Krissy NY

It upsets me very much that someone would do things to cost someone their livilihood or try and tarnish a career. The idea that she suggested you be fired is unbelievable. As a new nurse she should be focusing on patient care and sharpening her skills...not her claws. Focus on yourself and don't do her any favors...I would tell her it's sink or swim now girlfriend :chuckle

Don't let this experience shy you away from becoming a nurse. I am in the exact same situation as you...except when I get treated like that I go elsewhere asap. Maybe try home care...a one on one type situation. They need help too. I am thinking about it myself. Keep your chin up :balloons:

I think I made a huge mistake getting into healthcare. I have had a horrible experience and I come here for help and support and I get ignored. It's great for the ego. where is that chocolate cake I bought???

I posted this yesterday. I am hoping someone will make a comment...good or bad. I called these people today to inquire about my check and was told abruptly that it would be mailed and hung up on. I am worried I won't even get payed for the last 40 hours I worked. I am a CNA and I recently started work at a head/spinal cord injury care center. I was on my very first day of being off orientation and I was sent to a step down unit from the vent unit...a very heavy floor. I was supposed to be paired with a buddy to show me the routine. Once I got there however, I was given a sheet of paper with 15 patients on it..most of them hoyers or sarah lifts and 6 of them were colostomy and foley bags/drainage bags. THe other CNA's were unfriendly and dismissive and actually added two residents onto my paper from their lists...two patients there for cancer related issues. THey insisted they were mine. I could not find help to get people out of bed...it took the other girl to be asked a few times and several minutes. I was not given a break but the other girls seemed to have several breaks. When I finally got to one of the more demanding patients (he has cancer, two foleys and a colostomy and drainage bag for a sore) he was furious with me for taking so long...I was afraid to ask for help and did not want to look incompetant...I did his cares myself and asisted the LPN in changing his stoma...I had put a very nice golf shirt on him and it became stained by the stoma/colostomy bad...I changed it and put the shirt in the personal laundy....being unaware that his wife does his laundry. Aftwer that lunch trays came up and I went to help. I was ordered around by the CNA who was there with me and I think I delivered most of the trays myself. She then informed me she was going to lunch so I was left alone to pick up trays. I had two people to get to bed after lunch and I could not find a soul to help...I asked the unit manager for help and she said it was not her job and was very snotty...I asked her to tell me who a certain patient was so I could at least get him ready and she didn't even look up from her paperwork. I then went down to speak to the woman who hired me and told her of my dilemma. SHe was very kind about it...she went back up to the unit with me and one of the other CNA's was on the elevator and overheard our conversation. SHe(the cna) went back to the unit and told them everything...but very exxagerated. I tried to pull myself together and as I was turning a resident one of the CNA's came in and slammed the door and said "DID YOU TELL THE NURSING DIRECTOR THAT WE ARE ALL BEING MEAN TO YOU??"???" I couldn't believe it. I walked out of the room to be told by another CNA that "mrs "jones" is looking for you!" I then had my head bitten off by the man with the golf shirt's wife...she followed me down the hall telling me how expensive the shirt was and how it was gone for good and I had to replace it. THe other staff saw this and just went the other way. I actually started crying and offered to let her take it out of my pay and she said that it was too late and you could not buy that brand name in this area. SHe then went to the administrator and to the nursing supervisor and told them how I cried in front of her husband and had lost his good shirt and did not give him mouth care until the afternoon. Today I was called by human resources..put on speaker phone (god knows who else was there to hear my reaction) and told that from the feedback they received that it was best for them to terminate my employment...and thank you goodbye dial tone. I then called them back and asked what exactly had I done to have this determination made and I was given a short abrupt answer that it was a team determination..I said "is it because I was too sensitive over what happened on the unit" and she said yes she had some feedback from a family member and some valuable clothing was misplaced and it was made known I had gotten upset in front of a patient and they just can't have that. I admit that once those tears get in my eyes I can't hide it no matter what...I tried to but the woman would not let me be...and why would I be put in that situation the first day off of orientation having never been on that unit? May I just say this facility is disgusting as well...urinals filled to the rim sitting on bedstands all day, flies and nats dashing all over the place, sopping wet shower rooms with gloves all over the floor...chunks of hair on the shower trolley, toilets not flushed and foley bags placed in drawers with urine still in them. PAtients who are total cares have nails like vampires...lsharp, jagged and and dirty. Diabetes or not they should be neat and clean! I am relieveved to be out of there and ashamed to be part of such a facility even briefly. Is there a way I could let someone know what goes on there so these patients can get the care and treatment they need...is it the department of nursing...is there a website or phone??? I was warned not to go there and ofcourse I did... They actually had a young TBI patient die after falling in the tub...obviously due to lack of supervision. Very upsetting. Kris *

