I have an aide that I used to think worked very well. I'm not sure that she is such a great aide anymore. She 'tells' me what to do, 'refuses' to do things that are expected and asked of her. And 'tells' me when to do things that I know how to do.
I am an LPN.. she is an aide. She spouts quite often "I've never been written up in 27 years of aide work, and i dont intend to start now" yet she gripes constantly, and she refuses to accept any type of constructive criticism, much less praise.
If I say "You are a great aide" before I can get the BUT in there, she says "Of course i am, i've done this for 27 years...." see above statement.
I end up fed up and have to walk away, or else I'll jump all over her, and i want to be the professional one in the situation. however, with my BP skyrocketing because of the stress of her 'calling the shots' and my lack of a backbone, i'm not quite sure hwo to handle this.
I'll accept ANY advice. (btw i work in a LTC facility and I am her direct supervisor)
consider yourself kicked. You've done what needed to be done by telling them what you expect, and that you wouldnt ask them to do anything you wouldnt do yourself. I put myself in the same position when i started a new job, and told the aides what I expected of them and that I wouldnt ask them to do anything I wouldnt do myself, and have had very good results with that approach. Now you just need to make sure that they know that YOU are in charge and that there will be reprocussions for insubordination. Be sure they know you're gonna stand up for them when they're in the right, too. You're on the right track, just enlist the aid of another nurse, a long timer, to help you. Maybe they have a "trick" to getting the messege across to her. Good luck! You can do it!!
"I have" is a very ordinary usage. " HAVE a boss, I HAVE a coworker.
The aide resents the young'un. That's pretty clear.
And in LTC it's quite possible that the guy asking for the pain med was a regular nag and all that needed to be done was have someone relay the message that his meds weren't due. Pipsqueak, you know that, and unless you are working in LTC Shangri-la not every resident bugging you for a scheduled med needs immediate assessment.
The point is that this particular aide has a bug up her butt because the nurse is young.
The young'un needs help with nasty older folks who resent her youth. As a kid I ran into that a lot and no amount of ripping her a new one is going to offset the fact that this woman's deliberately giving her a hard time. Has the OP always handled things perfectly? Of course not. But who has?
OP, you are going to have to take her aside and have it out with her. Professionally. You might wan to approach your supervisor and ask her how to deal with this. I'm sure you're not the first to have tasted her attitude.
thank you Suesquatch for seeing what i'm having issues with. The DON is aware of the issues, she also has had them with this aide. She was only hoping that it was directed only at her, and as she has minimal contact with 'said aide' that she could continue to use her, instead of trying to find someone new.
Unfortunately it's not just 'me' she has attitude with, it is not just what she 'knows' that she tells off about. I have NO problem with her coming to me with an issues. The trash not being changed in resident's rooms, a person not being cleaned up, her feeling that she's being dumped on from other shifts. Those are all acceptable.
She, telling me what to do, how to do it, that it's not how her 'best friend' nurse does it, those are accepted until it gets too much. When I started I had a resident who's bs dropped to 30.
She was able to drink OJ and sugar. The aide in question tells me "that's not gonna work." think a three year old sing song voice. "The OTHER nurse uses soda pop and it pops it right back up."
I looked at her and very sweetly explain to her that I would do the oj and sugar first, and then move on to other venues, because that is what the order stated. She got angry and told decided then and there I was not a good nurse.
A resident with chest pain, diaphoretic, bp out of whack. i send him to the ER, of course he's just in 'pain' no heart attack or anything, but I had to follow protocol. The aide tellsme "There's no reason for you to send that resident to the hospital. He's not hurting, and he's not having a heart attack."
I can list a million different ways that she's overstepped her bounds as an aide. I wont. I don't feel any different than she does, aside from the fact that I have to keep her working during hte night when she falls asleep. But apparently I dont have the ability according to some here to do that either.
I'm at my wits end. I ask for help and apparently i'm the one in the wrong. That's cool, but I can't deal with her anymore, so i guess i'll be looking for a new job elsewhere. In short she gets what she wants... she wins.
