Nurse aids and Education

Mijourney · Jan 19, 2001

Originally posted by chili2641:
I have worked as a nurse aid for over seven years. I have been in college for five of those years. I have earned an Associates and a Bachelors degree in my field criminal justice. I have always treated my nurses with respect and was troubled after reading several of the posts.
conflict between nurses and nurse aids is not an education issue. It is an issue of respect. We all want respect and we want to know that what we do makes a difference!

Hi chili. You made some valid comments but what is your question?

chili2641 · Jan 19, 2001

Dear MIjourney,

I was inspired to write after reading several of the posts. Several nurses made comments regarding education,or lack their of in the case of the nurse aid. I am sure that I am not the only nurse aid With an education. I have started a new career now but I wanted to stick up for my coworkers. Nursing is a profession where alot of emphasis is put on tittles. I respect education and I know the hard work and dedication it requires. I realize their are wonderful nurses out there,I have worked with several. I realize to that we need wonderful,smart,and hardworking nurse aids. They should feel that they are educated and competent. Lets face it we need them. They are very important to me and should be to all of you. I will always remember where I came from. What are your thoughts on this?

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Nursing assistant

Mijourney · Jan 20, 2001

Hi chili. Thank you for your service in the versatile field of nursing. My opinion on the issue of titles is that it is a big deal in nursing because we are the most diverse of all the health and medical care fields. We have different versions of aides and nurses unlike other fields that may have only 2 or 3 levels of titles or workers. Much of this stems from nursing not being well-organized, standing firm, and taking charge of its business early on. We're overly endowed with the effects from paternalism and exploitation mainly at the hands of the AHA and AMA. Therefore, we get posts on this bb and others requesting help to clear up confusion regarding titles. Or, we get posters offended by the suggestion that somehow they are inadequate because they have or don't have a certain title. The confusion, in my opinion, will not be cleared up until we can first respect each other as you have written and then recognize we can progress nursing beyond titles by grandfathering and decreasing the number of levels or layers of titles in nursing. This would remove an achilles heel for us and allow us to become more cohesive in placing focus on the real issues at hand which is improving patient care, training, job retention, pay, and working conditions. Until then, I don't see the title emphasis going away.

chili2641 · Jan 20, 2001

Mijourney,

Thankyou for writing me back. I understand the system better now. Still,I wish there was a way for the nursing assistants to receive more education. Reading all these posts it is clear to me that nursing values education. Is it possible that we could raise the status of the nursing assistant. Who would be for it and who would be against it. If nurses are against it why are they. I will say that never once did a nurse encourage me to college. I do remember a nurse saying" That education is power and nurse aids are powerless"

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Nursing assistant

Mijourney · Jan 23, 2001

Originally posted by chili2641:
Mijourney,

Thankyou for writing me back. I understand the system better now. Still,I wish there was a way for the nursing assistants to receive more education. Reading all these posts it is clear to me that nursing values education. Is it possible that we could raise the status of the nursing assistant. Who would be for it and who would be against it. If nurses are against it why are they. I will say that never once did a nurse encourage me to college. I do remember a nurse saying" That education is power and nurse aids are powerless"

Chili2641. The status of nursing in general would improve if there were more cohesiveness within nursing. Chili, I think some of the problem with advancing nursing has to do with comfort levels, turf, and fear of change as well as outside interference.

Chili, what you think about yourself, and what you do for others is more important than what someone else thinks about you. You're only as powerful or powerless as you feel. I'm an RN who would readily acknowledge that I have greatly appreciated and benefited from the assistance of aides who knew their role well and knew how to use it to the best advantage of the patient and staff. I'm a former aide who knows that titles and labels run deep. I managed to maintain the respect of the nurses when I was an aide. I only discussed with those who I knew were my allies my personal plans. The nurse who made the negative comment will no doubt complain if suddenly he/she find him/herself with no aide available to assist him/her with patient care. Chili,you have the most power when you're missed. As far as education or other aspirations, you don't need me or anyone else to tell you to continue your education. If your inner person is giving you the desire and motivation, than go for it! Best wishes.

nursejanedough · Jan 23, 2001

To Chili and MsJ, as I have stated before on this site, the real nurses (esp. in LTC) are the nursing assistants. They do the hands on care, changing soiled,(crap), diapers/pads, changing clothes, sheets, turning, Lifting 120 lbs. plus patients and putting in wheelchairs or Lifting back to bed, etc. Ok, the etc. is spoon feeding, spit at and yelled at, Lifting to toilet, (having to stay with that sweet elderly person - because they may fall off the commode!) and then being constantly bombarded or yelled at (bells ringing or being paged by nurse,families)and by other residents that need Lifting to commode. Notice, I capitalize Lifting. That Lifting wore me out. I am a well educated RN. I have done that CNA/nursing assistant job when the CNA (real nurses) didn't show up, and believe me, most of America would not do their job for the amount of pay they get. As far as Long Term Care, they are dropping out, just as the RN's and LPN's are. (The RN and LPN are real nurses, too, but they are required to give a ridiculous amount of medication (plus crush up and mix in applesauce, etc.)and do an unrealistic amount of paperwork.) I'm still looking for answers. In the meantime, I am volunteering at my local nursing home, doing whatever I can do to help, but it is not enough. Far from it. OK, find a ditch digger, or a grocery sacker. Ask them,for the same pay, would they rather dig dirt, sack groceries or clean up sh...t in a bed of an elderly person. We all know the answer. What has to happen? Unions? Public outcry? 100 more lawsuits?

chili2641 · Jan 23, 2001

I just want to thank the nurses for replying to my post. RN's and LPN's are the real nurses and I respect and acknowledge them as such. The nurse aids are very valuable members of the health care team and we are nurses in our own way because we give care to the sick. I am not bitter I loved taking care of the elderly. I did not mind the dirty work. I enjoyed holding someones hand right before they passed away. I enjoyed buying them christmas presents. Once I got a lady who was starving herself to eat some pizza hut pizza. That was one of my proudest moments.Working as a nurse aid taught me to care about other people and it taught me humility. I am very proud to have worked as a nurse aid. As for my education Mijourney I will start my masters degree soon. I had so much fun getting my bachelors I thought I would keep going.

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Nursing assistant