"You don't get to tell me what to do!"

[love-d-OR]

So I am a new nurse (still on orientation). On my floor we have 2 aides to a 24 bed ICU. The unit is divided by a small hallway, with 12 beds on each side. One aide is assigned to 12 beds. Anyway, I needed help moving my patient up in bed so I set out to look for someone to help me. I look outside my room and the only people I could see was an aide talking with a nurse (who was about to go home because she had a migraine) and the secretary who was working at the computer.

So, I asked the aide if he was busy and if he could help me pull my patient up in bed. He said " ask your CNA." I said are you not a CNA? He told me he was working on the other side. I said oh, sorry. The unit secretary told me the other CNA was helping a confused patient in another room, so I asked the guy to please help me since the other aide was busy. He said no. At this point I'm getting realy angry cause I was polite in my approach and this guy is just standing infront of my room refusing to do a job he was hired for. So, I told him " it does not matter what side you are assigned to, you can still help". He went on to tell me " you don't get to tell me what to do" and I said I'm not telling you what to do, you are an employee of the unit (did not make much sense but that's what came out at that time). The other aide is busy. If you don't want to help me just say it!"

He comes closer to me and says "don't speak to me like that" and "you don't tell me what to do." Now we are both speaking louder than we should have. I tell him I was not speaking to him in any way, and that I was just asking for assistance. At this point the other aide came up to help so I just left him standing there and went into my patient's room. I reported this incidence to the charge nurse, who sounded as if she could not believe this happened. she said "I will have a talk with him" but I doubt that she did.

Right now I feel as though I should have gone to the manager, but I figured I had to follow the chain of command. I'm so angry this happened. I have not been there long so I feel a little self-conscious and I don't want to set a bad name for myself (trouble maker). Oh, did I mention that the nurse that was talking to the aide, was laughing the whole time??!!

[RN1982]

I think you should have gone to the manager. His behavior was rude and when he moved closer to you, he was trying to intimidate you. I would definately report him. You are new and people are going to test your boundaries because you are new and you need to stand your ground. He and that nurse were both rude and unprofessional.

[widi96]

Go to the manager. This is inexcusable. He was not busy and you were asking for assistance with patient care. The next time someone codes - is it just going to be the nurse and aid assigned to that patient? Nursing requires teamwork.

[leslie :-D]

you need to write this up and give to nm.

next time though, don't get into shouting match.

it's important to keep your cool.

that way, when nm hears both sides, at least you can say you acted professionally.

give that guy a dopeslap.

leslie

[JBudd, MSN]

Yes, you do get to tell him what to do. Aides work under the direction and delegation of the nurse and her license. You are held legally accountable for knowing the person you have delegated a task to is competent to do it. It also means you can tell him what not to do.

I agree that the moving up on you was meant to be intimidating, and you should report this to your manager. If she/he doesn't take you seriously, the phrase "hostile work environment" should come into play.

[rnlately]

Very unprofessional on the aide's part and the nurse he was walking with. In my opinion there is no such thing as "my patient" or "your patient" or "my side of the hall" or "your side of the hall". When a patient is in need or jeopardy it is the responsibility of whomever is available to alleviate and meet the patient's need. Definitely report him.

[Tippy-ta-ta]

ewww..i hate those kinds of CNAs. I have worked with a few of them before and they really give the rest of a bad rap. He sounds like a real jerk.

[jeepgirl, LPN, NP]

i would report, and i would make sure to describe both his verbal communication - and his non-verbal communication.

both were completely inappropriate. i cannot believe that the nurse who was "walking" with him did not say something to him... rediculous!

[mpccrn, BSN, RN]

wow.......enough said

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I'm guessing by now you've figured out that you should have gone (and still should go) to your manager and file the written complaint. You DO "get to tell him what to do"; he has a job because of you, not the other way around. He is there to assist you, I don't give a flying cr@p what "side" he's working on, if he had time to stand there arguing that he shouldn't have to help, then he darned well had the time to help.

If I have an aide that pulls the "I'm too busy" thing, I either reprioritize him on the spot--yes, you CAN do that, you DO tell him what to do!--or I say "ok, you'll be in here in five minutes, right? I'll wait RIGHT HERE". If there's an aide just STANDING there, then there is no way in h*ll I'd be begging for help.

He can be replaced.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

If you have the option to write him up, then write him up. That is inexcuseable behavior on his part. It requires teamwork. I take care of patients who are not mine ALL THE TIME, if Im not busy I dont mind at all. We all work together. It takes teamwork. And he needs to learn the meaning of the word.

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

What a jerk. Yes, tell your NM. That's unacceptable. Write him up. Sometimes the only way people figure out how not to act is to be threatened with punishment(s). Some people never learn.

Sorry you were treated like that.