Need advice/tips on being a good charge nurse

[scherie88]

I was just recently hired at a LTF as a charge nurse for two units on the noc shift...Im anxious and very nervous...My biggest problem with being a nurse is the attitude that the CNA's give the nurses...some..not all, will talk down to the nurses, act like they know more and just treat the nurses with disrepect..

What is the best way to deal with cna's who act like this...

I am the type of person who doesnt mind being told what to do by my supervisors..And although I am excited about this job, Im not someone who usually would seek out a managment or supervisory position..but Ive been looking for a long time for a job and am really excited about the hrs..pay and ins. and just the fact that I get to go back to work as a nurse :redpinkhe...

I have looked for some workshops, but none are being offered in my area right now.

I am an easygoing person, it takes a lot to get me upset..but once im mad..I am absolutly livid..maybe not be easygoing?

I am also the type of person that when I walk into a new situation I feel unsure of myself.I dont have much confidence and I think people can see that...once I get to know everyone, become familiar with the residents and just the whole routine of the facility I do have confidence in myself. I dont know how to change that about myself.

I just ordered a book called delagation..a nurses role..or something like that..maybe that could help?

I would appreciate any tips or advice. expecially from any charge nurses or supervisors on how to deal with the CNA's who seem to know everything...

I was told that conflict is a problem between cna's and nurses at this facility. I have made a lot of freinds whom are cnas..should I just walk onto the job determined to not be friends with any cnas? would that eliminate conflicts do you think?

I am wide open to any suggestions!!

[scherie88]

Well as I said in my previous post..I have always made friends with ppl whom I work with..not all..and I always had a hard time dealing with the cna's who gave me attitude..I would just ask them to take it to the charge nurse..lol...but I really like the advice of keeping distance for a while..not in a rude way..ive never had a problem with helping the cna's..I think becuase I was one for so long I know how it can be overwhelming for them at times...but I have had problems with finding cna's..or if i would go into a room asking who is responsible I would find myself looking for that cna..I like the advice about getting the cna responsible for their residents..

At my last job the cna's walked all over me...I woiuld walk out of work in tears and feeling so frustrated that I didnt know what to do or how to handle the situation. I did write a girl up once for texting on her phone while doing a transfer..this was not the first time i had caught her with her phone while at work..but i felt that after some warnings and putting a pt. in jepardy was inaccaptable..i caught a lot of attitude and grief over that one from the cna's..so im really hoping that it will be different this time around.

[mkahnlpn]

I have the exact same problem...and I tell ya, it is really getting to me, personally. I work as a nurse in a LTC facility, and I have 4 aids under me on nights 6p-6a. There is one aid in particular that really knows how to manipulate me. I have also been looking for advice, and books to read to help me with this problem. It is really stressful, and makes your job so much harder! I really hope you the best in this pursuit, because trust me trust me...I really feel your pain. Good luck! :)

[NurseInTexas12]

Treat everybody with dignity and respect.

If one of the CNAs says they aren't going to do something I assign them, I say "are you refusing to do the task that I'm delegating?" Refusal to carry out what a nurse delegates is grounds for immediate termination at my hospital, so usually those words lead to better compliance.

When I was a new charge nurse, I didn't want people to think I was being bossy, so I tried to do everything myself instead of asking others to help me. If the CNAs said "why can't you do it?," I felt the need to defend myself and say what I was busy doing. You don't ever need to defend why you're asking for help. They are on the clock being paid, which means they're there to work. It does not mean they're there to work only when they're satisfied that the nurses are already running around like chickens with heads cut off. On the other hand, if you're sitting around with time on your hands and they're busy, you should get up and help them complete any tasks that need to be done.

Be kind but firm. If you become too close to those working under you, it becomes an issue because you want to keep them pleased with you. (Trust this people pleaser!!)

Our CNAs do rotating shifts. Sometimes they work with my day shift, and sometimes they work with the night nurses. The same CNAs that avoid working during the day, come up with excuses for why they can't help, only do things if you specifically ask them to, refuse to be proactive, etc. snap into line when the night shift takes over. All of a sudden everything is done before the nurses even see the orders. They're running around getting vitals done, putting patients in rooms, etc. There's no joking "no" and walking away if the night nurses ask for something. Why? The night nurses don't tolerate it and write them up. On day shift, we don't. However, maybe that's a good way to go into a new charge position. Don't write up ridiculous things, but if something is really in issue, write it up and let them know you're not there to play around. I think they perform based on our expectations of their performance.

Nothing can be more valuable to you than good CNAs, so take care of them, and they'll take care of you!