Dear purple I too am a CNA and honey this problem is rampant. I am in New York so even the CNA's have very bad attitudes. I have left jobs because of this and have come here for help. It is good you are coming here. The solution is to remind yourself why you need this job when things are bad and kill them with kindness...and the ultimate solution..become an LPN or RN yourself and treat your staff the way you would like to be treated, maybe even better :) You are not alone...believe me :) pm me any time Krissy

It could be stress. When I was in junior high I was so "freaked out" trying to be popular my entire body was engorged in hived every night at bedtime when I picked out my outfit for the next day. My mother would get so upset. By morning they would be cleared up. She should definitely see a doctor for her condition...but if she is stressed over something it could very well be the cause. K

After she said "go ahead and sign out and I'll tell the nurse" I remember I said "this is not good..I need to support myself" and she said "I know, I feel so sorry for you" and just walked away.

Hi everyone. I am a CNA and I have posted here before on my job dilemmas. I am a shy soft spoken person and often times it makes things difficult for me in the job setting. Recently I was thrilled to be hired by a hospital (instead of a LTC facility). I have been there nearly two weeks..the first few days consisting of hospital orientation and computer classes. The next two weeks I am assigned to a "proctator"...who is another CNA who will train me and i will "shadow" her. I found my proctator to be a bit gruff and sensed a possible personality conflict right away...but this is a job not a social club so I was polite, professional and attentive. At first she was a great help. showing me the routine, the computers, etc. When it became more hands on for me it turned into a nightmare. SHe made comments everytime I did something...as simple as making a bed...occupied bed making is not easy IMHO...sometimes the patient would be nasty and she would say "I am so sorry ..the girl is new" I am 32 years old. She said some wild things in front of patients if I made a mistake on vitals ..like "I hope not or he is dead!!!" She then ordered me around and told me to fill basins, empty urinals and bed pans, fetch chucks and linen and put the dirty ones in the container.."because obviously I wasn't ready to do hands on" I have gotten sick to my stomach after work over this. Recently I had another hands on day and she had me so upset and nervous I tripped over my own two feet. She then ordered me to come in at 6:30 every morning (we start at 7) becaus I am so SLOW. I did this and I would tip toe into the unit to drink down a cup of coffee and the minute I opened a sugar packet she was there saying it was time to get to work. I never got coffee ever! We never take our little 15 min break in the am like the others do..we are too behind "becuase I am so slow!" I have never worked in a hospital before..don't I get some time to get it? Yesterday I went in at 6:45 and she told me I was late. She then told me the nurses were upset because I failed to close a catheter correctly and urine was all over the floor and that I failed to enter some data in the system. Then it was time to work. I feel I have the routine down and I know what do do, correctly and accurately. She followed me around with crossed arms as I did my job then went back to check it..and to her disapproval all data was correct. I was even asked by an RN to assist her in packing a wound. After that hse approached me and said "ya know..you have me worried..you are not catching on..most people catch on a lot quicker" I asked what the nursing sup said and she said "she only knows what I tell her" and I asked "are they going to let me go?" and she replied "it's up to what I tell them" She is a CNA for a year who worked in housekeeping for two years!!! I am such a fool I just started crying. I said maybe I would go for unit clerk and she said "no way..there is way too much pressure for you" She then suggested I tell the nurse I just couldn't do it, was overwhelmed. Instead I went into the next room and started AM care..well this witch was so annoyed she came into help and was so harried and rushed the woman's catheter came out...ofcourse it was my fault according to her. I was so upset I signed out for the day. She said "oh...your leaving..I'll tell the charge nurse. You don't have to come back tomorrow, I'll let everyone know" and here I am. Why on earth do people want to make others live's so miserable??

