Nurses aid**advice!

allnurses Guide · Feb 13, 2021

Sounds like that nurse got to her before you did, likely on the line when you sent your text and attempted call. So she heard all the complaints about you first, possibly exaggerated. So yes, she could have "already talked to the nurse".

Is there a policy that says trays are only your responsibility? What about people that aren't finished before the end of your shift, do they expect you to just take their food away?

On the other hand if you left at 6:30 instead of 6, did you get paid overtime? (you can't not be paid for things done while on duty, which you were directed to be by the nurse). I expected to hear you were there for much longer. Is half an hour worth your job and this? A great many of us stay over a bit to finish up things that took longer than expected.

Emergent, RN · Feb 13, 2021

There are lots of better opportunities out there than that place..

JKL33 · Feb 13, 2021

Couple of things:

Find another place to work; as above there are better places.

You will have to comport yourself differently if you want to remain in better places and don't want to get terminated every time there is a minor problem. You can't use profanity like that, you can't become offended and unglued so easily.

I know it happened because you felt you were being treated unfairly but even when something stressful crops up you will do far better to stay calm and work it out while maintaining your composure.

Let this be a learning experience, and I hope you find a fresh start quickly. ??

TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN · Feb 13, 2021

I get how it is when it's time to go and you are ready to be done.

In nursing however, sometimes you're gonna stay late either because you choose to or you have to. You were feeding which means you probably helped pass trays out, would it really be such a big inconvenience to pick them back up? It could be your responsibility to do so as this nurse seemed to be under the impression that it was and I would encouraged you to clarify this with your boss. In the time it took for your confrontation with the nurse, the supervisor, becoming upset to occur you could have just picked up the trays. Not to mention you were there for a 4 hour shift so leaving at 6:30 just doesn't like a huge amount of time to leave late. I've had 12 hr shifts turn to 16 hour shifts, and have 16 hr shifts turn into 20hour shifts, now that sucks.

The cold reality is that sometimes at work we get told to do things we don't want to do, don't agree with, or think we shouldn't do, and sometimes you just have to do what you're told because we all have a boss.

What was it about this situation that led to you becoming so upset and crying? I don't mean that rude, I'm genuinely asking.

I'm sorry if this post sounds critical, I don't mean for you to be offended, just trying to be honest.

cardiacfreak, ADN · Feb 13, 2021

I'm going to be honest, it seems to me you were being insubordinate. I understand your shift was over at 6, however, in the time you spent arguing with the nurse and reporting the said incident to a supervisor, you could have had the trays picked up, the resident back in their room and out the door before 6:30.

Take the weekend and try to relax and reflect, is this a job you want to keep? If you and the nurse have a less than desirable working relationship, and you will have to continue working with her, can you do so professionally even if she is not?

I hope the best for you.

Sour Lemon · Feb 13, 2021

The "supervising RN" is your boss, and you should have done as instructed (barring any great ethical issue, of course). If you felt you were being treated unfairly, you should have addressed that with the RN on staff in a respectful manner, not immediately gone over her head to complain.

BAD: "I told her no that it was my time to go and the other shift was here they could pick up the trays."

BETTER: I'm sorry ...I really do have to leave. My kids have to be picked up by x o'clock and there's no way I'll make it in time if I stay past x:15. I do have a few last minutes to help Mr. Smith back to his room before I go.

Act apologetic, even if you're not. You should never end up arguing with your boss. I know I never argue with mine ...no matter how ridiculous I might feel they're being. Aside from that, every unit has a culture, and you'll need to conform to that culture to stay in good standing. If the unwritten rule is that you stay until "your" tasks are done, then you need to follow that rule. If you work in a place where everyone flies out the door at the exact moment their shift officially ends, then you should feel free to do the same.

If you find yourself needing to move up the chain of command, it should be done with a clear head after you've calmed down. It should also be non-accusatory, and focused on finding solutions instead of assigning blame. Ideally, you'd want to suggest things that might help you finish your tasks on time- not just proclaim that you only want to work with staff who don't care if you finish those tasks.

You should start thinking of a "Plan B" for employment if you need the income from this job. It sounds like they may be erecting a scaffold and sharpening the axe. Hopefully, I'm wrong. I suspect that you're assigned more tasks than humanly possible, and it's contributing to your crankiness. I totally get it. I'd tell off ten different people every day if I could get away with it.

sleepwalker, MSN, NP · Feb 16, 2021

"so I get done feeding my residents, I get up and my nurse stops me and says I have to go pick up all the trays even though it’s way past my time"

I don't get it...you were done with feeding but it sounds like your workplace defines "feeding" as prepping resident trays, feeding residents, and removing the trays in order to qualify as "feeding".

