I find this thread quite interesting. From '72-92 I worked as an LPN in mostly hospital environments, Med-Surg, Ortho, ICU and even ED ~ I ran the suture/cast room. During that time there were NO aids/pcts it was just nurses. We also had team nursing back then. We were all professionals, the patients were well cared for, we got our breaks and if we had a late admission we all helped out so no one had to stay late or everyone did until the admission was finished. I LOVED TEAM NURSING. As LPN's were run out of the hospital I became a charge nurse on a Medicare floor of a very large SKNF. The Aids and Orderlies were good and caring. Again Team work in play. We had 1 RN as a shift supervisor and the rest of the floors had LPNs as med passers, treatment nurses and Charge. I left nursing after 20 years with burn out. In '08 at the age of 58 I lost a job and profession I loved as a Real Estate Title examiner. After 4 years of unemployment I got a job as a Patient Sitter ~ so I got a real eye opener as to the Techs ~ some were great, some good some awful and often it was directly related to floor management. September of '15 I was laid off 3 weeks before I turned 65. Soooo I am now in a CNA program through our local CC because I need to work at least part time to supplement my SS. I'm very surprised at the depth of the program. It has many more hours than OBRA requires. We learn not just the skills but the whys behind the skills. I start clinicals this week! then we go for 3 weeks of "boot camp" to prep for the 2 part state exam ~ a multi-guess test and a timed skills test done with a state examiner standing over you! I'm old enough that I sat for the State Test Pool exam.
I will be a "new" CNA soon and an older worker! I expect to be treated with respect by my co-workers and that means ANYONE be it nurse CNA, dietary etc. We are all there for one reason ~ care of the patient. So if one of you ends up working with me ~ I might not be the fastest, the strongest ~ but I will be a GREAT CNA!
So for those of you who are having problems with your co-workers you need to spend some time reflecting on WHY and figure out what YOU can do to implement positive changes. My instructor in my CNA class is ALWAYS positive ALWAYS and it's infectious and it's one infection we should all want to get!
To the OP ~ on your way to work think of one thing your grateful for ~ work on ways to walk through the door at work with a smile on your face and leave your problems at the door. Find little things at work that give you joy. If you can't do these things you need to consider either a job change or career change. Staffing in healthcare is abysmal and it's not going to get better. If you want to stay in nursing ~ become the innovator ~ the problem solver ~ work with ALL the staff to come up with ways for everyone to work smarter and involve the staff in these changes ~ make them feel they are part of the solution and part of the team. I wish you luck OP no one ever said working in the field of medicine is easy for anyone.
