Some managers just don't get it

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Ugh, I'm glad I don't have to work with our NM on a daily basis - I only work weekends so I deal mostly with nursing supervisors who for the most part are understanding, helpful, nice, patient, etc.

We had a CNA meeting this week. Basically, the meeting was worthless as most of it was common sense: too many personal calls, cell phones in pockets being answered in pt rooms, speaking too loudly, etc. I'm not one to sit idly by though.

This one really frosts my crack - she said that weekend aides weren't passing out washcloths before breakfast. Now, if I have time I will do it. It gives me a chance to get them up in a chair, change their linens, introduce myself, etc. But on weekends since we are not considered a shift (per managers words) we work with a skeleton crew. For 28 patients, we had 2 aides and 4 nurses. You do the math. When I explained this to the manager she was aghast. As if I had slaughtered my first born child. I told her that I typically have 10-14 pts plus float to ICU to help with their baths and there just isn't time in those 90 minutes before breakfast to get washcloths.

During the week they have no more than 5 pt's, aides and nurses. When hell freezes over and a weekday aide comes in on the weekend they vow never to return. They find the conditions horrific (which they are) but even when it was slow and we had 7 pt's a piece on weekends they still complained that was too many. I told her also that weekend option staff is the only staff on the weekends. NO one from the weekdays are staffed on weekends. Ok, maybe 3 times a year.

We went around and around. She just didn't get it that answering call lights, chasing after jumpers, answering phones (secretary doesn't come in until 0715, my shift begins at 0630), doing weights, accuchecks, and charting those were more important IMO.

She said washcloths were extremely important. So are daily weights, chasing jumpers, answering phones and call lights, etc.

I even had the weekend nursing supervisor who understands the aides plight tell me one day as I'm sweating bullets, heart racing, face beet red that per the NM who had called that I need to make sure that all pt rooms are stocked, clean, and pt's have had their baths. DUH! I do my absolute best to get everyone bathed, shaved, shampooed, ambulated, etc that I can in 12 hours. I love the nursing supervisor for the weekends - she will help me pass meal trays, turn pt's, etc while the nurses sit and read the paper and go smoke. It's just never good enough. Patients love me and tell me so, nurses compliment me on my work ethic but yet that yearly evaluation always ends up with "needs to work more on the little things like handing out washcloths". Sheesh, that's all that's on their minds!

And yeah, I'm still looking for a new job. Sheesh, to be yelled at in a room full of my peers for not passing washcloths when I don't even have time to breathe. Of course, this is the same one that famously told me "I don't know how to do pt care".

And I'm so sick of the charge nurse treating me like a lazy bum because I go to the bathroom often - hey, I have crohn's. When I gotta go, I gotta go. If she sees me coming out of the bathroom after spending 5 mins in there she gets a snotty attitude.

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Specializes in Home Health Care,LTC.

Beth i totally understand where You are coming from i was a weekend cna while i went to nursing school after getting my lpn i would always try to help out my midnight aides when ever i could You are right some people never get it and never will and them some totally understand good luck on finding a new job hugs

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

This a suggestion for the facility your work for, ours started putting little wet naps on the trays.

Some NM just don't get it, they have forgotten what floor work is like.

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

That stinks. I remember as a CNA it was difficult to get everything done...and the nurses and supervisors often would nit pick over little things...when it's a fact of life that you have to prioritize. It's just not always possible to get everything done.

I'll tell you what they tell me at work here when I worry about little things...If that's the only thing they can come up with for you to work on for your eval..then you're obviously doing a good job!

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

She said washcloths were extremely important.

Well, I'd say she was wrong. Washcloths would be nice. Daily weights are important.

Of course, this is the same one that famously told me "I don't know how to do pt care".

You gotta be kidding me. It's about time she learned, and I'd say your weekend "non-shift" would be the perfect place to start. Of course, that will probably happen when hell freezes over.

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Believe me when I say thet "get" or "don't get" exactly what it pleases them to "get" or "don't get". She has no intention of doing anything about the bad staffing on weekends and if you mention anything about it she is going to go deaf, dumb and stupid all of a sudden.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

The aides on our floor regularly have 12-15 patients apiece. A nurse came up with the idea of getting a wash basin, placing a stack of washcloths in it, and running some warm water over them, then placing the basin on top of the tray cart. As you take out the patient's tray, you just grab a cloth from the basin and put it on the tray. It only takes a minute, and now has become routine. Could you guys do something like that?

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Ugh, I'm glad I don't have to work with our NM on a daily basis - I only work weekends so I deal mostly with nursing supervisors who for the most part are understanding, helpful, nice, patient, etc.

We had a CNA meeting this week. Basically, the meeting was worthless as most of it was common sense: too many personal calls, cell phones in pockets being answered in pt rooms, speaking too loudly, etc. I'm not one to sit idly by though.

