RN assigned as a CNA

[myree72]

I am an RN at a Rehabilitation hospital and occasionally when I get to work I am assigned as a CNA on a team. Most recently when I worked as a CNA, which I have never trained to be, I suffered a back injury and missed 3 days of work, which in my state I won't get paid for. Also in this instance after receiving my assignment & report from the previous CNA over the phone while she was driving and listening to music, I told the charge nurse that I was uncomfortable with the assignment, to which she just said "what do you want me to do about it?" Furthermore, the assigned nurse for that team that shift was an LPN. I have been a nurse for 13 years and this is the only place I have ever seen RNs used as CNAs so I am just wondering how common the practice is. I am certainly not trying to start any kind of RN vs. LPN or nurse vs. CNA debate, because I have a lot of respect for everyone in the medical profession. I am just curious if others have been in the same position and how other hospitals use staff. Thanks!!

[kickmeiamanurse]

I've been asked to act as CNA because of shortage and have. It's easier. I love to be a CNA at RN pay!

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

I've seen it happen at various institutions all over the country. Not unusual or inappropriate at all. That said, if I weren't needed in my usual capacity, I'd just stay home.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

I put myself through LPN school by working as an aide at night. Fast forward 25 YEARS (have long since become an RN) and I have always been the kind of nurse to pitch in & help the CNA's when they are behind. I am certainly not above toileting, pericare, changing briefs, etc...but with that said, after 25 YEARS I have no desire to spend an 8 hour day working as a CNA. My back just can't take that anymore. Yep, I can do it, but not 8 hours straight. No thanks & no guilt about admitting my limitations.

[backatit2]

i think it's a little scary that a RN wouldn't know what to do as a CNA. what if a CNA started vomiting and had to leave, or they themselves weren't sure of what to do? aren't they supposed to be able to ask the RN? shouldn't they be able to take over if it came down to it? it reminds me of the manager of the restaurant i worked for in HS who didn't know the right way to make a sandwich and had no clue how to work the register.

[heelhook80]

If you had a problem with the heavy assists and got hurt, that might explain why you may be short a CNA. Thus the answer is not to refuse CNA work but to initiate change that lessen the chance of injury to ALL staffers. Because those "heavy assists"'are not magically lighter for the CNA.

This is seriously one of the best posts I've seen on this forum. Its a joke how many nurses act above patient care and leave the real work to the lowly paid CNA. My hospital forces nurses on occasion to work as a CNA. They typically complain all day long. If a CNA calls in sick and no replacement is available then it comes down to turning an RN into a CNA or have RN's do total patient care. Pretty important to check blood sugars, do vitals, toilet patients, do EKG's when patients have chest pain, etc.

[backatit2]

This is seriously one of the best posts I've seen on this forum. Its a joke how many nurses act above patient care and leave the real work to the lowly paid CNA. My hospital forces nurses on occasion to work as a CNA. They typically complain all day long. If a CNA calls in sick and no replacement is available then it comes down to turning an RN into a CNA or have RN's do total patient care. Pretty important to check blood sugars, do vitals, toilet patients, do EKG's when patients have chest pain, etc.

i start an 18 month BSN program in may (it's my second degree), but i'm taking a CNA course right now which i'll test for in march. i hope to be able to get a job after the course and at least work part time or as a fill in. since i start the nursing program in may, i'm not doing it out of necessity, but mainly to get as much exposure in a healthcare setting as i possibly can AND because once i start work as a RN - the CNA's won't be able to say, "she just doesn't understand/appreciate/fill in the blank what we have to do." i don't like asking anyone to do something i wouldn't do or haven't done myself. my college doesn't require being a CNA to apply, but i know there are several colleges that do, and i think it's a great idea.

[myree72]

I never said that I wasn't trained in patient care, or that I refuse to do CNA work. As I mentioned before the heavy transfers are what I was uncomfortable with, as well as the usual CNA routine. I know there are some nurses that will walk by a room with a lit call bell or even worse ring the call bell themselves for an aide to come toilet a patient they were just with, I am certainly not like that. Thanks for all of the replies and advice. I am going to address my concerns in writing to our CEO, because there is no nursing management at the moment, and see where it goes from there.

[heelhook80]

I understand. I just think that RN's have multiple times more training than CNA's do. If an RN isn't comfortable with a CNA assignment, I imagine the CNA's would be even more uncomfortable with the assignment considering they have much less training.

[Ashleyb2442]

Wow don't have much to say about this, but that CNA or Nurse Techs do basic patient care and if you have never been trained this, how did you become a nurse? I would think you have learn this early on in Nursing school and you are actually qualified to do skills of a CNA. But I work in an emergency room as a Nurse Tech and sometimes they have nurses who float and switch to different floors to help out

[squatmunkie_RN]

I'd think about quitting on the spot being an RN asked to do a CNAs job.

[steelydanfan]

Just to reiterate the basic question here: An RN may work as a CNA, but she may not FUNCTION as a CNA; because you can NEVER hold a position less than your license. Therefore, while working as a CNA, you are still held accountable for the observations, recommendations; and yes, interventions appropriate to your licensure class. So. if your institution wants you to float as a CNA, they MUST pay you at the RN rate. And you cannot fob off observations to the LVN, if she does not respond appropriately, you are duty-bound to step in.

[Batman25]

I wouldn't do it even if paid as a RN which they are required to do. I've always felt this was a liability issue and wouldn't put myself in that kind of predicament.