Tell your DON what you've just told us. And tell her that you will not accept assignments with her.
If your area is anything like mine aides can't be kept because the pay is lousy and the labor pool limited. But that's no excuse for her.
So the DON is going to keep her because SHE doesn't have issues with her? Am I reading that correctly?!
yes and no. She has told me i have to deal with it first, and then she will deal with it. Pretty much if i write her up, there will be big dealings in the works. I had a long almost hour conversation with the DON the other day. And she said that while she understood where I was, i had to tell her to stop, and make her see it. If she refused to come around, then she wouldbe called into the office.
pretty much I have to be the charge nurse. (and I call them my aides, because mostly we all work well together, and i go to bat for them if something goes wrong. Even the one I do not get along with I will stand up for.)
thank you Suesquatch for seeing what i'm having issues with. The DON is aware of the issues, she also has had them with this aide. She was only hoping that it was directed only at her, and as she has minimal contact with 'said aide' that she could continue to use her, instead of trying to find someone new.
It sounds like the DON is needing to make some decisions about this person.
Unfortunately it's not just 'me' she has attitude with, it is not just what she 'knows' that she tells off about. I have NO problem with her coming to me with an issues. The trash not being changed in resident's rooms, a person not being cleaned up, her feeling that she's being dumped on from other shifts. Those are all acceptable.
And so what gets done about those things you feel are acceptable complaints? If she is coming to you and seeing no action, I would sense she would have some distrust. I would also hope for her sake that on her end the trash is cleaned up, the pts are sparkling clean and she is not dumping on others. Some people are quick to point out everyone elses wrongs but they themselves are not up to snuff. I believe in receiving the issues, seeing what can or can't be done about the issues and then following up with that person.
She, telling me what to do, how to do it, that it's not how her 'best friend' nurse does it, those are accepted until it gets too much. When I started I had a resident who's bs dropped to 30.
Has she been working with this best friend for a long time? That can be a tough nut to crack. When this has happened to me and I know that my judgement or intervention is correct, I follow through and then I educate. "I did it this way because...." But don't feel you need to explain yourself every time, because you don't.
She was able to drink OJ and sugar. The aide in question tells me "that's not gonna work." think a three year old sing song voice. "The OTHER nurse uses soda pop and it pops it right back up."
As a side note, I am suprised that the OJ/sugar combo is still being used. I tend to opt for 15grams of carbs po if the pt is conscious followed by a protein snack if you are more than an hour away from a meal. Not to dis you in any way, just curious about that. I always love it when adults act worse than my children.
I looked at her and very sweetly explain to her that I would do the oj and sugar first, and then move on to other venues, because that is what the order stated. She got angry and told decided then and there I was not a good nurse.
She decided you were not a good nurse, or you decided you were not a good nurse. You stood your ground for your actions,she was miffed that you had a method for your madness.
A resident with chest pain, diaphoretic, bp out of whack. i send him to the ER, of course he's just in 'pain' no heart attack or anything, but I had to follow protocol. The aide tellsme "There's no reason for you to send that resident to the hospital. He's not hurting, and he's not having a heart attack."
Not her decision. Does it make more work for her to send someone to the hospital? You assess, you call your MD and you follow protocol. Again is she angry because you did something for someone that needed to be done? Oooh and you were right and she was wrong?
I can list a million different ways that she's overstepped her bounds as an aide. I wont. I don't feel any different than she does, aside from the fact that I have to keep her working during hte night when she falls asleep. But apparently I dont have the ability according to some here to do that either.
This person falls asleep on the job???? Is that what you mean.
I'm at my wits end. I ask for help and apparently i'm the one in the wrong. That's cool, but I can't deal with her anymore, so i guess i'll be looking for a new job elsewhere. In short she gets what she wants... she wins.
That is too bad. Just remember that wherever you go there will be another one of her, just a different name and face. If you like where you are and what you are doing don't let her rain on it.
