Oh my...last night was a toughie at my job. See I just became an agency nurse and trying to find my bearings on returning to hospital...lets say it is a re-learning experience big time, but all and I am really enjoying it! (it was just one of those nights...uhggg, like running on a hamster wheel and going no where...).
Well last night a charge nurse for the next shift started ordering me around for various tasks...no probelm I am a team player...so I did them. She was rather rude to me, and spoke down to me quite a bit, but being new I sort of expect that at times...so it didn't phase me that much...more like a hmmmmm oh well type of deal!
Then she caught me at the Pixis machine getting IV set up materials and said "you can't do that!". I turned and said "oh my patient needs and IV, so where do I get the stuff?". She then realized, and I realized...she didn't know I was an RN!
She explained how sorry she was for mistaking me for a CNA, and then was so very supportive and sweet and helpful the rest of the time. Quite a turn around from before.
Like I said, I am a big time believer in teamwork...so this struck me as very inproper indeed. You don't treat CNA's like dirt or maids. Without their kindness and helpfulness our jobs would be a whole heck of a lot tougher!!! They are to be valued and respected...
I didn't say anything, but hmmmmmm...how do you think we should encourage, in a positive way, respect for CNA's and other team members that aren't RN???
iI AM NOT SURPRISED SOME NURSES STILL WANT TO DE INCHARGE AND FEEL LIKE OTHERS BOSS,BUT IN THE LONG RUN WE ARE A TEAM WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY/NIGHT EVEN IF ITS THE CLEANERS OR WHO ELSE I STRONGLY BELIEVE TO TREAT EACH PERSON WITH RESPECT.NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE OR HOW THEY SEEM.
Oh my...last night was a toughie at my job. See I just became an agency nurse and trying to find my bearings on returning to hospital...lets say it is a re-learning experience big time, but all and I am really enjoying it! (it was just one of those nights...uhggg, like running on a hamster wheel and going no where...).
Well last night a charge nurse for the next shift started ordering me around for various tasks...no probelm I am a team player...so I did them. She was rather rude to me, and spoke down to me quite a bit, but being new I sort of expect that at times...so it didn't phase me that much...more like a hmmmmm oh well type of deal!
Then she caught me at the Pixis machine getting IV set up materials and said "you can't do that!". I turned and said "oh my patient needs and IV, so where do I get the stuff?". She then realized, and I realized...she didn't know I was an RN!
She explained how sorry she was for mistaking me for a CNA, and then was so very supportive and sweet and helpful the rest of the time. Quite a turn around from before.
Like I said, I am a big time believer in teamwork...so this struck me as very inproper indeed. You don't treat CNA's like dirt or maids. Without their kindness and helpfulness our jobs would be a whole heck of a lot tougher!!! They are to be valued and respected...
I didn't say anything, but hmmmmmm...how do you think we should encourage, in a positive way, respect for CNA's and other team members that aren't RN???
I don't mean to be prejudice, but the best people on earth work in housekeeping.
Seems like you're one of the very, very few on here that cares a bit about "anything less than a CNA." Good for you!!!! No one else here seems to care about anyone who doesn't have a specific "nursing-type" job.
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
WOW! I had to go to work for a few days and wow..this tread is a'jumping with such positivity! Awesome!!!!
To answer some questions, yes I wore a badge stating my name, title, and agency. The charge nurse was for the next shift and didn't really know me yet...but still.
I get the oddest looks from other disiplines for sure. I say thank you, ask their name, ask if I can call them by that name, and do small talk and supportive talk! They must think I am a nut...LOL! But again, big team player here...we are all in this together for the mind/body/spirit of patients who need us, and their families/friends too!
And as far as most patients, they don't usually know the difference between folks anyway...even with badges! They know kindness and helpfulness...and that can be done by everyone no matter what title :). In fact, last night I FINALLY worked with children!!! Both children (8 and 3) called everyone NURSE (except for the doctor)...and was thrilled to have their loving attention! That speaks louder than words to me!
Yep, teamwork and respect for your team...that is the way to go!!!
After reading all these posts, I am happy to say that I love ALL my co-workers! I am a CNA (obviously) in a LTC Facility. We work in teams all day. The LPN's and RN's depend on us to tell them everything. At every shift change, they thank the CNA's for doing such a great job that day... and sometimes they point out specifics from the day. One day I was working and our DON came into the area and a light went off. Her and I went to help the resident off the toilet... and she did the wiping, then thanked me for helping her. I've never had a bad experience with any one of any level or area at our facility. I'm so grateful to be working where I am. :)
Amen to that. I am a tech right now(still getting through R.N school) and all of the nurses I work with are great. we usually get along fine. It is all about team work
So what do you think about this scenerio? I didn't think it was right. I am a new RN and was being precepted by another nurse. We had a confused pt who had fallen that night (I work nights) so when he got up to the bedside commode, I stayed in the room with him. He is a 2 person assist, so the charge told me to call when he needed to get back in bed and I did. The nurse who was precepting me came and I asked her to get some sheets too cuz pt had wet his bed. Instead of getting the sheets, she went and got the CNA who I had to ask to get the sheets cuz this nurse couldn't even relay the message to her, and I helped the CNA change the bed and get the pt back. When I got back to the nurses station the nurse who was precepting me was just sitting and gossiping. That really bothered me, I am not above changing a bed and getting pt back into it. I don't know why she couldn't have just done it. The CNA may not have been busy at the time, but she was the only one on the floor.
Now maybe it was ok, and she was probably polite to the CNA, but I know that when I have the time to take to help my pts myself, they appreciate me a lot more. I was called an "angel" by two pts yesterday and one said that she felt comfortable talking to me and I was easier to talk to than anyone else that had taken care of her so far. I've also had nurses who have precepted me tell me how much the CNA's appreciate me. So I guess helping out pays off.
All nurses need to remember a good CNA can make or break a nurse. Although I am a nurse I started as a CNA and the day I think I am too good to wipe butt is the day I quit.
Just out of curiosity what is a CNA? I'm a Canadian so i'm not sure what you mean by that:o
a CNA is a cerified nursing assistant. A CNA in my state is only required to have 6 weeks training and take a very basic test, including skills like bed, making, bathing, transfers and repositioning, basically activities that are part of every day life. The CNA is to help and support the nurse by providing these basic services, and also assisting the nurse in other activities. Some CNAs have added on other skills of a technical nature, either by on the job training or by continuing ed at community colleges to become a CNA2. Many community colleges require there student to work as CNA's as a prerequisite for nursing school. I think this is very wise, not only because of the close up pt interaction it affords, but also to test out "Is this a field I really want to get into?" It's a bit like boot camp!
Some, like myself, have continued working as CNAs for many years and have not pursued a nursing degree. It can be a very rewarding job.
justineJ
8 Posts
iI AM NOT SURPRISED SOME NURSES STILL WANT TO DE INCHARGE AND FEEL LIKE OTHERS BOSS,BUT IN THE LONG RUN WE ARE A TEAM WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY/NIGHT EVEN IF ITS THE CLEANERS OR WHO ELSE I STRONGLY BELIEVE TO TREAT EACH PERSON WITH RESPECT.NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE OR HOW THEY SEEM.