Published Jan 6, 2014
futuresctRN
72 Posts
Hey all. I need some advice. There is a coworker that I work with that is 17 years old and has been a CNA for about 6 months or so (I have been one for 4, so we're both relatively new.)
I keep my thoughts about other CNA's to myself unless there's a serious problem and then I confront them personally about it, HOWEVER.
This girl thinks it's her job to tell EVERYONE how to do theirs. She thinks she is the best CNA in the facility. She is always and I mean ALWAYS putting down other CNA's, almost every time I talk to her. She has names for them like "stupid stephanie" and I even heard her telling at RN "Oh he should NOT be working here!" She even had the nerve to say in front of me that "I am one of the best workers here!" Every time I see her she's either talking about another aide or doing her thing while making sure the supervisors look at her and notice what a wonderful job she's doing, all while doing everything in her power to make all of the other aides look stupid, useless, and incompetent (even the ones that have been aides for over 20 years!)
To say the least it is discouraging, aggravating and makes my job so much worse that it could be. It stresses me out because I am so conscious that she's talking to someone about me. Often she will walk down my hall just to "check" on my residents, like I'm incompetent or something. Sometimes she acts like she's helping but in reality I know she's going to go off to someone else and say something bad about me. I've heard her complain about almost every single CNA she has came across. She honestly thinks she's so much better at her job than us all!
Thing is, she has the same hall and the same residents, day after day, so obviously she's going to have an easier time after a while because she knows them all so well. It's just really stressing me out because she's always on my back and other cna's that she deems as incompetent, telling us we're doing this wrong and that wrong and how we should be here at this time and we should have that DONE by now.
Help? Advice? Please? What makes it worse is that a lot of nurses praise her and encourage her to gossip about the other aides. This is so frustrating to me and I don't know what to do about it anymore!
Guest757854
498 Posts
Just keep doing YOUR job and ignore her as much as possible. Maybe talk to the DON about her. Or get your experience and move on. Asblong as the nurses continue to perpetuate the gossip with her then its not going to stoo. Get your experience and move on. Most of the time peopke like that dont last long from my experience.
Best of luck to you.
mstearns09
184 Posts
The only way to deal with people like this is to say, "Thank you for sharing" and keep on doing your job the way you were trained. She will feel validated without you validating her. You can't change her and eventually, she will either learn to be quiet or get herself in trouble.
rosey200735
26 Posts
I agree with what this person said. I would like to add that most aides like this get themselves in trouble in some way. When I first became an aide I thought that I knew everything until I had something bad happen and it brought me back to reality.
jaylynn06
24 Posts
Id probably have to tell her to move along and mind her business. Maybe she needs a quick snappy response to let her know you won't tolerate her attitude. Don't move jobs just because of some young snotty thing who thinks she's the super aid. Stand up for yourself! I'm not saying throwing hands in the middle of the hallway lollol but id def give her some sas back for sure! Good luck
systoly
1,756 Posts
had a co worker like that many moons ago
got tired of it so i grabbed a notepad every time she'd
come around and i'd start writing
when she asked i told her you have so much knowledge
im writing down everything you say so everyone can
benefit from it
she didn't come around me much anymore
Paws2people
495 Posts
She's young, new, this is probably her first real job. Just continue to do the best job you can and ignore her. I'm sure she will dig her own grave in time. Most often the people who think they are the best aren't. Don't walk on eggshells around her because that's what she wants. I wouldn't draw too much attention to her because it only feeds into her, and it will only make things worse. If anything mention it to your charge nurse. Surely she/he sees her behavior as well. Especially since this girl is walking around thinking SHE is the charge nurse. I wasn't aware a brand new CNA who is 17 could have so much knowledge. Lol
D_Angelo25, CNA
22 Posts
I have been an aide for 6 years and had a girl fresh out of school like this towards me, although nobody said anything positive about her work,she pressed on to me and the others that her way was the correct way. Me, I have no problem letting another aide know whats up, I told her she needed to mind her business, let me handle my residents how I have been and get to steppin. Needless to say, that girl hung herself because she did not do something right and ended up losing her job. As one post above said, the people that think they are the best, are not, and as for you honey, let your work speak for itself, and let the girl go on talking, remember, you have one DON and one administrator, last time I checked, the cna's were neither.
heather_nj13
2 Posts
Honestly, this happens everywhere. Mine happens to be an eighteen year old that got into a program... which makes her feel the need to act as the nurse on the floor. Think of this as the ultimate test of your character. Don't talk about her to friends or loved ones. Don't think about her when you leave work. Just remember why you are there, and what good you bring to your community of residents. The second she does something that irks you, find that resident that makes you smile. This is the only mindset that will keep you going. Something else to think about is that this might be the only area in life that she feels like she is good at. Just let her live it up. If you can handle this, you can do anything. You are a good person. Unless she starts to harass you, just think of her like a resident that is a little tough.
liberated847
504 Posts
Scratch her car, flatten her tires and then....oh wrong thought.....what I meant to say is, ignore her and focus on doing your job LMAO!
Missingyou, CNA
718 Posts
She is just showing her own inexperience and immaturity. Everyone who DOES have experience and maturity and professionalism sees what she is actually lacking. They will tolerate it for just so long. She may stop acting this way after a time but, if she doesn't, the people who are in charge will get tired of it and it will come back to bite her..
In the end, she will just get herself in trouble when she makes a mistake (maybe she will forget a patient alarm and they fall because of it..etc). It's never a good thing to become so sure about yourself, that you feel you are the best and therefore can't possibly make a mistake.
Don't worry about what she's saying about you behind your back and don't participate in her conversations about others. I am sure you are not the only one who feels this way about her. She is not making any friends!
What ever you do, don't start talking about her and her behavior to other aides. It's just negativity that isn't good for anyone especially the residents you care for. They hear you and don't need that tension in their lives.