I was 19 when I first had my LPN license and dealt with pretty much the same thing you are, I feel for you.
in response to your question. I've often taken her questions of the other shifts and acted on them, they get better for a few days, but then they slack off. I tend to handle it each time it comes up.
However, the aide in question does not do everything perfect everytime. So, if i were to write up these aides because they made a mistake of not taking out one trash bag, i'd be writing her up left and right as well.
I tend to start with OJ and sugar, then as i work nights, I will find some peanutbutter and crackers to help stabilize the glucose in the blood. My own thing. Works well.
Yes the aide does at times fall asleep on the job, and then she complains about others who do the same. I tend to walk through the room and bang a trash can or something. To wake them up. I am not without fault i have nodded once or twice (never falling asleep just the initial nod) and then gotten up and checked on residents, done anything to keep myself from sleeping.
I think anyone on nights has had a nod or two, but when people start snoring the gloves have to come off.
I dont know, I know we have problems the two of us. the aide and myself. Because i want to like her, and I want everything to work well. But she and I apparently don't mesh. Maybe it's me being too sensitive, but maybe some of it isn't me. And regardless I've got to handle it someway.
ps- i also agree with the statement "I wouldnt ask you to do anything I wouldn't do." and i've proven this with each of my aides, if i'm not up to my nose charting. I am on the hall helping with each of their rounds. I don't think that because i'm an LPN i'm above resident care. After all we are still there fore the care.
You're right some of it isn't you and I know I don't mesh with everybody. I feel you are laying the groundwork to build yourself up and take this head on.
I am glad that you stand for pt/res care, that is what is most important and this person in question can either get on the boat or not. I would hope that the DON would do something about this person and possibly needs documentation so she can have some grounds. This DON I think has a few false beliefs. That if she watches and waits hoping this person that is creating a horrible work atmosphere just uses her and her alone for her doormat, that sends a rather poor message in my book. I know assistants are scarce but is this person indispensable??? Sleeping on the job???? C/O others when her work maybe just isn't up to snuff???? ARrrrgh! I do believe that you assist the aides when you can and that is good because they need to see that side of you. Just don't let your work pile up because you are bailing them out constantly, I have had that bite me in the butt too.
Hi Alabaster! I have been an LPN in the same facility for over 35 years. I have found that the best way to work with CNAs is to have mutual respect for one another. I work hard and expect that they will too. I don't tell my CNAs that I will roll up my sleeves and help if they need me. They know I will, because I DO! I never ask anyone to do something I wouldn't do, I love my job and they know it! I treat them with respect and let them know I appreciate what they do and how hard they work. As a matter of fact, a few months ago, we were short an aide for the 3rd or 4th time in a week and had an extra nurse to do " paperwork". I told my supervisor that we can't ask the aides to work short again and can't ask the pts to deal with it again. So, I told her I wanted to take an aides assignment, to hell with the paperwork. I tell you, it was such hard work( as I knew it would be). But at the end of the day, the aides came to me and told me that they always had respect for me, but they were now Over the top! So now, when I ask them to do something that may take them away from a break or a shower that isn't on the schedule, they say to me " for YOU we'll do it!
It takes awhile to gain the support and respect by all, but I believe that I have, for the most part! There are some that you just can't make happy!
Good luck to you!
By the way, I did start as an aide at my 1st job, went home on Friday an aide and came to work on Monday and LPN. the people I DID have a problem with was other LPNs! They were just MEAN!
bkpugh
4 Posts
consider yourself kicked. You've done what needed to be done by telling them what you expect, and that you wouldnt ask them to do anything you wouldnt do yourself. I put myself in the same position when i started a new job, and told the aides what I expected of them and that I wouldnt ask them to do anything I wouldnt do myself, and have had very good results with that approach. Now you just need to make sure that they know that YOU are in charge and that there will be reprocussions for insubordination. Be sure they know you're gonna stand up for them when they're in the right, too. You're on the right track, just enlist the aid of another nurse, a long timer, to help you. Maybe they have a "trick" to getting the messege across to her. Good luck! You can do it!!