Need advice

[STNABeth]

I am not a nurse but a nursing student working as an STNA. I have a serious question that I need advice on from a nurses view. In our area jobs are scorifice. My husband has been laid off from his construction job for about 7 months. I finally found a job after a 6 month search as a STNA at a local nursing home. I despertly need this job or our family will lose our home. Ive only been employed for about 3 weeks now. Last night I walked in on another aide abusing a resident. Frankly the woman scares me. Shes built like a football player and quite the street fighter type. I know if I tell on her the other employees will make my job a living hell but if I dont and she seriously hurts a resident I couldnt live with myself. Im so afraid and confused. Just to let you in on how bad it was....

I was passing ice to residents at about 4:30 AM. I knocked and opened the door just as this aide threw the resident onto the bed. She asked if I could help her get his shirt on so I put his arm in his sleeve and she jerked the shirt over his head. He screamed ouch and the aide covered his mouth and told him to shut the hell up and stop screaming in her face. She then asked me to help her get him in his chair. I crossed the room and brought his chair over when she proceeded to literally pick the resident up off his feet and slam him into his chair with such force that he bounced back out of the chair and back down again. This resident is an elderly man who has little control over his body, has a feeding tube inserted into his stomach and no longer has all his senses about him. Im so afraid...could someone please advise me.

[CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I am not a nurse but a nursing student working as an STNA. I have a serious question that I need advice on from a nurses view. In our area jobs are scorifice. My husband has been laid off from his construction job for about 7 months. I finally found a job after a 6 month search as a STNA at a local nursing home. I despertly need this job or our family will lose our home. Ive only been employed for about 3 weeks now. Last night I walked in on another aide abusing a resident. Frankly the woman scares me. Shes built like a football player and quite the street fighter type. I know if I tell on her the other employees will make my job a living hell but if I dont and she seriously hurts a resident I couldnt live with myself. Im so afraid and confused. Just to let you in on how bad it was....

I was passing ice to residents at about 4:30 AM. I knocked and opened the door just as this aide threw the resident onto the bed. She asked if I could help her get his shirt on so I put his arm in his sleeve and she jerked the shirt over his head. He screamed ouch and the aide covered his mouth and told him to shut the hell up and stop screaming in her face. She then asked me to help her get him in his chair. I crossed the room and brought his chair over when she proceeded to literally pick the resident up off his feet and slam him into his chair with such force that he bounced back out of the chair and back down again. This resident is an elderly man who has little control over his body, has a feeding tube inserted into his stomach and no longer has all his senses about him. Im so afraid...could someone please advise me.

You know what to do. Do what's right.

Report the psycho STNA to both the nursing home administration, and your state's licensing authority.

If she hasn't hurt a resident by now, she WILL. Guaranteed.

If you're "on the fence" about what to do - think of the resident as your grandmother or grandfather. That should help you decide how to handle the situation.

[lcraigbsn]

I am sorry but you have to report her. This is a dangerous person who should not be working in the healthcare field. I woudl be so upset if I knew that someone taking care of my dad or grandfather or any family member was treating them this way. I know this is a difficult situation for you, believe me, but you really have an obligation to the patient. I will be prying for you that all goes well foryou and yoru family.