Nursing student frustrated by CNAs...

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I am a second semester ADN student who is working as a CNA in a LTC facility until I graduate. I honestly don't really love geriatrics, but I have passion and drive for nursing so I always do my best at work and try to go the extra mile with the residents. I am pretty quiet by nature and tend to keep my head down and do my work instead of sitting around and gossiping with the other girls on my shift.

There is a handful of other CNA's who aren't in school that are vicious to me, always calling me a goody two shoes, kiss *** and teachers pet because the nurses know that I am in school, and will often let me observe procedures as a learning experience. I really like my facility and the nurses I work with, but I can't stand how catty some of these other girls I work with are. I feel like they just don't take their jobs as seriously as me and that bothers me and motivates me at the same time. I thought about mentioning it to my DON in my performance review next week, but I'm not a fan of being a tattle tale or complaining when no one is really causing any harm, just being super annoying. Any advice for dealing with them?

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

Ask them why they're so disrespectful. Or something along the lines of confronting them. Usually when someone is called out on what they're doing, they stop.

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Honestly I would just ignore them, you're in school and putting your energy into something great and useful and they are putting there's towards something mean and negative. I would feel sorry for them but at the same time try to understand where they are coming from, here's someone coming into their job that's hardworking and determined and that makes them look bad. You've set the bar for them. Just keep focusing on you

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Your coworker' s are not " girls". Do not ever refer to your coworkers as such.

If you are experiencing name calling, and feel your coworkers are targeting you within your roles.. the time to bring it to management is not during your performance review.

Your review is between you and management.

Document , document, document...this outrageous behavior. Each and every "name-calling' is lateral violence.

Write them up according to facility policy.

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When I see this occur, it's usually because the nursing student is acting like they're in class instead of at work. Make sure you're not "observing procedures" while the other CNAs do CNA work. You are NOT a nursing student at work ...you are a CNA.

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I totally agree. I am really mindful of this because I don't like to pick up other people's slack, so I don't want anyone else to pick up mine. Its just frustrating because to me it's not "just a job", its something I really care about!

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Any advice for dealing with them?

I suggest you do some serious damage control here. When you are at work, you are NOT a nursing student. You are a CNA. Stop acting like you are better than they are, and make an effort to fit in with them. Do you really need to observe nursing procedures in order to learn? Not really. You will have plenty of learning opportunities in nursing school. CNA duties are basic nursing tasks, and you should be focusing on mastering those basic tasks- they are the foundation on which your nursing practice will be based. You learn things like how to gain rapport with your patients, how to assess mentation, skin, gait, and notice changes in condition.

And maybe spend a little time sitting around and gossiping with them. That certainly wouldn't hurt.

Having the support of your team mates will make or break you. If the CNAs don't like you, they can make your job a living hell, and they know it.

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It sounds super frustrating but I would try hard to continue to work hard and look the other way. They do not rate your performance so what they think doesn't matter. Do not bring it up at your performance review. As 'Been there, done that' said, your review is between you and management and is a review, NOT a gripe session.

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Consider your future at this facility as you determine if you should change any behavior toward your peers. Do you plan to resign immediately when you graduate, or will you accept a licensed nurse position? Will you only stay as long as it takes to get another job offer? Think in terms of your own career progress instead of miring yourself in emotional conflict with people who may have reason to be jealous of your ambition.

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Consider your future at this facility as you determine if you should change any behavior toward your peers. Do you plan to resign immediately when you graduate, or will you accept a licensed nurse position? Will you only stay as long as it takes to get another job offer? Think in terms of your own career progress instead of miring yourself in emotional conflict with people who may have reason to be jealous of your ambition.

This is a really good point, but the OP is just starting a two year program, and if she plans on working at this facility for that two year period, two years can be A.Really.Long.Time. Getting along with peers is an essential job skill, and right now, the CNAs are her peers. Whether or not she plans on finding employment elsewhere once she gets her license, I think it would behoove her to figure out a way to rectify this- and if she doesn't have the insight to understand why her peers are reacting to her this way, then the problem is likely to follow her if she decides to switch jobs.

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Consider your future at this facility as you determine if you should change any behavior toward your peers. Do you plan to resign immediately when you graduate, or will you accept a licensed nurse position? Will you only stay as long as it takes to get another job offer? Think in terms of your own career progress instead of miring yourself in emotional conflict with people who may have reason to be jealous of your ambition.

I've worked at this facility for a little over 9 months. I like the work, I really like the management and the residents, and if they were to give me a good job offer after graduation I would seriously consider it... even though I don't really think LTC is my "calling" if you will. I'm always friendly to my coworkers but it gets frustrating when I feel like there are only a few of us who really care.

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I suggest you do some serious damage control here. When you are at work, you are NOT a nursing student. You are a CNA. Stop acting like you are better than they are, and make an effort to fit in with them. Do you really need to observe nursing procedures in order to learn? Not really. You will have plenty of learning opportunities in nursing school. CNA duties are basic nursing tasks, and you should be focusing on mastering those basic tasks- they are the foundation on which your nursing practice will be based. You learn things like how to gain rapport with your patients, how to assess mentation, skin, gait, and notice changes in condition.

And maybe spend a little time sitting around and gossiping with them. That certainly wouldn't hurt.

Having the support of your team mates will make or break you. If the CNAs don't like you, they can make your job a living hell, and they know it.

I see where you're coming from, but it's getting really old to feel like no one else really cares. There are some really awesome CNA's who I love working with because they do great work, but I have a hard time with the ones who try and make me feel bad for doing my job the best I can. Maybe my expectations for my coworkers aren't realistic- or maybe I am wrong for having expectations for them at all.

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