Nikki69

Where I work the CNA's use a computer system called Care Tracker. No more paper for them but the nurses are still writing a book every day. Our social worker has a very frustrating job when it comes to matching up the behaviors that the CNA's chart on the computer to what the nurses write in the team notes. Everything is suppose to match but things just couldn't be that simple.

My sister almost went to school to be a MA. I'm so relieved she didn't. I am a staffing coordinator at a LTC facility and I have had several Medical Assistants apply for anything they can get. I always have to turn them down because they are not certified as a Nurse Assistant or a licensed nurse. It's sad because schools lead you to believe that it's a demanding career when it's certainly not. The best of luck to you!

StarNurse: You are communicating with Your Assistants. Good Job!

Hi Everyone. I'd like some advice and/or input about what I can do to try to raise the morale in my LTC facility. I work in a non-union 114 bed nursing home. I worked at the same facility as a CNA for four years, and now I do scheduling for the nurses and nurses assistants. I always try to keep the peace around the building and try to help others "see the other side of the situation" when things are stressful but I'm running out of things to say and do. I'm wondering if anyone else has issues with low morale in their work places and what would make it better for you or your staff?

Agreed. Or at least hire the ones that want to come to work.

UH-OH. NOW WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? Do you think they will use agency to cover open shifts? I hope people don't lose their hours because of refusing mandation! We got tired of the mandation at our facility a couple years ago. It just wasn't fair or in some cases safe. We came up with a better, more do-able way to get shifts covered and it is employee-friendly. We made a grid that divides up the schedule into four hour blocks. Then we divide up the nurses (separate one for cna's) into three tiers (greatest seniority is tier 1, then tier 2, and the least seniority tier 3). We take the number of four hour blocks and divide by the number of full and part time nurses. That determines how many blocks each person needs to sign up for during the schedule. Tier 1 gets to sign up first, then 2, then 3 (I usually try to give them 3 days each tier to sign up which gives me a deadline to have the schedule out nine days before it begins). Each nurse or cna gets to choose which hours they would like to work IF they are needed-before their shift, after their shift, or their day off. Of course, it's more beneficial for the ones that have been there forever but in healthcare, there is usually a big turnover so it doesn't take that long to move up a tier. In the beginning I had a minor problem with some not signing up or not signing enough spots but they started to comply when I had to choose their spots for them. This system isn't better than NO mandation, but it sure beats getting psyched up to go home and at the last minute get hit with having to stay for another 8. It's a heck of a lot easier to be a good caretaker when you have at least a little bit of a say in when you work.

I was a CNA for about 4 years before I was asked to take the job as Staffing Coordinator. I make the nurse's and CNA's schedules, and assign where they work every day(among loads of other things). When I have nurse's constantly complaining to me about certain CNA's that don't do their best, or leave their work uncomlete or sloppy, I have to keep reminding them that they are the supervisor and one small role of their job is to make sure their CNA's know what they expect from them. I know that this may be difficult for some people but it's necessary. That's not to say you should get out the write ups at first but I think the CNA's should realize that what they do and don't do reflects on you and the image of the whole facility. Last week I had to attend a veeeery long meeting on "better management". The biggest message the speaker wanted to get across to us all is that if the employees under us are not succeeding, it is our job to do everything in our power to make it so they can. If they fail, we fail. We can make sure most of them succeed not by writing them up every chance we get, but to encourage and nurture them. This can be done with a passing smile, a "good job", or a "don't forget to___________ before you go". It doesn't take up any time at all, and it might make the CNA's feel recognized because that's one thing that they probably don't feel very often. One thing I think might help (even in my facility) is to take a personal moment when you're at home or whatever and write down the most important things that you expect to be done by your CNA's-no matter if it's as simple as brushing and soaking the dentures or floating the heels and discuss them with the CNA's at the beginning of your shifts during report. If you don't give report to your CNA's, start. Call them all up there and do it even if they other nurses don't. They will respect you more if they know a little bit of what you know. If you're uncomfortable "telling them what to do", you could always say something like "we've had some complaints about_________, or the DON is going to be checking _________, so can you please make sure you pay special attention to that". That way it will take the focus off you and on to the management or hopefully, their own work ethics. Good Luck!!

