Aide is on 1:1 with a client in Psych. She has her eyes closed. I say, "Please wake up, Boo Boo." She says "I'm woke" and continues to sit with her eyes closed. I say she needs her eyes open unless she has x ray vision, trying to keep it light but focused. She refuses, continue to sit with eyes closed. I go do a task and then return, she is still with her eyes closed. I have her relieved by another aide and notify the Supervisor. I ain't playing.
She calls the Sup then comes and yells loudly at me that she will tell the supervisor if she ever sees me sleeping. I don't bother to reply and plan to do a formal write-up on this, as I told the Sup, who said "ok".
If she had only not been disrespectful and not mouthed off... If she had moaned and groaned and done as asked, I could empathize and feel sorry for her but the backtalk sent me a message that she does not respect me. Machiavelli - fear is better than respect? Something like that? Ah, well, she's calling the shots. I'm just responding to her.
Am I making too much of it? Too hard-nosed? I don't want the client or staff hurt.:argue: I'm ready to quit because of all the crap I have to deal with from subordinate staff - 99% of it comes from her, too. :angryfire:banghead:
Yes, you as an RN are responsible for the aide. Don't let the supervisor or anyone else tell you otherwise because if it were to ever go to court, it would be your butt they'd be after. True you can't be in the room the entire time with them, that's why it's imperative that you are able to trust your aides.
Honestly, if I was in a situation that put my license at risk and it wasn't my fault (which is the case here, it wasn't your fault), and the supervisor and administration weren't backing me up, then I would find another place to work.
Remember, you can only delegate to someone qualifed to do the job. She obviously can't do it properly.
I agree with the others that say do the write up for future reference if nothing else.
Good luck......
right, which puts the RN in an even more precarious position; to delegate to an individual who is clearly not capable/qualified absolutely puts your license at risk; like delegating BP monitoring to someone in medical records; if that person hasn't been trained or is not qualified to do a task, delegating to them is not advisable and doing so anyways poses a big risk to the patient and your license as the nurse;
it's so nice being responsible (or more appropriately, held accountable) for the actions of others; like we don't have enough on our plate; we have to worry that an individual hired by the hospital to do a task is doing that task...correctly--which is exactly the problem...we didn't hire them, it's not our fault they can't do their job; let the hospital assume accountability; I wonder if this has ever been pursued in court? I think one could make an interesting argument redirecting accountability back to the hospital...hmmmmmm :thnkg:
I would continue to write up sleeping aides until the day you leave there. I'd do it once a day if need be to get a paper trail going. You just might save a patient's life by doing so.
Also, I would also run not walk away from this place ASAP. If management thinks it's okay to let sitters sleep you are in a no-win situation. It's disgusting. Don't put your license at risk.
Please do not hesitate to write her up. She can't be watching patient with her eyes close and be disrespectful to you as well.
My co-worker had the same problem with one of our PCT's, she wrote her up and the PCT threatened to set the nurse up, she promised she will make the nurse lose her job.
And that right there is the problem. There are too many aides like this one, although she is the very worst. And I am not the first nurse to complain about her but I probably am the first to write. And I fear getting either set up, attacked, finding my tires busted or windshield shattered, etc. A lot of the aides do not like me, I think. And it's because I can't let this type of thing go. Dereliction of duty, client endangerment, abuse, neglect - these can harm the client. And nurses have liability if we do not take action to correct situations such as these. That's why I relieved her of her post and notified the boss. I will do an incident report, too, I think, along with the write-up. But I am very, very stressed over this. I hate controversy and just want to be in a peaceful meadow or the Grand Canyon or somewhere equally breathtaking and wondrous.
I wonder how many times we must correct them? How often? How can we do our own work if we are having to keep checking to see if the aides are doing theirs?
One time I was walking past the front desk where one of our security guards was sleeping, his supervisor was standing right in front of the desk and then took a picture of him sleeping. Gotta do what you gotta do I guess ...... if they deny it, there's proof. It's really a shame what it has to come down to for some people!
I've thought about doing the picture thing.
Yes, some people make us treat them by the book instead of being able to keep it friendly. I hate it.
think of it this way...you are delegating a task--for the aide to watch the patient; the aide has no license; you do; therefore, ultimately, this patient's life is in your hands and you make the decision how to best protect the patient; see where I'm going? but like I said, if you can find out for sure from a lawyer, all the better.
I think that is right, the person (RN) with the license is the one all mistakes,complaints and care of the patient end up coming to. And administration is liable also. I haven't worked ANYWHERE where sleeping
on the job is allowed. Even if they weren't concerned about the pt, they wouldn't pay anybody for just sleeping.Ha!
You did the right thing. I've seen aides fired for sleeping on the job for 1:1. She should have been relieved of her position immediately by the supervisor and sent home on suspension til manager could decide what to do with her. The fact the supervisor didnot back you up is total disregard to you and the patient. I think you did right in writting the situation up and I always keep a copy in my files just in case the write up gets lost and backfires.
:angryfire:banghead:
RainDreamer, BSN, RN
3,571 Posts
Yes, you as an RN are responsible for the aide. Don't let the supervisor or anyone else tell you otherwise because if it were to ever go to court, it would be your butt they'd be after. True you can't be in the room the entire time with them, that's why it's imperative that you are able to trust your aides.
Honestly, if I was in a situation that put my license at risk and it wasn't my fault (which is the case here, it wasn't your fault), and the supervisor and administration weren't backing me up, then I would find another place to work.