New CNA needing help with time management and arrogant co workers

SilverKiwi · Jun 29, 2018

Wow, at my hospital, call lights are priority. The patients trays will be fine sitting for a minute, but like you said, what if someone fell because no one answered the call light on time? Or what if a patient was having an emergency like chest pain or an asthma attack? Delaying answering call lights puts the patients in danger. Do you have an employee handbook that gives you guidelines for patient care? Can you ask management which takes priority without specifically saying the other CNA told you not to answer the lights?

Colaash · Jun 29, 2018

I never thought of looking through my handbook! Thank you!!! I have a list of questions I need to ask that take priority without throwing the others under the bus.

allnurses Guide · Jun 30, 2018

The thing I have difficulty with is my time management. I work the AM shift and find myself finishing up 30 to 45 minutes after I should be off. How does one stay up on brief checks every two hours?!?!? How do you manage to find time to get a shower or two done?!?!

I used to start my shift by looking over my assignment and prioritizing my duties. Some of this involved knowing the residents and how things will go with them and working around that.

I also used to run my bootie off with tasks that did not directly involve residents (like making beds, taking out trash, etc.) so I had more time when it came to working hands-on with individual residents without rushing them. I learned to do those non-resident tasks very ridiculously fast but not sloppily.

If residents are chatty or excessively demanding of time, you need to learn how to gracefully exit. Sometimes you have to be politely firm.

It takes time to get your groove and experience will provide.

I also have some arrogant co workers who, when it comes time for me to give my report to them will always find something negative to say to me from the previous days shift.

Okay, ignore the way the message is delivered and think back on your work. Is there any truth in the negative comments? Be honest with yourself. If so, work to correct any deficiencies.

I try to give my report but this woman keeps bullying me. I know I should tell the DON, but I still am new and dont want to sound like a complainer.

Can you explain how this woman is bullying you? Also, I wouldn't go to the DON. You are an adult. Try to sort this out as an adult in a professional manner with the coworker. It's hard to say what you should do without context. Is she the one being negative about your work? Make sure your work is, indeed, good before you accuse anyone of bullying. Some people do not know how to handle themselves professionally. She may be one of those people and doesn't know the concept of "constructive criticism".

On the other hand, some people (especially those with little power) love to feel powerful. Sometimes they do this by putting down others. They like to make you feel stupid because they want to feel smart. They're not necessarily "arrogant" but come across that way because they are actually insecure. Remain calm and don't let them see you sweat because they like that and feed off your discomfort.

There is also another CNA who tells me I am not allowed to answer call lights when trays need to be passed out. I went to help a resident get off the toilet and this CNA scolded me for not being there to pass out trays.

That aide is an absolute idiot. That is someone who cannot think in anything but black and white. There is no nuance. Ever. Common sense be damned.

Wouldn't that be neglect? What if the resident falls?

Yes. You're smarter than that aide by a long shot. There is no way you could justify passing trays over ignoring a call light wherein a resident may need help or leaving a resident on the toilet alone.

When I was an aide, we were passing our dinner trays. I stopped passing trays to answer a call light that had been going off for too long. I walked in to find a resident slid out of her chair and choking on her seat belt. Anything can be happening and no one is going to die because a tray sat another five or ten minutes... but they might die if we are neglectful.

This CNA always answers call lights when passing out trays, yet caught me doing it and told me not to do that.

Oh, she just didn't want to get stuck passing out the trays without help. You already know she's an idiot. I've changed my mind about saying she thinks in black and white. Sounds more like she's selective in what she says to you in terms of what works best for her!

Again, I dont want to sound like a complainer but I also don't want a resident to fall in the bathroom when they were assigned to me. How should I deal with these arrogant CNAs and how do I manage my time? I am so slow right now and have been trying to please everyone. I need some advise!!!!

Change the word "arrogant" to "ignorant", "unprofessional" and "insecure". I've been down that road. I handled it by ignoring those types of CNAs and doubling down and making sure my work was flawless. I gave them zero room to complain. It ended up benefiting me and my residents. It took a little while, but I became an excellent aide and left those jerks in the dust.

You keep putting the safety of your residents first! You may be slow for now, but you'll get it. Keep trudging along and good luck to you.

Colaash · Jun 30, 2018

Wow! Now THOSE were some serious words! Thank you for the advise and being truthful. I will be an adult about the ignorant CNAs and go on my merry way of doing my job. You are right, with time I will get faster. Thank you for your reply.

Orion81RN · Jul 7, 2018

Can you ask management which takes priority without specifically saying the other CNA told you not to answer the lights?

You go to the nurse first, THEN nurse management if the issue isn't resolved. You bet your butt I would want to know if someone is telling a CNA to neglect our patients. NEVER prioritize passing trays over patient safety. You are absolutely right OP.

And someone is always going to criticise your work. And guess what? Little Miss Perfect is being criticised from the next CNA as well.

