I was lucky at work yesterday I had a great assignment. Towards 5 pm the unit secretary came to me stating that a RN on the other end of the hall was drowning, she was answering so many of her patient lights that she was falling behind.
As I passed the nursing station that Rn's CNA and the charge nurse were socializing. I said to the CNA can you check on your patients and see if there is anything they need such as water. She said " my patients don't need anything they are okay" to which I replied, your nurse is drowning I will help her pass meds can you check on your patients and pass water. She did not move, nor did the charge nurse, Meanwhile I approached the drowning Rn asked her what I could do to help her as I was all caught up. She told me she needed help with her meds, so off I went with her MARS in hand passing out the meds, and as I ran across water pitchers was placing them on a computer desk in plain site of her CNA. When I completed the medications, I walked to my end of the hall, gathered up my own water pitchers again CNA is still standing at the desk, and then picked up HER water pitchers and filled them all and distributed them.
I then thought about what had happened. I next wrote out a three page memo giving the above abreviated version of circumstances. I then photocopied it, gave it to the CNA. My words were it is up to you as to whom the originals get turned in to. Amazingly later when I asked her about it. She stated she did not care what I did with them. I responded with ( ) Can't you just for once say okay" reason being most often when asked to do anything she always has a smart mouth remark and doesn't do it..
so,,, I turned the memo into our Nurse Manager/supervisor.... A part of me feels badly, in 30 years I have never done this to a co-worker. I have always believed in talk to the person first, which has before gotten a positive response. I know I have no control over another person. Yet, I like this CNA personally, but I don't like how she left her nurse stranded to do both jobs one of which was the CNA/s while she socialized.. Was I way wrong? any suggestions ?
I do not plan on treating this CNA any differently that I have before I still like her. I hate conflict , I prefer resolution.
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
lpnflorida. . .I worked too long to play games with people. All I worry about is getting my job done. If others interfere with me doing that, they better look out. Otherwise, if they want to do a half-orificed job, that is on their conscience not mine. The only times I've ever gone after other licensed nurses was when it was obvious that they were close to malpractice and patients were suffering as a result. One nurse we worked with was falsifying glucometer readings and not giving medications (this was in a nursing home) and I was one of two who finally spoke up about it. I wouldn't tolerate CNAs goofing off when they were working with my patients and if they didn't like me watching over them and writing them up all the time--too bad. Go work with another charge nurse who will tolerate that, but its not going to be me. Unlike you, I have no problem getting into a fight. My mother was came from the same molds as Judge Judy and Dr. Laura and it stuck on me!
I hear what you are saying. In the hospital I work in no LPN is ever Charge. I do not have a problem with this.
As you are an RN BSN no less now you could say something to this particular Rn who happened to be charge that shift, but as I am an LPN. It does not seem prudient on my part with this particular RN.
When I work with her I do my job, help those around me. I do not ask her for anything more than I absolutely have to, nor do I respond unless she is speaking directly to me, which she usually does not.
Unless of course she needs to know a policy which I happen to know and she does not, in which case she will ask me and I will tell her what I know, or let her know how to find the answer.
By the way all the other RN on our unit are great, I have no problem going to them or speaking my concerns to them. They are not into hierachy.
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
i'm sorry you have to deal with this. you did the right thing by documenting the incident. at least you are giving the manager some ammunition to work with. if i were there i could be of more help.
It was only one shift in a 30 year history. I am fortunate.
I also have an awareness that our Nurse Manager will also gather information from the RN who was drowning and the Charge nurse plus the CNA she may or may not ask me for further clarification. It is not for me to figure out any longer.
Some people have to put up with **** on a daily basis in more ways than one. For me as Scarlet would say " Tommorow is another day"
Thank you to everyone who has responded. I appreciate being given the opportunity to look at the situation from different perspectives. It will help my own growth.
Daytonite, BSN, RN
1 Article; 14,604 Posts
lpnflorida. . .I worked too long to play games with people. All I worry about is getting my job done. If others interfere with me doing that, they better look out. Otherwise, if they want to do a half-orificed job, that is on their conscience not mine. The only times I've ever gone after other licensed nurses was when it was obvious that they were close to malpractice and patients were suffering as a result. One nurse we worked with was falsifying glucometer readings and not giving medications (this was in a nursing home) and I was one of two who finally spoke up about it. I wouldn't tolerate CNAs goofing off when they were working with my patients and if they didn't like me watching over them and writing them up all the time--too bad. Go work with another charge nurse who will tolerate that, but its not going to be me. Unlike you, I have no problem getting into a fight. My mother was came from the same molds as Judge Judy and Dr. Laura and it stuck on me!