what is the dynamic between the nurses and CNA's where you work?
i am getting ready to start an accelerated BSN program as a second degree. i had never worked in the medical field, but nursing had always been an interest of mine - and when i considered doing the second degree program, i thought being a CNA first was a good idea so i could get a little sneak peek as to what it's like working in a hospital and have some idea of what it's like working with patients as well as seeing what the nurses do. i've found that i LOVE working with the patients. it's way more rewarding than my previous career and i believe that i will absolutely enjoy being a nurse.
the ONLY downside to my job so far has been the interaction between myself and the nurses. don't get me wrong - i'm sure they are great nurses, BUT some of them drive me absolutely NUTS.
when i first started my job (i work night shift btw) i was warned about one nurse in particular and was told to "just ignore her," so when i worked with her, i expected it to be hell. i was told she "picks on" the new employees. come to find out - she's the best nurse on the floor IMO. she hasn't "picked" on me whatsoever. she DOES ask me to do things and points things out to me (like if something was supposed to be charted that wasn't) but i appreciate that because i WANT to do things correctly - i took this job to learn. she's the only nurse so far that i've seen who WORKS non-stop. you won't ever find her sitting at the nurse's station. she takes a short break to eat and she's usually the last one to do so. she does things for the patients that i have never seen other nurses do (including help clean BM's).
anyhow - there are usually 4 or 5 nurses working each night and they each have 4,5, or 6 patients a piece. there is one CNA and i have all of the patients which is anywhere from 20-24. i have to do vitals 3 times per shift and i was told each round of vitals "should" take about 1.5 hours. NOT! it seems like every single room i walk into the patient needs something whether it's a drink, medication (so i have to find the nurse), or they need to go to the restroom - or be changed. i'll be working on vitals for these 20+ patients and when i walk by the nurse's station, more often than not, there is a nurse who will say "room 10 needs to be changed" or "room 12 wants some water" and i can't help but notice that they're sitting there texting on their blackberry, eating food, or browsing the internet (yes, i'm sure they're browsing when i see they're on the "coach" website).
the other night i was working and i usually take my "lunch break" around 11:30 but it was so busy i wasn't able to. not a big deal. we get a 30 min. lunch which is taken out of our pay so of course we all take it - and then we're supposed to have two 15 min. breaks (paid breaks) besides that. it was 1:30 a.m. and i didn't have time to take my lunch break, but i had finished getting vitals and such so i sat down for a moment to call and check on my child who was at home with pneumonia (which i was considering a 15 min. break, if that). i had no longer dialed the number before a nurse came up to me and said "room X needs to be changed." of course after he told me that, he went and sat down and was sitting there cutting up with another nurse who was there doing absolutely nothing.
going back to the nurse i was told to "ignore" - when i do my vital rounds, she is the only one who i will EVER find to have done vitals or chart on her own patients. yes, it's not her job and she doesn't have to do it, but i think she does it because she SEES that i have 20+ patients, that i'm ALWAYS working instead of sitting around, and she appreciates that. i think the nurses/cna's who told me to "just ignore her" don't like her bc when she sees them sitting around, she finds something for them to do.
i went into a room the other night and this guy had wiggled around in such a way that his JP had leaked all over his bed. so, his bed and gown all needed to be changed. his nurse handed me a clean sheet/gown and said, "while you're doing that, i'll get his meds." well, getting his meds. took all of about 30 seconds and while i was still there changing his bed, helping him into a new gown, and getting his vitals - she had vanished and i was stuck in that room for a good 20 mins. which would've taken maybe 10 mins. had she helped me. instead, she rushed back to the nurse's station to sit and talk. i'm thinking, "how can i get 20+ patient's vitals in 1.5 hours when i'm in one patient's room for 20 mins?"
fast forward - i had put an elderly lady who was nearly 400 lbs on a bedpan and when she was ready to be taken off of it the nurse was there giving medicine. i'm there trying to turn this lady BY MYSELF and clean her up when the nurse sits down her med cup and says, "there's your meds when you're finished." SERIOUSLY? would it KILL you to put on some gloves and help hold this woman or is the chair and google screaming your name that badly?! i mean, you don't have to wipe the crap, but at least hold 200 lbs of her so that i can! i swear to god there will be 3 nurses sitting at the station with the phone beeping (the call light) and they will let it beep and beep and beep. same concept - you don't have to take them their drink or whatever they want, but will it KILL you to pick up the phone and ASK what they want?! i've gotten to where i'll answer a patient's call light and i won't hit cancel in their room just for fun to see how long the nurses will sit there and listen to the phone beep. another example - a patient needed tele hooked up and a nurse walked back as if she were going to do it, but when she realized she had to put on a mask bc the patient was a possible TB, she came back and asked me to do it. she was initially going to do it bc i was so busy and she wasn't, but once she realized she'd have to put on a mask (suuuch effort) she changed her mind. i could go on and on with examples.
it's to the point where i'm considering telling my supervisor that i'm going to have to switch to a PRN schedule due to my school course load because i'm afraid if i keep working full time and having these encounters i will SNAP on someone and ruin my chances of working as a RN when i finish school.
i realize there are certain tasks that are the CNA's job and certain tasks that are the nurse's job, but when i'm working so hard that i don't get a break and my feet are killing me while the nurses are playing on the internet and cutting up - i can't help but think, "i am the nurse's ASSISTANT. i'm there to ASSIST - not do everything!"
i'd just like to say thanks to all the nurses who appreciate the assistants and pick up the slack, and once again ask - what is the dynamic between the nurses and the CNA's where you work? i hope it's better than mine.
