Ohhhhh your a Nurse!?!?

[Antikigirl]

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???

[meghan91]

even as a young person still in nursing school i have realized everyone has their job for a reason wheather it is as a CNA, LPN, RN whatever your job title is your their for a reason and when you part of that team is missing there is a difference. I dont think we can really make people like this women who was rude to you respect people too much because she is probably set in her ways what she does need though is to go a few days without CNA's and all thse people she doesnt really respect. All of our jobs are tough enough the way it is and we should all try to work as a team to help our patients and help ourselfs get thought the day at work.

[WindyhillBSN]

It's happened to me too. I always think it's because I'm a minority, I hope I'm wrong.

[RNforLongTime]

I think respect has to be earned. I was a CNA in an LTC facility during my last year of nursing school and it was tough! That said, I've had a few RN wannabe CNA's disrespect me, question my judgement, do things that arent in their scope of practice, ask patients questions that are not in their scope of practice...ignore my request for their assistance, refusing to do a task that IS within their scope of practice because they plain just don't WANT to! Having to DRAG them into a room to bathe a patient....I shouldn't have to cattle prod you to get you to do your JOB!! Umm, you are getting paid to be here...DO YOUR JOB! I can do your(CNA) job, you cannot do mine!

That said, I am more than helpful when I do have an aide available to help me, most of the time, I do not as they seem to like to pull her to other units because EVERY unit is more important than ICU where I work. I would NEVER ask my aide to do something that I wouldn't do myself. Most CNA"s I've worked with enjoyed working with me because I was one of the few that actually WOULD get up and go answer a bell if I was not busy...other RN's just expected the aide to answer all the bells while they sat there and chit chatted away.

[nightengalegoddess]

Wow, Aspen13. That really is bad. I would report all that to my supervisor immediately. I am an RN, and expect the CNA to do what is requested. I do not expect the CNA to ignore my judgement or try to act out of scope. These things DO happen a lot...but you do not appear to be performing in this way at all. You seem to be very helpful, intelligent and a teamworker. It is a shame that this RN can't take your expertise into consideration as it is helping her do HER job; and it sounds as if she NEEDS the help! Just report it in writting..all of it...keep a copy and see what happens. If ignored, or not improved, go to HR.

I personally will help the CNA with the physical aspects of nursing when my registered nursing is caught up..or when the task is right in front of my face...but......we all do have to remember...the RN can do the CNA's job, but the CNA can not do the RN's job. Please know that when RNs look like they are doing nothing, they may be reading consults, histories, labs, formulating the next move in the nursing process, and anticipating problems.and more!

I think CNA training ought to include a chapter on what the nursing process IS...and nursing school ought to include a chapter about what the CNA goes through on a daily basis!!!! Blessings!