I am in between jobs and I have been interviewing, but I am getting down to the wire financially. I had to get up the nerve to call my father for help and he really let me have it. I posted here b4 about how I had grown up in a very verbally abusive home. I do not even see my father, in fact I steer clear of him. I try to be kind on father's day and Christmas by dropping off gifts (I make sure he is not home) and usually I get no acknowledgement. I have two older brothers who I never see or hear from and a sister who pretty much forgot me too. I am thirty two and they are all much older. When I was in nursery school my sister was in her first year of college. My brother closest to me in age is 43 and he is very abusive. He started nasty rumors about me in the community I grew up in and among family members. He invented salascious stories of me being into drugs and prostitution among people who have not seen me in years. This could not be farther from the truth. He even told my aunt I weighed 300 pounds (I weigh around 140 something!) I am not invited to family things or even really know about them at all. My father abused me verbally since I was little..calling me a tramp, fat, not too bright, etc. He was rotten to my mother as well. I made the huge mistake today of calling him for help. His first question was "what do you want?" When I finally spit out the words he carried on about how I can't keep a job, I am no good, into drugs and drinking, a "n word" lover, the worst kid he ever had, he was not going to help me, don't ever call him again, change my last name and get out of the area, he called me middle aged and a fat piece of sh*t..(I am not fat! and 32 is not middle aged) He said he gave up on me when he learned I was going out with a (think of the worst word to describe a black man) and he will have nothing to do with me. I have dated black men but my current boyfriend of nearly 7 years is white. He was screaming the whole time...and every once in a while he would say "how much do you want???" so that he could continue berating me. I ended up hanging up. Please tell me this is not normal. I feel sick to my stomach over the names he calls me...and telling me "you'll never make a nurse" and then having the nerve to tell me to "go back to church and ask god for help" Then saying "your sister is the nurse...she HAS a brain in her head" At the end of the conversation he threatened to have me arrested for extortion and elder abuse if I asked for help again and said that he will press charges. This man has gotten me so down and upset before I told him I had thought of harming myself and he said "go ahead, do us all a favor". I think he meant it. What is really scary is that I was in therapy for a while when I was much younger and my therapist left a message at the wrong # for me and he got it. He called her and threatened her and told her to stay away from me. Now..if he truly believes I am this awful person with all of these substance abuse and alcohol abuse issues why would he be against me getting help?? Why would he chase away the person who is helping? I was actually seeing her about these very issues. What scares me is I have actually thought I deserved this treatment all my life and there isn't one person on my side. The one I had is gone now, my mother. It is my own fault for not being able to take better care of myself.

I am in between jobs and I have been interviewing, but I am getting down to the wire financially. I had to get up the nerve to call my father for help and he really let me have it. I posted here b4 about how I had grown up in a very verbally abusive home. I do not even see my father, in fact I steer clear of him. I try to be kind on father's day and Christmas by dropping off gifts (I make sure he is not home) and usually I get no acknowledgement. I have two older brothers who I never see or hear from and a sister who pretty much forgot me too. I am thirty two and they are all much older. When I was in nursery school my sister was in her first year of college. My brother closest to me in age is 43 and he is very abusive. He started nasty rumors about me in the community I grew up in and among family members. He invented salascious stories of me being into drugs and prostitution among people who have not seen me in years. This could not be farther from the truth. He even told my aunt I weighed 300 pounds (I weigh around 140 something!) I am not invited to family things or even really know about them at all. My father abused me verbally since I was little..calling me a tramp, fat, not too bright, etc. He was rotten to my mother as well. I made the huge mistake today of calling him for help. His first question was "what do you want?" When I finally spit out the words he carried on about how I can't keep a job, I am no good, into drugs and drinking, a "n word" lover, the worst kid he ever had, he was not going to help me, don't ever call him again, change my last name and get out of the area, he called me middle aged and a fat piece of sh*t..(I am not fat! and 32 is not middle aged) He said he gave up on me when he learned I was going out with a (think of the worst word to describe a black man) and he will have nothing to do with me. I have dated black men but my current boyfriend of nearly 7 years is white. He was screaming the whole time...and every once in a while he would say "how much do you want???" so that he could continue berating me. I ended up hanging up. Please tell me this is not normal. I feel sick to my stomach over the names he calls me...and telling me "you'll never make a nurse" and then having the nerve to tell me to "go back to church and ask god for help" Then saying "your sister is the nurse...she HAS a brain in her head" At the end of the conversation he threatened to have me arrested for extortion and elder abuse if I asked for help again and said that he will press charges. This man has gotten me so down and upset before I told him I had thought of harming myself and he said "go ahead, do us all a favor". I think he meant it. What is really scary is that I was in therapy for a while when I was much younger and my therapist left a message at the wrong # for me and he got it. He called her and threatened her and told her to stay away from me. Now..if he truly believes I am this awful person with all of these substance abuse and alcohol abuse issues why would he be against me getting help?? Why would he chase away the person who is helping? I was actually seeing her about these very issues. What scares me is I have actually thought I deserved this treatment all my life and there isn't one person on my side. The one I had is gone now, my mother. It is my own fault for not being able to take better care of myself.