How can it be "way past [your] time" when you left the facility a half hour later than usual and still had time to argue with your supervising RN, call the DON, and assisting a resident back to their room/bed?

Sounds like a lot more background to this than just this one incident...

Hoosier_RN, MSN · Feb 16, 2021

The last facility that I was DON, corporate stated that CNAs were not to clock out 1minute late, unless emergency situation, which had to have supporting evidence from a supervisor. Picking up trays isn't an emergency. At that facility, 3 times late clocking out is a terminable offense. Yes, those places exist. It pays very well, so staff is very compliant with rules. Not sure if this is the case with the OP

neuron · Feb 16, 2021

On 2/12/2021 at 8:49 PM, Jstna96 said:

Hi I’m a nurses aid, I’ve been an aid for almost 5 years now.( I’m PRN )

well today at work ( I worked 2pm-6pm at nursing home) it hit 6pm and I was still feeding the residents and even though my replacements came in they didn’t relieve me from my shift, so I get done feeding my residents, I get up and my nurse stops me and says I have to go pick up all the trays even though it’s way past my time and my replacements are here.. I told her no that it was my time to go and the other shift was here they could pick up the trays. She told me that it wasn’t their job to pick up trays and I will stay till my job is done. Well I went and put one resident back because he asked me to and I wasn’t gonna tell him no. So she continued to argue with me. I got mad ( this part is kinda unprofessional on my part) I said *** this I’m leaving and went to call my supervisor ( I texted her before hand saying I didn’t want to work with this nurse anymore) so I call she doesn’t answer.. ( I was always told to call that supervisor when I had an issue) she called me back and at this point I was crying.. I told her what was going on and she said that she already talked to the nurse ( which doesn’t make sense because it literally just happened 5 seconds ago) she told me that I’m always calling her complaining about my shift and it’s getting ridiculous.. I asked her when have I called you to complain. She said “ oh well maybe you didn’t but you aren’t going to tell me what I’m going todo”talking about when I texted her telling her I didn’t want to work with that nurse. She than said to me well if you want to quit you can. I told her that I didn’t want to quit but I didn’t understand why nobody was relieving me and I deserve to leave when I’m supposed to if my replacements are here. She than told me not to come in on Saturday and that the Don will be giving me a call Monday( I cried the whole way home) didn’t leave that nursing home till 6:30pm

If it is causing you to cry then it probably isn't worth it.

SilverBells, BSN · Feb 16, 2021

Unless there was more going on, it seems like things escalated pretty quickly for simply being asked to pick up dinner trays. Yes, your replacements were there, but maybe the nurse wanted you to help out with trays because your colleagues would have their own responsibilities they needed to complete and didn't want them to be overwhelmed by the previous shifts' incomplete tasks. As others said, you probably could have completed all of that in the same amount of time it took you to contact your supervisor and argue with the nurse. I get wanting to leave on time, but when I initially read your post, I thought you were going to say you stated hours later, not 30 minutes. A half-hour really isn't unheard of or unreasonable to help ensure that the transition from one shift to the next goes smoothly and your colleagues are able to start off with a "clean slate" of responsibilities if at all possible.

Like I said, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there were other things that were going on and this was just what you happened to remember the most. I just personally don't feel it would have been worth it to argue about dinner trays or call my supervisor about it. I also would have given you the benefit of the doubt if you were a new CNA, in that for some people, it is a bit of an adjustment to accept that in healthcare, your shifts don't always end on time. The thing is, though, you stated you've been an aide for 5 years, so this wasn't likely the first time you were asked to stay a bit past your scheduled shift.

At the same time, hopefully moving forward things will get better for you. Hopefully you and this nurse can find a better way of working together should you be assigned the same unit/shift again. I feel there would likely be a good chance you may work with her again if the only complaint is that she asked you to stay a few minutes later to help clean up. With that said, if this job is making you that upset, you can always choose to pursue other avenues. Only you can decide if that is the right option, but I personally wouldn't leave an employer based on one disagreement.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Feb 16, 2021

Once you let loose with the F word... you lose the battle. Profanity is never tolerated in the workplace. I am queen of the use of the F word.. managed to hold my tongue, and my jobs.

Hindsight is 20/20. When the nurse told you to get the trays.. telling her you are off the clock and that would cost the almighty corporation a 1/2 hour pay.. may have worked. Discussing with the oncoming shift would have been an option. The best option would have been to present a solution for the future. " If I need to pick up trays.. perhaps a 1:30 start time will allow me to stay until 6:30"

Good luck, have a feeling you got canned.