Not Being Respected as a CNA

ktwlpn, LPN · Jan 26, 2015

You must see as a cna in a large busy teaching hospital your "feelings" just are not going to be anyone's focus.You are there to complete certain tasks and you can certainly take pride in a job well done.Be pleasant and courteous to all and realize you are there for the patients and to assist the nurses.The stakes are so high for those very sick patients and the nursing staff are getting slammed from all sides and the top.I do believe that there is NO excuse for rudeness ,without examples from you it's hard to discuss your issue.

hookyarnandblanket · Jan 27, 2015

Working in any public setting requires a thick skin. You will always encounter people who are burnt out, on power trips, are self-absorbed, and who think it's a good idea to bring their personal agendas and philosophies to work. Brush it off as best you can; 99% of the time they are projecting their own issues on to others. It isn't your battle but theirs. Go in and give your patients the best patient care you can and focus on getting them better. No one can fault you for that.

RescueNinjaKy · Jan 27, 2015

Honey, you will get it everywhere so my advice is just to start dealing with it now. Doesn't matter what you are, you will get disrespect from others. When I was a nursing student got it from cnas, nurses, doctors, and patients. Point is, doesn't matter where you are in the totem poll, people Will be rude so it's better to learn to deal with it now.

On the other side, there Will be those who are the sweetest and Will love to teach and help you.

emmym95 · Jan 28, 2015

I worked hard to be a CNA. I spent months studying and practicing in blood sweat and tears. I became this from nothing. So that being said, i don't pay mind nor do i care what others have to say about me or my field of work. There's always going to be people who think they are better than you, who think they're above you. But as long as you know that being a nurse aide is about, whether its helping people, taking care of patients, or whatever your perspective is on it, just don't give in to what they have to say.

i am 19 years old and being a CNA is my first job, ever, so when people talk down on me they look stupid because kids these days are selling drugs are other illegal things to make an income but i worked hard for what i have.

Dani2389 · Jan 28, 2015

Thanks for all the support. I know no one cares about my feelings and unless you've worked as a CNA I don't think you can relate. I just meant the profession in general I feel doesn't get any respect and when your working your tail off taking care of 16 patients or even 31 if your by yourself. I just feel like some of the nurses could be more respectful instead of running some CNA's down or even when asking to do something instead of telling them. I do love my job and my relationships that I have formed with my patients. I think just with any job I guess I have my good days and my bad. Thanks for the support.

ktwlpn, LPN · Jan 28, 2015

Thanks for all the support. I know no one cares about my feelings and unless you've worked as a CNA I don't think you can relate. I just meant the profession in general I feel doesn't get any respect and when your working your tail off taking care of 16 patients or even 31 if your by yourself. I just feel like some of the nurses could be more respectful instead of running some CNA's down or even when asking to do something instead of telling them. I do love my job and my relationships that I have formed with my patients. I think just with any job I guess I have my good days and my bad. Thanks for the support.

I worked as an aide for years.I have also worked in hospitals,nursing homes and private duty home care as a nurse.Believe me,we ALL know what it is like to care for 8,16,46 sick or infirm people and be "disrespected" by staff in other departments,family members and visitors.You can't let that shape you.There are no victims,only volunteers.Don't let anyone make you feel inferior.Just remember when the poop is hitting the fan the nurse may not have time to ask you to do your job and that's ok,too.We all have someone telling us what to do.

RescueNinjaKy · Jan 28, 2015

Thanks for all the support. I know no one cares about my feelings and unless you've worked as a CNA I don't think you can relate. I just meant the profession in general I feel doesn't get any respect and when your working your tail off taking care of 16 patients or even 31 if your by yourself. I just feel like some of the nurses could be more respectful instead of running some CNA's down or even when asking to do something instead of telling them. I do love my job and my relationships that I have formed with my patients. I think just with any job I guess I have my good days and my bad. Thanks for the support.

Just like how you get some rude nurses, you will encounter some rude cnas when you become a nurse. It's not about being in the same shoes or not, it's just simply how life works. Sure it would be great to have people appreciate what we do but the reality of it all is that it doesn't always happen.

Instead of letting other people ruin your day, just take it in stride and brush it off. Don't let other people have that kind of power over how you feel.

I've had cnas yell at me for no reason, I've had nurses who've done the same, heck I've had patients who threw stuff at me. But this is what I love to do and I won't let it bother me.

funtimes · Jan 28, 2015

The docs don't bother me at all, they tend to look down on all staff, including Nurses. They don't care if you are an RN, Tech, or whatever. Other CNAs or techs opinions are irrelevant to me as well. I suppose when you are a brand new tech it can be annoying but after that who cares.

RNs who look down on techs and aides however can be a huge pain, but it is what it is. Not really much you can do about it. Eventually they will usually run into situations where they NEED you, and that's when they find out the hard way they get what they give.

As for Nursing students, most of them are too stressed out or clueless to be bossy or arrogant, but you do run into some that are. Most techs look on those that are like that with amusement, and sometimes will mess with them a little just because we can.

Nienna Celebrindal · Jan 29, 2015

Thanks for all the support. I know no one cares about my feelings and unless you've worked as a CNA I don't think you can relate.

DING DING DING

OP I totally understand your feelings and my heart goes out to you. I've just completed a very sobering experience of being a CNA again. I was hired to my first RN job and had to work as a CNA for 2 months before my new grad program started. Just ugh, yes people don't give CNAs a second thought. You are looked through always, and talked to like an idiot. I've been watching Downton Abby and I was like my goodness this is what it must be like to have been the servants.

And its been AMAZING how quickly people's attitudes towards me change when they find out I'm an RN, was an LVN for 12 years and would soon be their peer. Night and day. Its pathetic.

I don't really have great advice for you, you have to feel good about yourself, your work and know this position is getting you somewhere, and it is! You will be a much better nurse for all of these experiences. And know there are some RNs who totally get it and do appreciate you. Good luck!

LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN · Jan 31, 2015

What she said ^. I'm three months from finishing RN school, I've been a CNA for a year, and I will continue to work as a CNA until I find my first RN job. I respect everyone I work with, and do clinicals with, from the janitor to the kitchen staff to the nurse and doctors. If they have an issue with snarkiness or meanness to me, that's their deal. Everyone is needed, everyone has a different job, and no one is better than anyone else.

CNAEdd29 · Feb 23, 2015

My advice, don't sweat it. Trust me, i've felt this feeling before. But at the end of the day, you've done your job, you've done your part, and you get to go home.