Problems with CNAs and Jeopardizing Nursing License

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Has anyone had a Board of Nursing action against their nursing license which resulted from CNAs not providing proper care to patients, not informing you of abnormal VS, etc?

...........I have seen (and reported) numerous CNA's over these many years who make up vitals (uh exaclty how did you do that BP w/no cuff or scope? And exactly how did you do the pulse and resp with no watch on you or a clock in the room? And that O2 sat you just gave, umm do you have super medical powers that allow you to see how much O2 is in the blood and hense you don't need the machine??) I've also reported CNA;s for not toileting pts, changing them, turning them, FEEDING them, bathing them..and the list goes on. I was so tired of hearing "I don't have time to do all that stuff". Yet, I was able to all that was required and expected and then, some as were many other CNA's who did the job correctly. Yup, I was tagged the nasty B word by the bad apple CNA's, I was called "rat" "narc" and all the othe wonderful names you can think of. But at the end of the day, I have to go to sleep at night with a clear conscious. I can sleep knowing I did what needed to be done to protect the patient. And I don't care who calls me what for doing the right thing.

If I got called the "B" word for doing the right thing, I would take it as a compliment. Why should I care about the opinion of someone who doesn't want to do the right thing.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

I became a CNA when I was 15 years old and even though many people will say I was way too young my instructors taught me valuable lessons. They were RN's who had spent years in the ICU and Tele floors. They knew what they wanted in a CNA and if you were not it you were quickly weeded out. Out of 100 kids that applied every year only 25 were choosen. For a month we did clincials in a LTF and then came the Hospital.

Here we spent the next seven months in every unit. We took patient assignments and were taught how and when to report abnormal findings be it a BP, skin color, new wounds, and so on. We were taught that when the RN is not present we are the eyes and ears of them and so we must inform them for the sake of the patient.

That Hospital is now my present employer and a large amount of the Techs that work there come from the same program I completed. I think that a good tech comes from a good program. Plus RN's need to understand that our job is very labor intensive and we are constantly turning and cleaning and feeding, etc. If we do not give you a copy of vitals or Blood Sugars they are recorded in a designated location so they can look them up.

We are all humans and we all forget things sometimes so yeah thats my point :nuke:

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just a quick response. as an RN it is your reponsibility to protect your license and to check what the CNA is doing. never give meds unless you have double checked the vital. protect yourself.

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just another note. as for the cna's. remember, we all were once cna's. dont think that just because you are a nurse you are above everyone else. :nono:

other than that, :rolleyes::yeah:

everyone have a great day!!!!!!!! its lovely in vegas today:lol2:

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

In most cases, at least, here in New York, the CNAs have to be certified to work in long term care. Those that work in hospitals may not necessarily have their certificates; they were either trained on the job (most were grandfathered in from clerk titles to a more multitasked position that includes clerical as well as CNA care). Hospitals also do not recertify their CNAs, so, even if they are hired, once their certification expires, they have to retake the entire exam again; the written as well as the practical. Many try to avoid this by working per diem at nursing homes, so that they can be recertified.

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just a quick response. as an RN it is your reponsibility to protect your license and to check what the CNA is doing. never give meds unless you have double checked the vital. protect yourself.

That is a very good idea, especially with the BP meds. A CNA can make up the vitals, if they are lazy and have no conscience, and that could turn out very bad.

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Specializes in ER,L&D,Med/Surg,OR-Just about everything.

In Oregon CNA's are certified by the state most of them are trained in long term care. When they come to us in acute care we have to add to their training. The cool thing is Oregon has developed a program that allows CNA's to gain more education in effect creating a second level of certification. They have developed programs for restorative aides, acute care, and are developing programs in dememtia care and mental health. CNA's are a valuable asset to healthcare but they are not the same as a nurse nor do they have the same insights as nurses. The CNA's at our hospital are some of the best around but we have been very picky about who we choose. Just like anything else hospital life is not for everyone.

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This has been a jaw dropping thread. I'm embarressed for my fellow CNA's who obviously do not aspire to become anything more. This is sad on a number of levels. :cry:

Making up vitals?? Are you kidding me?

Now I understand a little better why it took forever to gain some trust with certian RN's I report to. No wonder.

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Specializes in Nursing assistant.

I do believe that Nurses should do all of the intitial post op vitals.

One thing that seems to be missed by some NAs is respirations. That can be bad....

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

CNA training does include abnormal VS and everything you are taught is hightlighted with the phrase, "TELL THE NURSE. " When in doubt REPORT.. the problem is that sometimes CNA's become complacent because in most cases they are just as overworked as the Nurses and very underpaid.

This is why I waited so long to get my RN... I needed to know I was going to be comfortable with being IN CHARGE and making sure my delagated tasks were performed correctly and properly by not being afraid to speak up. Like you all know you have to protect your licence and your patients !!

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No. However, it would not surprise me to be held responsible, if I did not perform my lawful supervision as an R.N. My state's (TX) Nursing Practice Act defines in great detail that the R.N. is responsible for both the patient and lesser-licensed and unlicense personnel delegated to perform patient care. Perhaps on the hospital floor it becomes easy to forget that -- in fact -- you are delegating to CNAs.

Best wishes for an outcome in your favor!

Our state does the exact same thing, and we were told as new RN's, no matter how long a CNA has been at a hospital, to never trust anything they say or do until you have developed your own personal relationship and judgement of the quality of their work...and at the end of the day, you are ultimately responsible, but they can still lose their CNA license if they fail to properly communicate with the RN/LPN

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i had a big problem with a CNA which just PO'd me... she was doing nothing.. no baths, no vital signs and spoke on her cell phone. i asked her to get vital signs for me.... ya know what she said " you are the RN at the end of the day it is your job to do this work and make sure it is done, not me ( meaning her the CNA)" , she then proceeded to tell me in the end if the vitals or baths arn't done .. the nursing board would come after me not her for neglience ...
Oh yes they do ;)

http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/enforcement/cdecision/boardresults.asp?board=14

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