mrslvj

I am an RN who transitioned from critical care to long term care many years ago purely for scheduling reasons. I am now a DON and have been for many years. There are a lot of fulfilling opportunities in long term care. The industry would benefit from an infusion of fresh blood, so to speak. Try to schedule a face to face meeting with your DON. In my experience, large facilities like yours have an unintentional tendency to eat their young. There is no way I would support the type of scheduling you describe. You may want to look aroung for a smaller facility that can afford you a little more nurturing.

I am a long time SNF DON. Without knowing you or your staff or the politics of the building, I can't tell you exactly what to do. I can share some thoughts. It takes a minimum of 3 months to get adjusted this job. You are being tested.CNAs are wary of new "bosses". I knew a night shift charge nurse who was convinced by the CNAs that it was her job to mop the dining room every night. Fortunately, she figured it out. They don't teach you how to be a leader in nursing school. Frankly, some truly wonderful nurses aren't supervisors by nature, but can be decent charge nurses with a little support. Perhaps, it might work if you speak calmly and frankly with them and try for a fresh start. What do you expect of them and what do they expect of you? Treat them with respect. You can learn a great deal from CNAs. In general, you don't have time to micromanage them and do everything else you have to do. So don't even try. The staff sargeant approach doesn't work. Behave in a professional manner. Do your job well. You are not there to be liked but it's tough to get things done when you don't function as a team. Be approachable and try not to personalize what's going on. The worst thing you can do is be "snarky" or have a chip on your shoulder. Reading between the lines, I suspect you are working night shift. That can be a lonely situation. Have you been able to get input from any other nurses in your building? Also, you should meeting with your DON. If things are this uncomfortable, it is her/his responsibility to give you and the CNAs the support you need to work things out. Bottom line is the residents you care for. I really think you are entitled to some advice and support from the management in your facility, even if it's to tell you what you are doing wrong.