Background: some of you may remember me from other posts. I am a new nurse, graduated June of 06, am working as a M/S RN.
I worked as a nurse aide during nursing school, and know how hard that job is. I was just thinking the other day how hard the aides work where I work now. They are great! I even thought of doing something nice for them to show my appreciation. I had thought about getting each one a gift card to Bath & BodyWorks to show my appreciation.
Then, this week, I heard that these same aides are talking (or complaining) about the nurses. Saying that we don't help answer lights, that we don't assist them, or whatever.
To defend myself, I do help whenever I can. I will set my patients up for their baths, or I will boost them up in bed, or help them to the bathroom, whatever. If I am already in the room, and my patients need something, I do it. If I am walking down the hall and my patients' lights ring and I am not on my way to pass meds, or whatever, I will stop and answer the light. If I need help, I will ask an aide or another nurse, really whomever is close by.
BUT, if I am waiting for an important call back from a doc, or getting meds, or looking up labs or vitals in order to get my meds (to make sure I should give the meds), I don't stop everything to answer the call lights. IF the lights are continuously going off, then I will try and stop what I am doing and answer the light.
Being a nurse aide previously, I vowed I would assist the aides when I became a nurse. HOWEVER, I never really fully understood all the work nurses do in a day. All the paperwork, charting, assessments, meds, research, calling docs, monitoring effects of meds, etc. etc. etc.
I am not one to want controversy, I do not like it when someone is mad at me, or thinks badly about me. But, I don't like for anyone to think we don't help out.
There are a few nurses where I work that don't help out as much, they look for an aide to change the linens or whatever instead of doing it themselves. I try to do whatever I can for my patients, and no job is beneath me.
It bothered me that they think this. But to also defend nurses, we are just as busy and have alot more responsiblility for the patients too.
Yes, have often run into this, especially in LTC. I, too, try as hard as I can to help the cnas out. I, too, have been misjudged, mistreated, by the same cnas I tried so hard to help. Some of them will never understand what we as nurses are faced with in our daily duties/responsibilities. You have a special insight on both sides of the fence. Don't let a few bad attitudes/misunderstandings about your role as a nurse rob you of much needed energy and focus on your nurse role. Just do what you've been doing in the nursing role, not as a cna.
nurseangel47
594 Posts
Yes, have often run into this, especially in LTC. I, too, try as hard as I can to help the cnas out. I, too, have been misjudged, mistreated, by the same cnas I tried so hard to help. Some of them will never understand what we as nurses are faced with in our daily duties/responsibilities. You have a special insight on both sides of the fence. Don't let a few bad attitudes/misunderstandings about your role as a nurse rob you of much needed energy and focus on your nurse role. Just do what you've been doing in the nursing role, not as a cna.