I have taken a job as an "RN" at a LTC home. When I interviewed, I threw out there that I was willing to work as a CNA to cover in case of emergencies. They took it as I would fill every hole in their CNA schedule. What's the point of having your RN if you don't get to use it, right? Well, last night was my first night of CNA "orientation," and it was awful. They have the care home diveded into two sides, and side two (which I was on) has about 60 residents and there were three of us. Two really, because I was just supposed to follow the guy orienting me. There is a 300 lb lady that has to go to the bathroom every 15 min on the dot, and it takes a long time to get her from her wheelchair to the bathroom and back. There were two male roommates, one mostly demented, and the demented one tried to beat up the non-demented one because he was yelling at him to shut up and stop babbling. Two residents were in the middle stages of Alzheimer's (the point where they get agitated and wander but still as you the same questions every five seconds). And there were several residents who put on their call light every five seconds for picky little things "Are my legs completely covered? Move my arm 1/4 inch to the left." There were three people that required a full lift and four people who required a sit-to-stand lift.
Now, they said 2-10 shift was horrible, but I've noticed every 2-10 shift is a little horrible because there is never enough people when everyone goes to bed at the same time. However, last night was seriously understaffed. There should be at least 4-5 people on that side on a regular basis. Last night there was only 4 CNAs in the entire long-term care home. And despite what they tried to tell me when I interviewed, I am seeing there is only 2 CNAs on this side on a regular basis. So, what I did may have been cowardly, but I pulled some punches. I told the ADON I did not want to work as a CNA except in absolute emergencies, and questioned whether me having a job there rested on me working as a CNA when I was an RN. She claimed she just wanted to have me work as a CNA on both sides once to get to know the residents and see "just how bad things really are."
Now, the CNA-to-patient ratio (I think) is dangerous. But, I talked with the scheduler and I will be charge nurse on each shift after only one day of orientation for each. I can understand doing that for night shift, but days??? I just graduated in December, and I have no real-life nursing experience. All these people's lives are going to be in my very inexperienced hands. Is this normal for LTC? I have only worked at a couple of nursing homes (as a CNA) for a couple of months each.
I understand your pain as a new grad. All of us are trying very very hard to give what we can to land a job. Whether it's doing more than what the job description is. I think its' admirable you're offering to be a team player and do CNA. i learned that some jobs are just not worth your time, you license, your sanity. if you read my recent post, i just came across a situation myself i wasn't too happy about as a new grad. But I do believe your willingness to contribute as a team will get you far! just not the right place for you right now. good luck!
I have a friend, an RN who does more CNA job than she does RN. She hates it but WILL NOT speak up.
Does the facility your friend works at schedule her for CNA shifts instead of hiring more aides? If so, that isn't right. Or is she an RN lending a hand to her fellow aides? If so, she is awesome and there should be more RN's like her. When she works as a CNA does she get paid her RN wage? If so, be happy for the hours and pay. Performing the duties of a CNA will keep her humble, well rounded, and overall a better nurse.
I don't know your friend's nursing history or experience, but if her employer is actually scheduling her as a CNA, maybe there is another reason.
Oh tongue, thou art caustic...pls give me time. I'll respond to this.
Oh tongue, thou art caustic...pls give me time. I'll respond to this.
I really don't want to get sucked into an argument. But I have to ask one more question.
Do you know the meaning of, "Oh tongue, thou art caustic"? It describes your first post on this thread.
Pardon, my lady, mine tongue be caustic now.... That means----Excuse me ma'am, but now I am going to be rude.
Before trying to appear witty or clever with the use of Olde English, make sure you understand the point you are trying to make. Google it if you must. All you've succeeded in doing is allowing me to have a good laugh and reinforce my original post to you, "I feel sorry for the people that depend on you for their care". Take a nap, hang up the ego, don't waste your time in responding....I'm bored.
I really don't want to get sucked into an argument. But I have to ask one more question.
Do you know the meaning of, "Oh tongue, thou art caustic"? It describes your first post on this thread.
Pardon, my lady, mine tongue be caustic now.... That means----Excuse me ma'am, but now I am going to be rude.
Before trying to appear witty or clever with the use of Olde English, make sure you understand the point you are trying to make. Google it if you must. All you've succeeded in doing is allowing me to have a good laugh and reinforce my original post to you, "I feel sorry for the people that depend on you for their care". Take a nap, hang up the ego, don't waste your time in responding....I'm bored.
Now that's caustic :)
Did this ever get off topic!!!! I love this post....hilarious!
On my old unit, every new orientee precepts with a CNA for a week. This is not only to learn the patients but to learn what a CNA job entails. It is not uncommon for RNs to do a CNA job in an emergency. It is common for LPNs to do a CNA assigment on days once or twice a week- depending on the census and type of staffing on the floor.
