I was the recipient of a complaint yesterday from another employee. An NA told me she had been called off before her shift and told on the phone that instead of having her work, the floor would run with "3 professionals." She took offence at the notion that she was being referred to as not being "professional." While I understand the callers true meaning was RN's and had nothing to do with "professionalism" it non-the-less offended the NA.
I then wrote an e-mail to all the people who may be calling staff off and informed them that this might be offensive and we should monitor ourselves with what we say and to whom. I got a response back from a manager stating that this is an industry term and the NA needs to be "talked to." She also asked me to provide the name of the NA.
Personally I know it that the meaning of "professionals" was not meant to be offensive and only referred to RN's. But, perhaps it's more offensive then I think? I would like to hear from some NA's if they would find it offenses that RN's are referred to as "professionals" and NA's are not.
Tonight I have to decide how to respond to the mangers e-mail with out turning it into a huge issue, but still respecting the NA.
I never put down the "knowledge and education that nurses have". I have the utmost respect for nursing, although like any other Resident, I do have my professional disagreements with my coworkers from time to time. In this thread, I have attempted to maintain a professional tone while disagreeing with other posters, and I challenge you to cite one instance where I have put down your future profession on this board.
And in case you've forgotten my posts, I worked as a CNA for seven years, and still maintain my certification. Even if this weren't the case, I think I might have picked up a little bit about what nurses do, seeing as how I spend more time on the wards than I do at home. Or perhaps I might've learned about it from my wife, who has been an RN for the last decade, whom I met while working as a CNA.
I'm suprised that, as a student, you would presume to lecture anyone about what they do and do not know about a field you have yet to work in.
The real moral of this story is to be sensitive about the words that you use. "Professionals", at least in the four different states I have worked in, is not a shorthand way of saying "registered nurse". It is not suprising that this terminology was misunderstood. I likely would have made the same error in interpretation. Even benign words can become hurtful when used in a thoughtless context.
You were not the person whom I was referring to when I wrote that someone was putting down the education and knowledge that a nurse has. You have no need to "challenge" me to find negative posts from you regarding nurses, because I never stated or implied that you made any. My issue wasn't with you, though you have been choosing to quote me when you are responding to this thread, and so I have done the same for the sake of continuity. If you, as a doctor, can presume to lecture anyone on nursing, then I think I am completely justified as a student, who will be graduating soon and has a fairly good idea of the role, to do the same. If I, who "gasp" isn't even a nurse yet, can tell that the nurses can and often do perform the assistants role, then that just further illustrates my point. The first part of nursing school is basically perfecting basic nursing care (ADL's, vitals etc...) things that can be delegated to a CNA, so yes, every nurse would "have" to know how to function as a CNA. This was my point to someone who posted othewise. In any case we are moving laterally away from the topic at hand. I, and others took issue with somethings that a particular poster wrote and the discussion deteriorated from there. It's probably time for our discussion to move to PM or to end.
I don't have techs or NAs where I work, so I do that job everyday.
Nursing could seriously go without CNAs. We would just need to lower our ratios. But nursing can't exist without nurses...
Lol!!! Obviously you have never worked in LTC.
Sure. I'll pay you myself to put down your meds and come work a hall with 15+ total care vent/alzheimer's/aggressive/colostomy/whatever else you can think of patients by yourself, with no help from the nurse who is busy with med pass. Not to mention the 8 call lights, pissed off family member's, clueless DON's who insist on a 3 minute max time for answering call lights, naked men trying to pee on you and a BON who insists that it is your fault you can toilet 8000 people q2h.
Plus, since you may be a guy, you can lift all the 300lb patients solo (including helping most of the 'other' cnas) because the lift machines are 2 person and you BETTER not use it alone, but no one will help you and oh the nurse is busy charting so screw it, just lift them yourself. Of course, in the middle of the lift the nurse comes to inform you that someone would like to go to the bathroom, but she can't take her and oh by the way she spilled the entire feeding on the bed so can I clean it up, and are my 6 showers done? LOL
Next let me introduce you to Mr. Fingerpainter....
Sure. I'll pay you myself to put down your meds and come work a hall with 15+ total care vent/alzheimer's/aggressive/colostomy/whatever else you can think of patients by yourself, with no help from the nurse who is busy with med pass. Not to mention the 8 call lights, pissed off family member's, clueless DON's who insist on a 3 minute max time for answering call lights, naked men trying to pee on you and a BON who insists that it is your fault you can toilet 8000 people q2h.
Plus, since you may be a guy, you can lift all the 300lb patients solo (including helping most of the 'other' cnas) because the lift machines are 2 person and you BETTER not use it alone, but no one will help you and oh the nurse is busy charting so screw it, just lift them yourself. Of course, in the middle of the lift the nurse comes to inform you that someone would like to go to the bathroom, but she can't take her and oh by the way she spilled the entire feeding on the bed so can I clean it up, and are my 6 showers done? LOL
Next let me introduce you to Mr. Fingerpainter....
A semester of being an aide. HEH
Been there, done that, all alone no help. And yes, in LTC. Many of us have.
Been there, done that, all alone no help. And yes, in LTC. Many of us have.
Good, then you will realize the idea of doing without CNA's is quite laughable. :) I also would imagine previous CNA's would be more 'sensitive' to the idea of the CNA being offended. Shrug
Good, then you will realize the idea of doing without CNA's is quite laughable. :)
I've been there, done that as well, with no help. And I could do it again if I needed to, so yes, I COULD do without CNA's if I had to. Sure, CNA's make my job a lot easier, but could I still do my job if they weren't there? Of course, because I work without CNA's or techs a lot of the time. So I can do your job, could you do mine???
No, a nurse can do the job of a CNA. A CNA cannot do the job of a nurse.
What I do consider quite laughable is what you think you know about nursing.
I am a nurse, but I have been a CNA.
You are a CNA, but you have never been a nurse.
Actually, I am a QMA/Med tech too and as far as LTC goes nursing is easy please. There are more med techs at our facility than lpn's or rn's. Shrug
And no way you can do your job and ours as it is today. They idea of you doing less people with no aide is irrelevant, there aren't enough nurses for that. Cna's leave LTC fails immediately.
Laughable indeed.
Respect the CNA, love the CNA. The CNA may learn to respect and love the nurse ;p
I deleted much of the back and forth bickering because it seems to be getting us no where and we're going to have to agree to disagree and let it go. My recommendation to my fellow mods is that this thread remain closed. I'll await their input.
smk1, LPN
2,195 Posts
You were not the person whom I was referring to when I wrote that someone was putting down the education and knowledge that a nurse has. You have no need to "challenge" me to find negative posts from you regarding nurses, because I never stated or implied that you made any. My issue wasn't with you, though you have been choosing to quote me when you are responding to this thread, and so I have done the same for the sake of continuity. If you, as a doctor, can presume to lecture anyone on nursing, then I think I am completely justified as a student, who will be graduating soon and has a fairly good idea of the role, to do the same. If I, who "gasp" isn't even a nurse yet, can tell that the nurses can and often do perform the assistants role, then that just further illustrates my point. The first part of nursing school is basically perfecting basic nursing care (ADL's, vitals etc...) things that can be delegated to a CNA, so yes, every nurse would "have" to know how to function as a CNA. This was my point to someone who posted othewise. In any case we are moving laterally away from the topic at hand. I, and others took issue with somethings that a particular poster wrote and the discussion deteriorated from there. It's probably time for our discussion to move to PM or to end.