My mother has been gone five years now. I have not had any "experiences"...but what I do know is if I (I am a Catholic) say my prayer to St. Jude and throw in "hey mom can you put a good word in" I usually get my wish. My boyfriend once told me he had a dream that my mom asked him to look out for me...and boy does he...don't mess with an irish new yorker (just kidding) But..I miss her terribly as I am sure you do as well with your mom. The morning of her death I saw a rainbow, which I never see. Every once in a while I will see one and I know it is her telling me she is ok. I remember marching into a grocery store one day in the worst mood, and you know how NYers are never friendly, well this guy turned around out of a crowd and looked right at me and said "hey, look at that rainbow" I looked up to see the most beautiful rainbow that stretched throughout the whole sky... when I looked to find him he was gone.

You made it through nursing school! You worked in ICU! My gosh I dream of getting through school and working in such a demanding unit! Well..if all else fails you can move to New York. We need smart nurses like you with the huge heart you have demonstrated here. Just don't forget to pack your really thick skin and a sense of humor. You are going to need it. If you make it here you can make it anywhere....at least that is what the song says.

Everything you all have shared is very helpful. Third shift I think you really struck a cord though. Maybe I am so full of insecurities from past experiences that I assume things at certain times. We are our own toughest critic.

During my interview in the oncology unit of a hospital I was asked why I had left my position in LTC. I told them I very much wanted to work in a hospital as I could gain new skills and work with all ages. I know better than to say "oh they are miserable and I hated it and.. and.. and..." They probably know that anyway.

Hi everyone. I always get great feedback here so I have decided to once again share my experience. I am a new CNA (5 months now) and I became a CNA to dip my toe in the water of nursing. I also learned of the nice tuition reimbursement packages many facilities offer and wanted experience in human services. I have worked at two facilities and resigned from both, not because I did not like the work or because I didn't love my residents, because I had a very hard time with the other CNA's and some of the LPN's. Now, I am a very quiet shy person, I think some of the CNA's took my demeanor as "stupidity". I am not sure, I only know I was ordered around, teased (you should be blonde, where is your brain) for something as simple as not shutting a closet door I was taken over the coals..and if it wasn't to my face it was behind my back and repeated to me later. This happened at both places so I said "I quit". *I have shared this with my boyfriend and he has said things like "you are very pretty and ofcourse woman are going to give you a hard time" or "well you are the new guy and you have to earn their respect" No. I say as the new quiet shy person I was always going to be given all the hardest residents, all the showers, all the dirty work and I did it only to have them go to the RN and tell her I was "Lazy"....although it was obvious to them I was not. I am ready to go to school for something else. I don't even have the self-confidence to go on another job interview for CNA. I am sick over the fact that these CNA's who are basically high school drop outs with major problems have intimidated me out of a job. I admit I am shy and soft spoken and I do have my dizzy moments like everyone does at times, but I have had people absolutely hate me and want me to get into trouble or lose my job over my little quirks, even physically hurt me. I am a good worker, my residents were clean as a whistle, turned correctly and safely and I care very much about them. I am embarrassed for even mentioning the "pretty" thing...but when he (boyfriend) said that I remembered them making fun of me because I never took the elevator always the stairs and joking about my dieting and not having to wear makeup. I also don't smoke and apparently that made me a real "miss priss" I refuse to go through this again. There were a few LPN's who had attitudes toward me...but they were miserable people. Maybe I made a big mistake getting into this field. Women DO NOT LIKE ME. Sure, the residents did and their families also...but if you can't get along with your co-workers it makes for a very unhappy week. I would even bring in bagels for them once in a while, chip in for more then my share for pizza so others could have some. Never again. I just can't figure out why I always get this treatment from women. I never ever had any problems with the male CNA's or male nurses. It is effecting my life in a negative way and depressing me. I guess that is what these individuals wanted, to hurt me. They succeeded...I am unemployed and depressed.