This one really frosts my crack - she said that weekend aides weren't passing out washcloths before breakfast. Now, if I have time I will do it. It gives me a chance to get them up in a chair, change their linens, introduce myself, etc. But on weekends since we are not considered a shift (per managers words) we work with a skeleton crew. For 28 patients, we had 2 aides and 4 nurses. You do the math. When I explained this to the manager she was aghast. As if I had slaughtered my first born child. I told her that I typically have 10-14 pts plus float to ICU to help with their baths and there just isn't time in those 90 minutes before breakfast to get washcloths.

During the week they have no more than 5 pt's, aides and nurses. When hell freezes over and a weekday aide comes in on the weekend they vow never to return. They find the conditions horrific (which they are) but even when it was slow and we had 7 pt's a piece on weekends they still complained that was too many. I told her also that weekend option staff is the only staff on the weekends. NO one from the weekdays are staffed on weekends. Ok, maybe 3 times a year.

We went around and around. She just didn't get it that answering call lights, chasing after jumpers, answering phones (secretary doesn't come in until 0715, my shift begins at 0630), doing weights, accuchecks, and charting those were more important IMO.

She said washcloths were extremely important. So are daily weights, chasing jumpers, answering phones and call lights, etc.

I even had the weekend nursing supervisor who understands the aides plight tell me one day as I'm sweating bullets, heart racing, face beet red that per the NM who had called that I need to make sure that all pt rooms are stocked, clean, and pt's have had their baths. DUH! I do my absolute best to get everyone bathed, shaved, shampooed, ambulated, etc that I can in 12 hours. I love the nursing supervisor for the weekends - she will help me pass meal trays, turn pt's, etc while the nurses sit and read the paper and go smoke. It's just never good enough. Patients love me and tell me so, nurses compliment me on my work ethic but yet that yearly evaluation always ends up with "needs to work more on the little things like handing out washcloths". Sheesh, that's all that's on their minds!

And yeah, I'm still looking for a new job. Sheesh, to be yelled at in a room full of my peers for not passing washcloths when I don't even have time to breathe. Of course, this is the same one that famously told me "I don't know how to do pt care".

And I'm so sick of the charge nurse treating me like a lazy bum because I go to the bathroom often - hey, I have crohn's. When I gotta go, I gotta go. If she sees me coming out of the bathroom after spending 5 mins in there she gets a snotty attitude.

I wish we worked together! :heartbeat:heartbeat:redpinkhe:heartbeat:heartbeat Is that nurse one who smokes? :lol2:

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Reminds me of the unit I used to work on 20pts as an aide, all too often on evenings and nights, My boss wondered with water didn't get passed or needle boxes emptied. Maybe beause I was running my ass off answering call lights, taking care of ADL's, etc. Nurses expect us as aides to prioritize, but when we do, we're told we were wrong and should be able to do it all!:angryfire What I always found especially frustrating was when the aides coming on for the next shift would see you had 20-40 pts and would wonder why these things weren't done, when they had been in the same situation themselves.

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. Nurses expect us as aides to prioritize, but when we do, we're told we were wrong and should be able to do it all!:angryfire

Happens to nurses, too! Ugh! I'll bet managers get it too (why can't your unit get more done with less staffing?!). Not that that's an excuse for passing it on.

I agree with this thought:

If that's the only thing they can come up with for you to work on for your eval..then you're obviously doing a good job!
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Hey,I understand.I am a charge nurse,have done evenings and days.I see a big difference in staff ratio from shift to shift,at times.Beleive it or not my day shift is suffering at the moment.Anyway,just wanted to say,you have to make pertinant things first.Priority changes at any given time,depending what is going on.Your manager knows this.Sounds like she is like all the rest and is just throwing her weight around,so she can say she did.Trust me she doesnt really give a crap about that!If she did she would come on to the shift once in a while.One last comment "this person will never let you make a valid point,that would only belittle her"!:argue:

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Specializes in ICU/ER.
The aides on our floor regularly have 12-15 patients apiece. A nurse came up with the idea of getting a wash basin, placing a stack of washcloths in it, and running some warm water over them, then placing the basin on top of the tray cart. As you take out the patient's tray, you just grab a cloth from the basin and put it on the tray. It only takes a minute, and now has become routine. Could you guys do something like that?

Great idea---but our infection control nurse would have fire coming out of her ears if she saw a tub of warm water being reached into multiple times:angryfire

As far the original post not only was I tired after reading it my heart started racing. I feel your pain.

How about this. Could 3rd shift place washcloths and hand towels on the patients night stand when they are passing the ice water?

Then when you make your morning rounds, wash clothes are right there.

I worked in a nursing home for a summer and that was our 3rd shift routine.

Unfortunately fault will ALWAYS be found. My thought is pick your battles. Sure all patients should have washcloths. But unless this is something you may loose your job over, do the best you can, continue to let your support staff know your doing the best you can and keep on moving.~~~with a smile on your sweaty red exhausted face!!!~~~~

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