What would you have said to this CNA

[zofran]

I was almost done posting this but it went away? Sorry if it comes up twice???

Anyway, I am an RN on a busy day shift med-surg/onc floor. The other day it was crazy. It was about 1400 and I had not eaten or peed. I was starting to feel a bit sick. I told the HUC that I was not feeling well and that I was going to take a quick break to pee and eat something real quick. I told her to tell the CNA I was working with that I was not feeling good, would be back quickly, and to give her this note.

The note said - Take temp in 502 and get water for 507. Thanks

Well when I got back, the CNA working with me was livid. She demanded to talk to me in private. She says (and I quote) "I am not your N-word" (but she says the word if ya know what I mean) "You can't just leave me notes and expect me to do what you say"

I was just so shocked! First that she would use the N word (we are both white) and second, that she seemed to not care that I had to get off the floor for just a few min.

So I end up apologizing to HER, explaining why I left the note, and telling her how bad I had to take a quick break. She really didn't care, didn't even give the water or take the temp, and just talked trash about me for the rest of the shift. I heard her later telling the other cna's that 'she put me in my place"

this type of behavior is so dishearting for me, We should ALL be there to support eachother and the patients. What would you guys have done?

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

She caught you off guard, lucky for her, this time. But lucky for you that you will know how to address it when it happens again.

Not sure why the comments questioning you about not taking a restroom break.??? Its not uncommon for nurses to be so bogged down, busy running up and down halls doing their job, that before they know it, they missed lunch, no bathroom break and look up to see dinner trays going down the hall. But most aides get their 15 minute breaks, lunch breaks, whatever.(How do I know this? They track you down and tell you) Other aides (and the same nurse who is already over loaded) can cover for them, but no other nurse can cover for another, they have their own load.

And about the comment someone wrote that she took the time to write it down? Well, yea, what's wrong with keeping notes? Let's say Nurse goes in a room, does an accuchek on mrs smith, she says she has no water. In the hall mr jones appears disoriented and is removing his diaper. Mrs vicodin is screaming for her pain pill. Do you think she should have done the aides job too and gone and done what she wrote on her hand(place of many reminders)? She probably already was doing some of her aides job.. Who knows how many water pitchers or call lights this nurse answered? Its obvious she wasn't sitting at the nurses station, or hiding in a back room. She was busy.

Some nurses pull call lights when patients request something. And don't help. And let the call light go on until the aide shows up.

If I were an aide, I would prefer a note over a call light any day.

I am in agreement with this...it seems accusory to throw in that this nurse did not take a bathroom break. Most of us have been there...that one thing happened after another and we could not get away. Some people learn to work around this by making sure that somehow, going to the bathroom and sneaking a meal is included, others don't. That is not the issue at hand. The point of this is the nurse delegated a task within her job description. Would the CNA say the same thing if a written assignment was posted on the wall?

This does not seem to be a nurse that sits behind the station and ignores patient care...she got sick, left a note and got cussed out. The CNA deserves to be disciplined.

[khoop]

I would not have apologized. I would have involved the nursing supervisor immediately. This is insubordination and manipulation by the CNA. What part of Nursing Assistant did she not understand. Assignments are typically written and then verbally augmented as needed. I, too , am concerned that you waited so long to relieve yourself and replenish. You must take care of yourself, no one else will.

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

I don't care how bad this CNAs day was, if she had said that to me, her day would have gotten a lot worse FAST. That was rude and disrespectful to the RN. To the OP - it sounds like you asked her pretty nicely, and she had NO right to just jump down your throat the way she did. She would for sure be written up by me at the very least.

I'm with some of the others in that I'm not really sure why the comment about taking the time to write down the duties that the CNA was asked to perform. That just didn't even seem to make sense to post in there. And I've had some of those shifts where you're lucky to make time for a bathroom break, and eat your lunch/supper in about 2 minutes while you're getting ready for report, or later still. That makes no difference, just like the other comment above.

And the comment about the CNA "putting her in her place..." - that wouldn't fly with me either. That just opens up the same CNA or another one to get an attitude and try the same thing with the same or another nurse. And I probably have written down the chores I had asked her to do also. Nothing wrong with that.

