Hi, A friend of mine and myself from nursing school ended up working in the same nursing home together. We are both only 3 month old nurses. We are very discouraged and need advice.
We work in a place that we are each responsible for 40+ residents. We have cna's that work with us that unfortuanatly have a long history of "being in charge" when the DON or ADON leave the building. I will not go into everything they do but would give a few things so you will understand. When one is asked to do something, they will tell you what their opinion is and do that no matter what you say. When told they are doing something different from what DON has said to do, they will do it their way or say you were screaming at them, they call in and just say they dont feel like working, when getting ready to give meds to a patient sitting next to nurse they took the patient to the shower room and lock the nurse out, tell the nurse how to give meds, patient care is not the best but not the worst either. Basically the problem in this facility has been the cnas have been allowed to do what they want and how they want it for years just to keep staff. We have reported food fights, cussing in front of residents, not turning patients, their attitudes, all of it. They talk to the aides but nothing changes because they know they wont lose their jobs due to low number of workers. We have agency in to pick up staffing numbers.
We have been told by the nurses that are there this will not change. That they stay because of the residents. We have been adviced by them to just go in and do your job and let them do what they want. We care for over 40 a each...meds, tx, NOR ect...it takes us every minute we have to do our job. But we have to stop and do the cna work to make sure our patients are cared for. I do not mind doing that...it is just they are sitting in the break room while we work their job. They say they are short staffed and cant do it all. But even when they are full, less gets done.
It is not a bad place to work but I do have some concerns such as we are both charge over our sides of the home without anyone of any experience around to ask questions of. We have had to learn crash courses in how to handle many situations. On the postitive side, we can and do, call our on call supervisor for advice or to find out how to handle a situation.
How does a new nurse deal with all this? I have been an aide for years, never have I seen aides this out of control or allowed to run the place. I knew taking this job it would be a challenge learning the nursing skills and all the procedures for paperwork and such. I never realized that the aides would be over me and I was to say nothing.
Am I wrong in being frustrated. It has been reported over and over....even wrote one up.
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
I am glad that you had a job offer to go to before you resign. Best wishes in what will prove to be a better working situation.