I have started a charge nurse position in LTC-been there about 3 months. I have no one to ask at work because I don't want to get in trouble if I didn't address it right away. I didn't know how to approach it so I hope someone can help me
(the following names are made up)
Our weekly vital signs are done every sunday. the following Tue, an LPN Mary came up to me and stated the following:
"Mr. Jones asked me if the vital signs usually get done on Sunday coz he said he didn't get them done. I confronted the aide (Lisa) and she said "well, I did it when he was sleeping" I told her "first of all, you should never do care when a resident is sleeping and second of all, he'll know if you touched him (coz we know him very well ). Lisa turned red and walked away."
It's too late now to address that situation but how can I monitor her next time?
It's tough coz it's a he said she said situation. next time if Lisa produces vital signs and then I immediately come to resident and say " Has Lisa come in yet to do your vital signs" and he says no. Is that "substantial"? Does anyone have any ideas because I cannot just accuse someone of falsifying records.
This patient takes cardiac meds and if something goes wrong, we're liable.
We know she's doing it but we don't have evidence.
In the past there had been a situation where our thermometer was missing (later found in a resident's room ) but when we looked at the vital signs sheet Lisa was the only person that had her vitals with a temp. listed. When confronted, she said the thermometer was here at the nurses station, someone must have took it after me and left it in the resident's room.
I am a CNA for many years and this story goes on everywhere I have worked. A lot of times some facilities are so understaffed that the workload for CNA's is next to impossible to complete in an eight hour shift. But, nevertheless its boils down to either accept your job as a cna or get out!! I'm am so tired of working along side of lazy CNA's. Most of the time its the younger ones with all the energy who are to busy taking smoke breaks and talking on their cellphones. Taking care of residents, patients is very serious business. An incorrect set of vitals could cause a patient to recieve to much or not enough medication. I would personally have a beginning of the shift meeting with my CNA's if I were a nurse and give them the report(which 99% of the time nurses I,ve worked with dont do this) and tell them you want your vitals by certain certain time. That way they can schedule vitals around their other tasks. And as for a cardiac patient, if I was responsible for the medication this patient recieves and I didnt trust the CNA I was working with I would personally do them myself. As a CNA I know who is boss and its not me. When a CNA is doing their job they are answering the call lites of all residents if they are not busy with their own residents, they are polite and ready to assist the nurse with any request within their scope of practice. Vitals signs when requested, making sure turns or done, helping other cnas without being asked. Down time could include depending on the shift stocking up supplies, spending quality time with a patient, tidying up the nurse station etc. I myself prefer to stay busy because I have found that the time goes by faster and if everyone is standing around the DON is going to think that there doesnt need to be as many cna's on duty and cut staff to save on budget. CNA's out there I hope you are listening.
I love your work ethic and can only hope to end up working with people like you. There is a girl I met at orientation who is already concerned about being hung over for clinicals (early Saturday morinings) and classes haven't even started yet. I hope she was kidding
You have taken the words right out of my mouth, it was like you were in my head !!!!!!! CNA's and Nurses can make each other miserable on the job. And it shouldent be this way. We should all work together and not see who knows more about the res or patient than the other. A nurse should listen to the CNA that has been working with the res a long time and learn. But in turn the CNA should respect the Nurses position also, because if the Nurse does'nt make sure the CNA is doing his or her job then the Nurse is'nt doing her job.Give the Nurse time to know you and the kind of job you do then the nurse will trust that you are doing the job right.
I really must say that this thread has got me thinking. I am facing a similar situation on my floor where I currently work. I am an aide in a hospital, as well as a HHA. I find that in the hospital, we are always having wars between the nurses and the aides, and it's absolutely ridiculous. I have made many an enemy on both sides for being adamently neutral in the situation. I get along with all the nurses I work with--one in particular teams up with me and we handle the vitals as well as assesments together. If the patient needs to be T&P, we do it together. And it works wonders! We respect each other very much, and accomplish so much more! I also get along with the aides I work with, and we do teamwork together.
I think this is going to be a never-ending battle because both sides show a consistent lack of respect for each other. Not that all people do, obviously. And it's quite sad, because as i've read this thread, the lack of respect is shown in the writings. We are in this job to care for one person and one person only--the patient. When we as the healthcare TEAM don't get along, the patient suffers. And that my friends, is not fair. That person depends on us to ensure his safety and care for his needs while he can't. Remember, we are a team.
The healthcare team is like a tree. The CNA's are the roots, the nurses the branches, and the patients the leaves. Without one part of the tree, it dies. Think about that. :redbeathe And let's just try to respect each other and get along.
aundrea543
73 Posts
I love your work ethic and can only hope to end up working with people like you. There is a girl I met at orientation who is already concerned about being hung over for clinicals (early Saturday morinings) and classes haven't even started yet. I hope she was kidding