OP - you're a better person than me, I would have really been chapped.

Anne, RNC :banghead:

[j621d]

As the RN, you are the leader. If you were flustered (I probably would have been) go to the charge nurse - using the chain of command. Talk to her first, as it will help you get your wits about you. Then the CNA will need to be dealt with, by the NM or asst. NM. Truly insubordination. Lack of teamwork on her part. If she is like that to you, she is most likely that way with others.

[Katnip, RN]

She needs a write up for insubordination and I'm sure there is a policy against using racist language, and her comment could definitely be construed as such.

[so alive LPN]

I have to tip my hat off to you, because you kept your cool in a situation like this. I don't think I could have ( no, wait...I COULDN'T have) tolerated this. I would have marched with her to the NM or house supervisor, and let nature take its course. When I was a tech, I got notes from nurses all the time. Now that I'm nurse, I find it a very effective way to communicate with my techs. This is horrible, and i'm so sorry you had to deal with this type of behavior. Big hugs (lots of them) your way.:heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat

[pennyaline]

This CNA has been a problem for a long time. And I believe she is in the process of getting fired. Not for what she said to me, but for many other comments overheard by managment.

Well good enough! She's out on the ledge already, huh? Good. A write up will give her a nice push! :wink2:

[Mommycakers]

I am a CNA and I would of just taken the note and completed the task with no problem. All the time nurses just grab me even if the patient they want vitals on or something for is not my patient. I work in a hospital as a CNA and the other CNA's I work with divide the rooms up and we have our specific patients we take care of but we also work together and help each other out whenever needed. It is a team effort. I think that CNA just has an attitude problem and anything could of just set her off. As CNA's we are there to assist the nurses and do give the best patient care we can. Maybe she needs to be reminded of her job responsibilities.

[AlabamaBelle]

I can honestly understand the no pee break and not eating anything - it's almost the rule for me on my unit. I get busy with assessments, giving meds (sometimes even within the 30mins), dealing with several different disciplines and trying not to let my patient go down the drain. Suddenly, I look up at the clock and realize it's 1400, my bladder is full and my stomach is empty. I work ICU and my sister works med/surg and she reports the same thing.

The use of the "N" work was beyond unprofessional. An immediate write-up was definitely warranted. Too many ears that shouldn't hear could have heard that comment.

Insubordinate, pure and simple.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

I had a CNA tell me once, mid drawing up five IVP meds, and a crazy "small fires all over night" that she wasn't my slave, and that she wasn't going to help me anymore. (I had asked her to take a BP/BG on my new admit while I ran to CT to get the patient that was waiting for us).

I told her to keep her hands off my patients and I called the supervisor.

I never apologized, and we haven't had an issue since. That is what I would have done in your sitch as well.

Tait

Edit: Well maybe not the "hands off my patient" part... :)

[RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

I have had issues with a cna as well. she has been on the floor for 20 yrs, she is in her early 40's and thinks its "her" territory. she tried to pull a few things on me and i wouldnt let it fly. i dont agree with others getting on you about not taking a break or anything like that, becuase sometimes, YOU CANT, i know that and sometimes its impossible. so my standpoint is that you need to stand up, stick up for yourself. i know its hard- because that was the hardest thing for me going into nursing- asking for help and speaking up to the cna's. i admit its still difficult at times, but much better than it was a year ago! i hated to go to my nm constantly about that particular cna, but i wasnt going to put up with crap and i did try and confront her- and she was very nasty about it in front of others- therefore i went to nm a few times. now- she gets the point! the other na's know that i wont put up with crap either, i think because of all that crap with that nasty one! lol.. i'm not some nasty mean person, but sometimes, you need to be.

gl! i know!!! if you need to talk or need help on what to say- PM me!!

-H-RN

[jschut, BSN, RN]

I actually had a CNA stand up and cuss at me behind the nurses desk once (as a new nurse) and when I told the DON about it the next day... she called me at home and asked me what I would like her to do about it!