of my aids now that this problem will likely follow me elsewhere.can anyone give me advise? Has anyone else had this issue?

[Orange Tree]

Definitely let them know you appreciate them- especially when they take the initiative do do something without being asked. And except in extreme cases, I think it's better to correct by example, explanation, persuasion and positive reinforcement. I'm not too quick to write anyone up. In fact, I've never written anybody up.

You might also find that as you become more experienced, CNAs respond better to you ...especially if they think you're a good nurse who cares about their patients.

[txwildflower57]

I recently started working at a LTC facility as a DON. I was a CNA then went to nursing school to earn my degree. I have seen the same type of disrespect shown to my nurses by my aides. I talk to both my nurses and my aides to let them know that this is not acceptable. And anyone who stands in the hall and yells at a resident or another co-worker will have disciplinary action taken. It is unprofessional and totally disrespectful to everyone. As a nurse you will have to step up and let the aides know that you are willing to help them but the key word there is "help". Let them know that you have your own duties and responsibilities that have to be done and set a standard for what you expect from them. If you don't set the bar they won't know what you expect. If you have to take each one separately to a private area and discuss this with them, because you are right - if you don't get control then the DON will hold you responsibile.

[EDnursetobe]

you shouldn't have to "sweet talk" people into doing their job. They are getting paid to be there.

ugh I'm so sick of the attitude I get when I ask (politely) for CNAs/Techs to do something that they are supposed to be doing.

And it's not like I sit around doing nothing. I'm running around killing myself to get stuff done, and they're taking breaks every hour, talking to the unit clerk about their weekend plans etc. I'm sick of it.

I'd so much rather do everything myself. If we had smaller ratios, I would.

[CCFCP]

Theres actually more to this problem that I didn't originally mention and some of the posts Ive seen are bringing up some points that I'm forgetting. I know some people want to refer to the nurse aid staff as equals and to a certain extent I can agree with that because its true that I couldn't do my job without them, but ultimately I'm the one responsible for what does and doesn't happen. And I do show appreciation and point out strengths when I see them. However, when I have to constantly remind people of certain tasks that need to be done on a daily basis it starts to get pretty old. I feel like I have to hold their hands and babysit which makes my job a heck of a lot harder. When I get wacky vitals like a temp of 95.2 or vitals on an entire hall that are way to similar it doesn't really show knowledge or skill on their part. I had one person standing around the nurses station last night whining about how they would never be able to get their job done if a certain resident kept calling to go to the bathroom (um.. hello? that IS your job! we are there for the resident! and besides.. you cant get your job done by standing around and whining). Maybe I'm not taken seriously because I'm too nice and am not showing good enough leadership skills. Maybe I need to take a course in management.

[eslvn]

It sounds like management doesnt back you up. The first LTC facility I worked in as a nurse never followed up on write ups and wouldnt fire anyone because it was so hard to find aides at all, we were always short. Where I work now, the aides are awesome, part of which they know if they dont do their job they will get fired. But I also think they are just great anyways, maybe time to find another facility.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

You might want to start by not thinking of them as *your* care aides. That sort of phrasing shows you are working from a patriarchal paradigm and not an inclusive, team based point of view. All the people working with you have knowledge and skills that need to be respected. Reorienting your point of view to be more team oriented might help to foster more responsibility and professionalism in the care aides.

Thank you, I was going to say something similar. I worked on a floor where one of the charge nurses would always say "my staff", "my nurses", "my unit." I would think that if the unit belonged to her, she would be around more often to help her staff.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

There is a dynamic that has always puzzled me about nurses and aides.

I'm a nurse who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty. Who thinks it's wrong to sit while the aides simply can't keep up. Who would never consider leaving a pt in a soiled bed to go get somebody else to clean it up. The aides LOVE when they work on my team.

On the other hand, there are the nurses who will sit at the nurses' station and read while the aides have 5 lights going off, two personal alarms sounding, and a family member at the door demanding a warm blanket for their loved one. If looks could kill the aides would have lazer eyes and the nurse would be dead.

Guess who the aides treat with more respect??

It has always puzzled me, and probably always will.

[79Tango]

Maybe you just need to step-up and start calling them out?/ When you have to "constantly remind them" about something, let them know it..."Why is it that I have constantly remind you?" a few "dang, youve got me sounding like a broken record over here." Ask them if they have something personal against you..."Are you trying to make me lose my license or something?"

[deftonez188]

I'm curious to see how attitudes like that (regarding CNA's being overly rude/lazy) will play out in the near future with our nursing 'surplus' when no job is any longer a given. No one seems irreplaceable any more...

[SummitRN, BSN, RN]

Execute one with a machete in front of them all. The rest will fall into line.

[Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN]

I'm pretty sure what I'm about to say is applicable in every state:

If a CNA is giving you a hard time, you can dismiss them for the day. The reason you can do that is because they're credentials and ability to work with patients is an extension of your license. If you don't like the way they're doing something tell them to stop, and if they don't stop, tell them to go home.

Without your (the nurse's) permission they can't care for patients.

I know that sounds extreme but it sounds like your aides could use a wake up call.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

It may be that part of your problem is that you used to be a CNA yourself at the same facility. You are asking them to see you in a different role and they are probably resistant to that.

I had a similar problem. It took a while to smooth things out. Part of the problem is when I was a CNA I had no idea what the nurses did all day and it looked like they were sitting on their butts talking. Then I joined "the other side." Now that I'm a nurse I know better lol.

Uphold high standards, make sure you thank them for doing a good job....if you do it over and over they will start seeing you as a nurse instead of a traitor lol.