2 New nurses very discouraged and needing advice

[powell2010]

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.

[RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN]

Well I don't work in LTC but ive heard about this problem and that it exist in many places. I don't know how assertive you and your friend are, but it seems to me that you both are going to have to put your foot down, so to speak, and let them know who is boss. You need to tell your CNAs tha they're being insubordinate and it won't be tolerated. You'll just have to feel it out for yourself and gain their respect. I recently had an aide such as this and it took a personal meeting between us that wasn't too pleasant I may add.... But I set my foot down and told her exactly how it was and going to be. She tried to argue with

with me, but I'm the professional and wouldn't listen to any of her disrespect! You just have to grow the thick skin and get to a point to where you won't put up with this. These aides......they test us to see if they can run over us, but once you let them know they can't, things will change. Hope this helps!

[powell2010]

Thanks for the input. I do not want to come across as whiney. Unfortunatly we have put our foot down and all that happened is we got it stepped on. We are not the only ones with this problem. All nurses there have the same issues. During one meeting between a nurse, aide and DON, the aide cried about how she felt she was being picked on and the DON cried with her. The DON did set her straight on the rules before the meeting was over. But she left the office to go back to the floor to do the exact same thing she was in the office for. Then said she was never told to do it different! This goes on and on each day. The place is so short on help of CNAs that they know they will not be disciplined.

I am currently looking for a new position elsewhere. I am tired of talking to a brick wall. Have been told this place has the worst reputation for this problem and many nurses leave after starting.

thanks