Thank God for small favors...

[bethin]

...like there only being 24 hours in a day.

I like to think I'm tolerant and pt with others. Alas, the patience is gone.

I work weekend option so every weekend is the same crew. The other aide that is weekend option as well is driving me to tears...literally!

An ex: she's going to nursing school but yet she cannot get a manual bp, a radial pulse, or a baby's vitals. She's been with us for a year and a CNA for 4. When she first started I made a point to drag her into every pediatric room and gave her lots of opportunities and pointers for obtaining the above listed vitals. It's not that she can't do it - it's that she won't even try!

I'm just so tired of doing my work and then having to worry about hers too! Nurses instantly come to me and complain that so and so hasn't rec'd their bath when it was her pt. It's beginning to make me look bad. I even sat down and talked to her about her lack of trying. She didn't look at me - she was too busy texting her boyfriend. Ugh, I'm showing her what an aide can do in a code and she's ignoring me!

There's alot more - such as always finding time for her smoke break, even if it's in the middle of a serious situation. Situation was a newborn baby being taken away from her parents d/t shaken baby syndrome. I'm rushing to get the crash cart and she's on her way out to smoke! True, I could have stopped her but my main focus was to get the crash cart.

I've always been one to talk to the person I'm having problems with first. I HATE going to supervisors with what could be perceived as whining.

Any suggestions? Am I out of line to fear her becoming a nurse?

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I think that since you have tried to talk to her like a reasonable person and now you need to speak to your supervisor. This is not whining this is her NOT doing her job.

I don't think you are being unreasonable for fearing her becoming a nurse.

I feel for you. I work with nurses that sometimes being in charge means that you will have to do your work and theirs too.

[JBudd, MSN]

Time to talk to the manager (not the charge nurse, as a charge I am only in charge of that shift, I have no administrative authority otherwise). Put in writing dates and times of the situations you have problems with. Document the times you tried to help. Document the times you were asked about her patients care not being done, and by whom. Let the manager approach the nurses to ask about her work from that. Be factual, not emotional. The more facts and details the better the manager can address it, vague things like "she just doesn't do her job" won't help. As I said in another thread, managers can't do anything if they don't have it in writing with details.

As far as her becoming a nurse, her CIs won't put up with this kind of behavior.

[EmmaG, RN]

Any suggestions? Am I out of line to fear her becoming a nurse?

No, you're not. I pray she practices as far away from me as possible (there's always the very real chance she won't make it through school and Boards, however)

Document document document. And report her to the manager. This isn't 'whining'. She is a danger to the patients. (can't or won't take accurate VS? ignores an emergent situation?)

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

I agree with all previous posters. She either doesn't care (IMO) or just doesn't get it. The longer it remains unaddressed Bethin, you're going to burn out along with your co-workers who do truly care, so I think it's time for documentation. Maybe she'll get a wake-up text in the head!

[bethin]

Whew!

I did speak to the supervisor this weekend. Her response was "I know".

I have a list of 6 references from nurses and I will be applying tomorrow to other hospitals. I'm burned out on med surg, and I know I will meet another aide just like her elsewhere.

I did blow up at her and I'm not apologizing for that. Smoke break when there are 3 incontinent pt's is ridiculous.