LTC facilites are know to always be short staffed - especially in the CNA department. Yes, you as the charge nurse are utimately responsible for everything on the floor. Continue with the orientation and see how you feel at the end. Maybe things will get better, maybe they won't. Maybe you will have some fresh ideas to make things better...of course they may not want to hear your new ideas. Good luck and keep us posted.
Exactly that. And it is for this reason that it galls me. I have a friend, an RN who does more CNA job than she does RN. She hates it but WILL NOT speak up. I hate it for her and I hate it for Leigh!
There is nothing wrong, helping out once in a while and offering too, but it becomes upsetting when it becomes when you do that more than the job you were originally hired on to do.
Not sure why you didn't say this in the first place?
BTW, the op did write that she agreed to being a CNA in an emergency and she did mention speaking up.
my facility gives all new grads a 30-40 day orientation and trainning period and also in our facility RN are Supervisors and LVN are Charge Nurses good luck and nip the CNA thing in the bud occassionally help out but dont let them schedule you for CNA shifts your emergency back up
you have two choices: get out now, flip burgers or something for a little longer and find something better or just grit your teeth, get a shrink maybe prn ativan and try to make life a good as you can for your residents until something better comes along or you lose your license (get some Liability Insurance, nso.com tonight). i wouldn't judge you either way, but that staffing ratio has a reason behind it and there's no way its good.
i've been in your shoes, if you get nothing else from this you'll at least appreciate the good job you'll someday get.
please don't let this sour you to ltc, there are great facilities out there.
I really don't want to get sucked into an argument. But I have to ask one more question.
Do you know the meaning of, "Oh tongue, thou art caustic"? It describes your first post on this thread.
Pardon, my lady, mine tongue be caustic now.... That means----Excuse me ma'am, but now I am going to be rude.
Before trying to appear witty or clever with the use of Olde English, make sure you understand the point you are trying to make. Google it if you must. All you've succeeded in doing is allowing me to have a good laugh and reinforce my original post to you, "I feel sorry for the people that depend on you for their care". Take a nap, hang up the ego, don't waste your time in responding....I'm bored.
Now that's caustic :)
Brilliant Topic:). That was the intent behind needing time in order not to be caustic.LOL. Your genius went way ahead of you.
To the OP: Are you willing to relocate? We would love to have you where I work, and not as a CNA, we have plenty of those, I help out on the floor when I have time, mainly to answer lights and love working as a CNA, but my facility would never let me do that as an RN. There are good facilities out there, granted, you may have to drive a bit/relocate, but they are there. I drive 30 min. one way to get to mine and love it!
Get our ratios: We are a 154 bed LTC with an acute nursing home/skilled wings and a residential care. On the acute side where I work are 3 stations. Station 1 right now has about 40 residents a lot of dementia related residents...on days: 5-6 regular floor CNA's, 1 shower aide, 1 restorative aide, 1 CMT, and a charge. Eve: 4 regular aides, 1 CMT, 1 charge, and occasionally a restorative aide for half shift. Nights: 3 CNA's, and a charge.
Station 2 (my station): 38 residents days: 4 CNA's, 1 shower aide, 1 restorative aide, 1 CMT, and a charge. Eve: 4 CNA's, 1 CMT, and charge (me) Nights: 2-3 CNA's and a charge. Station 3: 20 residents, mainly self care days: 2 CNA's, 1 CMT, a charge Eve: 1 CNA, 1 CMT, and a charge. Nights: 1 CNA and a charge.
We also have on staff a wound care nurse who does all the treatments/dressing changes on all stations and takes care of anything regarding wounds of any kind.
Showers scheduled only on day shift. RA's help out in the dining rooms during meals. We only have 2 dining rooms. Station 1 has their own and stations 2 and 3 share one. We usually on evenings have 3 aides passing trays, 2 charge nurses feeding, 2 cmt's passing out coffee/hot tea/hot cocoa and 1 aide on the halls for lights and to pass room trays. We have an ADON and a DON and both are wonderful wonderful people with tons of experience. They will work the floor in any capacity on any shift if needed.
There are great facilities out there. I know, I work in one! Good luck!
Oh this place dosen't sound like somewhere that values its workers or the residents. Where I work all new nurses have to train with the aide for so many shifts and then on to the med carts. We are expected to help with call lights and on night shift we work side by side with the aides during rounds. I really like this because i like doing more than passing meds. Good luck in what ever you decide to do.
Good luck and keep us posted.
nurse441
143 Posts
I understand your pain as a new grad. All of us are trying very very hard to give what we can to land a job. Whether it's doing more than what the job description is. I think its' admirable you're offering to be a team player and do CNA. i learned that some jobs are just not worth your time, you license, your sanity. if you read my recent post, i just came across a situation myself i wasn't too happy about as a new grad. But I do believe your willingness to contribute as a team will get you far! just not the right place for you right now. good luck!