Orion81RN · Jul 7, 2018

I used to start my shift by looking over my assignment and prioritizing my duties. Some of this involved knowing the residents and how things will go with them and working around that.
I also used to run my bootie off with tasks that did not directly involve residents (like making beds, taking out trash, etc.) so I had more time when it came to working hands-on with individual residents without rushing them. I learned to do those non-resident tasks very ridiculously fast but not sloppily.
If residents are chatty or excessively demanding of time, you need to learn how to gracefully exit. Sometimes you have to be politely firm.
It takes time to get your groove and experience will provide.
Okay, ignore the way the message is delivered and think back on your work. Is there any truth in the negative comments? Be honest with yourself. If so, work to correct any deficiencies.
Can you explain how this woman is bullying you? Also, I wouldn't go to the DON. You are an adult. Try to sort this out as an adult in a professional manner with the coworker. It's hard to say what you should do without context. Is she the one being negative about your work? Make sure your work is, indeed, good before you accuse anyone of bullying. Some people do not know how to handle themselves professionally. She may be one of those people and doesn't know the concept of "constructive criticism".
On the other hand, some people (especially those with little power) love to feel powerful. Sometimes they do this by putting down others. They like to make you feel stupid because they want to feel smart. They're not necessarily "arrogant" but come across that way because they are actually insecure. Remain calm and don't let them see you sweat because they like that and feed off your discomfort.
That aide is an absolute idiot. That is someone who cannot think in anything but black and white. There is no nuance. Ever. Common sense be damned.
Yes. You're smarter than that aide by a long shot. There is no way you could justify passing trays over ignoring a call light wherein a resident may need help or leaving a resident on the toilet alone.
When I was an aide, we were passing our dinner trays. I stopped passing trays to answer a call light that had been going off for too long. I walked in to find a resident slid out of her chair and choking on her seat belt. Anything can be happening and no one is going to die because a tray sat another five or ten minutes... but they might die if we are neglectful.
Oh, she just didn't want to get stuck passing out the trays without help. You already know she's an idiot. I've changed my mind about saying she thinks in black and white. Sounds more like she's selective in what she says to you in terms of what works best for her!
Change the word "arrogant" to "ignorant", "unprofessional" and "insecure". I've been down that road. I handled it by ignoring those types of CNAs and doubling down and making sure my work was flawless. I gave them zero room to complain. It ended up benefiting me and my residents. It took a little while, but I became an excellent aide and left those jerks in the dust.
You keep putting the safety of your residents first! You may be slow for now, but you'll get it. Keep trudging along and good luck to you.

Clap Clap Clap Clap!!!! THIS OP, THIS!

OpinionatedCNA, CNA · Jul 7, 2018

Thirty minutes before dinner you need to go around to all your residents who are alert and walk to the toilet and ask them if they need to go, literally tell them that this is their last chance before dinner. You will experience in time but it is extremely annoying to be working with that one CNA who doesn't do this so you go to give the residents their tray and they tell you they have to go to the bathroom 'right now!' Or inevitably put their call-lights on right as dinner is being served at the same time, every day, like there is no way to foresee it coming. And multiple residents do that. Now dinner just got cold for everyone else. You're new so it's understandable. And sometimes you can't plan for it.

In our facility there's been a lot of complaints about the food being served cold, sometimes it's our fault, sometimes it's the kitchens fault. So now when mealtimes come, it's the CNA's job to immediately pass the food and the nurses answer call-lights/ take people to the bathroom while we do. Not that it actually happens but now it's our job to pass trays, which really shouldn't take more than 5 minutes if you don't have to stop to toilet every other resident, etc.

adyson97 · Jul 11, 2018

Hey girl, I've been a CNA for 7 months on the general surgical unit/trauma. I feel ya on being a perfectionist. Basically you will get better at getting everything tone quicker, it just takes time...charting and remembering what happened throughout the day.

parolang · Nov 8, 2018

literally tell them that this is their last chance before dinner.

Don't do this. To me that borders on telling a resident that he/she has to wait until later to go to the bathroom, and to me that's just wrong and could get you in trouble. Residents with dementia or other disorders might even misunderstand this and think they aren't allowed to go to the bathroom, etc.

But I like the idea of asking your residents before meals whether they have to go to the bathroom. In general, as you get to know your residents, the more pro-active you can be with them in anticipating their needs and establishing trust and rapport, the better it is going to be with you. With some residents, you will be able to ask them if they have to go, they will see the cart, and will say they will wait until you are done. Just make sure they can count on you.

It is really hard when you are new, not just because you don't know your residents that well, and they don't know you. You are also going to be punished for every other belligerent, ignorant, and border-line abuse nursing aide that they have every had providing their care. A lot will assume the worst until they get to know you. It gets easier after a while after they get to know you and can count on you. But it might also get harder in some ways: If you give comfortable showers, for example, you might find yourself giving more showers than other aides, because for them they decline.

Missingyou, CNA · Nov 13, 2018

Pay attention t those who are being kind and offering helpful advice. Ignore those who scold you for things that go against your training and instinct.

You may even have to speak up for yourself. A simple " I got this, thank you" will probably be enough. If she reports you for passing out trays before assisting someone to the toilet, she will be the one to look incompetent, not you.

Keep doing what you're doing. Speed will come with time. Pick an choose your battles.

To be honest, most of us who work in long term may say we toilet / turn every 2 hours but, that is usually not the case. Sometimes it's 3 hours....sometimes, if they aren't soaked or have a BM, we just turn & change them once we get the more in need people done. ...We just don't talk about it.

You may have to fling a bed together (or not at all), or put off other non resident care tasks unroll you can get your speed up.

Don't be hard on yourself. It takes time. Use your better judgement. Ignore the "scolding unless it comes from your nurse.

New CNA needing help with time management and arrogant co workers

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