ShellysBellys

I don't know how much help this will be... I recently switched to night shift myself(in the same building I've been in), and it's always so hard to know what the dynamics are before really working a couple weeks/months on a shift, and even then, there are things that can be missed between all the work that needs to be done, and what the CNA's are doing/not doing and interacting with eachother or not. Anyway, I inserviced my CNA's about a month after I started. These are the expectations that I have for you, this is what I want completed in a timely manner when we work together. No I don't care what the other night nurse does or doesn't let you do, because she is in charge those nights and it's ultimately her license those nights, not mine. With inservice paperwork, you have documentation that they were insubordinate if they don't complete the tasks you delegate/assign, most aides are more than intelligent enough to figure this out, and will heed your expectations. My DON always tells me to "sandwich" when doing inservices or disciplining (and it's good useful advice)- Start with something supportive and nice, like, I know this is such a hard job, it's emotionally and physically stressful, and I appreciate so much that you all work so hard. Do the inservice. End with something about being a team, and being supportive of one another. Try to be overly understanding, but firm. If they break your rules, follow through with the consequences you lay out. and obviously before this have a chat with administration and you DON about where they stand on disciplining people, because if there is not follow through from management, it makes your job a lot harder. I've never had students act that abhorrently, and disrespectfully of the resident's, and that's incredibly disappointing.