poor resident care/bad CNA's

[AmyWI22]

Hello all!

I recently completed my nursing assistant class and just started working at an assisted living facility. I truly enjoy working with the residents, however, there are a lot of "resident aides" (those who haven't taken a nursing assistant course) who treat the residents pretty poorly in how they CARE for them, not necessarily in general. I have seen very elderly people left hanging in Hoyer lifts so the person who is helping me can TAKE A PHONE CALL (this was my boss!!), improper peri care, "baby talk", inappropriate talking about very personal information in front of residents, a nursing aide refusing to take a man to the restroom and just letting him urinate in his briefs, and overall just bad resident care. This has really discouraged me from the CNA profession and it scares me that I won't be able to handle this kind of behavior when I actually am a nurse. It is not that I dislike taking care of residents, its that I hate seeing residents being treated poorly!

Any advice?

[Zyprexa_Ho]

This is common in long term care. The best you can do is to take care of your own residents well, and when you become a nurse to bring down the hammer.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

If witnessed abuse then you can anonymously report to the office for elderly, ombudsman or adult protective services.

[verene, MSN]

It sounds like you are working in a substandard facility (unfortunately all too common in LTC). Do the best you can in providing care for you patients, and --if some of the aides are receptive-- help educate and assist them in improving the quality of care they are giving; report abuse/neglect anonymously to the state ombudsman, elder abuse hot-line, and/or APS; if you can safely approach management with concerns do it, if it's going to cause trouble just report the abuse/neglect and and look for a position elsewhere.

[NurseEmmy]

I am a nurse who has worked in a LTC/AL/Rehab facility. I can tell you that I have written up plenty of lazy nurses and aides. If the DON/ADON aren't willing to do anything about it, nothing changes. I have seen it first hand. They keep terrible staff because to them bad staff is better than no staff. Nevermind that good people leave because of terrible staff.

So you can provide the care that you feel is right. You can encourage your fellow staff to do the same. That's about it, unless management is willing to step up.

[AmyWI22]

Thank you, I figured this was the case. All I can do is continue to treat the residents well.

[AmyWI22]

Thank you for the helpful advice.

[neuron]

I am a nurse who has worked in a LTC/AL/Rehab facility. I can tell you that I have written up plenty of lazy nurses and aides. If the DON/ADON aren't willing to do anything about it, nothing changes. I have seen it first hand. They keep terrible staff because to them bad staff is better than no staff. Nevermind that good people leave because of terrible staff.

So you can provide the care that you feel is right. You can encourage your fellow staff to do the same. That's about it, unless management is willing to step up.

And management expects the 'good ones' to answer lights when 'bad aides' are late for their shift and can't answer. They'll have to find an answer to that before I'll answer.

[texasasn]

I am a new RN in rehab center working night shift. I witnessed so many aids who don't do their job properly specially at night. If you tell them to care resident they act rude and disrespectful. I even gave written notice for two aids no action on them.It is so confusing DON says you need to first give them verbal warning then can write up.

[Zibbie]

Also remember it may be hard but these are people's lives. This kind of care compromises their health, safety, and dignaty. Care providers arent doctors but should still do no harm.