Think I could get fired for this.....

[luvmy2angels]

Our facility is currently short of CNAs (i am an LPN in LTC). Much to my surprise when I went to work over the weekend I find that I have been pulled to work as an aide. Needless to say I didn't want to, and it isn't because I don't like that type of work! I worked as a CNA for 18 years before I went to nursing school. I went to nursing school because my body just couldn't take the physical demand of aide work anymore. I am still young (in my mid 30s) so people find it hard to believe that my body can't do it. Besides my back killing me my one leg is held together by plates and screws, anchors...you name it, it is there holding my ankle and leg in place due to injuries i got in a car accident. I don't want my employer to think I am not physically able to do my work as a nurse. Yes, I am on my feet alot but I don't have the lifting and bending that the aides do, plus I have time that I have where I can sit down and do my charting etc, it is CONTSANTLY being on my feet. I also don't want to come across as not being a team player, which is a big deal where I work. I feel threatned when the RN superviser tells me I have no choice but to accept the assignment. I know she herself can't fire me, but can the DON fire me because I feel that I can't work as an aide?? After all I was hired as a LPN, so can they legally fire me for not accepting an aide assigment?? There are other LPNs that were hired the same time I was that have never been put on an aide assignment, I was told they like to use me because of my experience as compaired to the other LPN that never worked as an aide. ANY advice?? Thanks for reading and lettting me vent!!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

A couple of things that need clarification. As an LPN, doesn't your scope of practice encompass all duties that a CNA would be responsible for? Just as my scope of practice as an RN would cover all tasks that an LPN or a CNA would perform? What would you do if you came to work and there weren't any CNAs for that shift? You'd have to suck it up and do your job AND the CNA's - right? And I know how hard that is because we all very much depend on the CNAs/ Techs. I know that I do! In fact, I'M going to have to suck it tonight because we don't have a Tech scheduled.

Now, having said that, the question is - SHOULD you have to suck it up? I bet if you looked up your job description for your facility it would have your LPN duties all spelled out nice and neat: then at the very bottom of the page (and probably in very small letters), it would say: "And other specified

duties". As long as those "other duties" are within your scope of practice I think that your employer can require you to perform them.

If your management had any sense, they wouldn't risk losing or alienating a licensed person by making them work in what is essentially a non-licensed capacity. But since when did anything that management does make good sense?

One last thing, if you accept an assignment in a CNA capacity, you will still be held to the higher standard of your LPN license/ scope of practice.

Because of the "other specified duties" phrase (i've yet to see a nursing job description that didn't include that phrase) that's why i'm thinking that the employer might say that the OP lied about being able to physically do the job.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

. . .can the don fire me because i feel that i can't work as an aide?? after all i was hired as a lpn, so can they legally fire me for not accepting an aide assignment??

i would say you should look at your official job description. that will say it all. if your job description has anything about you providing nursing care in it, then i would say the answer to your question is "yes". insubordination is what they would get you for if they wanted to fire you.

anyway, the way to handle this is to have gotten a couple of aides together and worked out a plan with them. as an lpn and leader already, they would have followed any suggestions you made to change the way things were going to be done as cnas that day. that's what leaders do. i've seen cnas accommodate another cna with a physical problem lots of times. i would have jumped at the chance to not be responsible for meds and treatments for a day and still get my rn (in your case, lpn) pay! and, i have a bad back. i would have recruited one or more cnas, put our heads together and come up with a game plan to get the patient care done.