Carol, I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. I read your post and had to look at your name and location because I also have that resident. I am one of the CNA's that get the short end of the stick when it comes to one particular resident. She is only 48 years old, and honestly the meanest, rudest, most miserable person I have ever met, seen, or heard about. Her parents are her POA and she is completely sane. Her parents tell her that she needs to treat us with respect, and they have been called a million times about her behavior. She is 4'11" and 375 lbs. She cannot walk, but she sure can order everyone around, threaten to call state every other breath, and SCREAM at the top of her lungs every single day, evening, and night. She has hit us, threw things at us, and she verbally abuses her roommates. She refuses her diet that could save her life, she refuses psych, she refuses just friendly conversation unless it is about food. I have worked with her for 3 years, and last week I snapped. I just couldn't take it anymore. I told our DSD that I can no longer be assigned to her. Other aides are just as frustrated with the woman but they do nothing about it. After 3 years of charting behaviors every day and pleading with our DON, ADON, and administrator, there is still nothing being done. I don't understand how a company can allow one person to run off their help and literally abuse us like this. I asked why we accepted her in the first place and the reply was that cencus was low. That is just ridiculous. They say that they can't "kick her out" either. They know how terrible she treats us all but still nothing can be done? There's got to be something!!??

I don't know about any of yours, but my fiance is the hardest person to get to the doctor. Must be a man thing. He wont go unless he feels like he's going to die i swear. So no, he has not been to the doc. I'm just trying to investigate, not look for a dx. thank you very much Commuter, that is helpful, but still, the only thing that swells is his uvula. I will definately try to talk him into going to the doctor.

what is anaphylaxis? i am only a CNA right now and my knowledge is limited. Like I said before though, we don't know what triggers it.

First of all, I don't know what the little thing in the back of your throat that hangs down is called. But anyways, my fiance's keeps swelling up to the point that it touches the sides of his throat and when he blows out a breath, it slaps back up and lands on his tongue. I've had to rush him to the emergency room 6 times in almost 6 years for this, and all they tell him is that it's an allergic reaction, and they give him a shot of steroids, and it shrinks back down to normal. He was doing different things, and he ate different things before each occasion Any ideas about this? I was wondering could it have anything to do with snoring?

This is very interesting. I've always been "into" these kinds of things. Before I had my first son, I had just started to do some meditation and yoga, and really study what it's all about. Then, I got so busy with family and work that I kind of put my interests on the back burner (where they remain). When my sister started to build her house, her and I smudged the land on the east,west,north, and south sides. I'd love to hear more from you.

my 3 year old just started having these also. i didn't know if i should call them night terrors or not. but he just starts screaming and crying, sometimes saying no, no, no. his eyes are closed and when you try to wake him up he gets more upset and kind of stiff like. but as steph was saying, either me or his daddy just holds him until he's calm again. he is very hard to wake up in that state.

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I have a certain lady resident who has a rhyme for everything. Like when I whistle, she says: "whistlin' girl and a crowin' hen, always comes to some bad end", or "goodness gracious caught a skunk. goodness gracious, how he stunk. Recently, while I was taking her to the bathroom and bed, she started reciting this long poem that I thought was very charming. I asked her to say it one line at a time so I could write it down, but before I could finish writing a line, she would forget where she left off. It's strange how some of our older citizens can't remember 2 minutes ago, but they remember every detail of 50 years ago. So, I went and got my cell phone because it has that voice recorder on it. Maybe I'm just sensitive, but she almost made me cry. Well anyway, here's that poem. THE WOMAN WAS OLD AND RAGGED AND GRAY AND BENT FROM THE CHILL OF THE WINTER'S DAY THE STREET WAS WET FROM THE RECENT SNOW AND THE WOMAN'S FEET WERE AGED AND SLOW SHE STOOD AT THE CROSSING AND WAITED LONG ALONE UNCARED FOR AMIDST THE THRONE OF HUMAN BEINGS THAT PASSED HER BY THEY HEEDED THE GLANCE OF HER ANXIOUS EYE THEN DOWN THE STREET THROUGH THE LAUGHTER AND SHOUT THERE WERE THE CHILDREN THAT SCHOOL LET OUT HERE CAME THE BOYS LIKE A FLOCK OF SHEEP MAKING THE SNOW FLY LIGHT AND DEEP ONE PAUSED BESIDE HER AND WHISPERED LOW I'LL HELP YOU CROSS IF YOU WISH TO GO HER AGED HAND ON HIS YOUNG STRONG ARM SHE FACED THE STREET NO FEAR OR HARM HE GUIDED HER DRAGGING HER FEET ALONG ON ACCOUNT THAT HIS OWN WERE FIRM AND STRONG THEN BACK AGAIN TO HIS FRIENDS HE WENT HIS YOUNG HEART HAPPY AND WELL CONTENT SHE'S SOMEBODY'S MOTHER BOYS YA KNOW FOR ALL SHE'S POOR AND AGED AND SLOW AND I HOPE SOME FELLA WILL LEND A HAND TO HELP MY MOTHER YOU UNDERSTAND IF EVER SHE'S POOR AND OLD AND GRAY AND HER OWN DEAR BOY IS FAR AWAY