To the RN I just had hospital orientation with today....

Nurses General Nursing

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I realize that you are a recent graduate of a great RN program and you are flying high and feeling pretty proud of yourself. I am hoping to have those same feelings a year from now when I have my BSN.

Your elated feelings, however, do not give you carte blanc to already be talking smack about the "techs". You see, I'm in orientation with you today as "just a tech" but next year I could be your colleague. A few years from now I could very well be your charge nurse. Saying things like, "oh, the techs do that" or "I'm so glad I don't have to THAT anymore" when we are talking about bed baths, turning patients, etc. will get you no points from any tech I've worked with.

And just FYI... not every unit in our fine hospital even employs patient care techs and you are in for a rude awakening when you have to change your patient's soiled diaper or have to give a bed bath. Further, we are PATIENT care technicians, not nurse care technicians. We are here for the patient, not you. Oh, and guess what? When you need help on the floor, I think I'll be busy that day.

Sincerely,

Just the Tech

Specializes in ICU/ER.

I work in a total pt care ICU and give AWESOME bed baths as well as manage critically ill pts all shift long and I am equally proud of both!!!

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Ouch..that must have hurt. Let me try playing advocate though.

You also went caerte blanche to assume that all these, the nurse meant. For some, they have passed thorugh being a PCA and made up their minds not to do it again. We can't fault them for elevating themselves above that.

Apart from her insentiveness what else did she do?That is concrete. Remember, perception is reality and that does not count here.

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Specializes in ED.
We can't fault them for elevating themselves above that.

Apart from her insentiveness what else did she do?That is concrete. Remember, perception is reality and that does not count here.

Like I said, I know she was excited to be a new RN graduate and I hope to have those same excited feelings a year from now when I get my BSN. I don't fault her for wanting to elevate herself. I do, however, fault her for acting like a tech is beneath her and she can't be bothered with bed baths, transferring patients, or "doing hourly checks and vitals." I think it was what she said and how she said it. She spoke with such disdain it was hard to listen to.

I was just really surprised at her mentality of a tech and how a tech was somehow beneath her.

I think she needs to realize that techs are still part of the health care team and they can be a nurse's best asset on the floor while caring for patients.

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I think she needs to realize that techs are still part of the health care team and they can be a nurse's best asset on the floor while caring for patients.

Wellll, if she doesn't realize that now, she will soon enough ... :)

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aww-www i am also sorry you were treated badly. but honestly, even as an rn, it happens to us too. there will always be someone who has to "step on the little people" so to speak. i have to say, in my 35 yr career, i have never disrespected any cna or patient care technician. trust me though, i've been disrespected many times to the point of being in tears during my long career. however, i have big shoulders now...and as i age, i try to let most things roll off my back. with age.....comes wisdom. choose your battles wisely, and no matter what, "always, always, remain a lady".

last night, as a hospice nurse, i had to go to our local er to see one of the patients on our service. while there, i was a bit bored and began casually observing a woman in housekeeping cleaning one of the er trauma rooms. honestly, i have never seen a room cleaned as well as she did!! wow! i was so impressed i took the time to write out a kudos card for her and took a moment to compliment her. it made her day...as it should. how very important it is for a sick patient to have an absolute clean room....she made me so proud. she told me her boss taught her everything she does today. and you know, by taking the time to compliment her...she will never forget it and will always clean her rooms the same...she cut no corners.

anyway, that's my story to show, i not only would never disrespect...on the contrary, take the time to give a kudo or two and make someone's day. afterall, in the tough world and economy, what else do have left? let's get back to basic courtesy.

god bless!:yeah:

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i have been a cna for 7 years and let me tell you nothing makes me madder then when a clueless new grad comes to work and puts me down for being just a tech!

i have experience which you do not! further i do not mind it when you ask me questions but do not be surprised when i pull the charge nurse aside because you did not know how to take that blood pressure!

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Specializes in LTC.

I think little miss new RN will be in for a reality check real soon.:D Props to the CNAs I work with, could not do it with out them!:)

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

I love the absolutely clueless students who say they "want to work ICU" because they want to "be a CRNA." And are beyond shocked when they find out that most ICU's do not have patient care techs or CNA's. I do all my own bed baths, etc.

When I was an LVN in a nursing home I helped the CNAs give baths, it was teamwork, and it was quicker for us to all help each other to survive the shift than ignore each other. I counted on them and they counted on me, it's teamwork. And in nursing if you don't have teamwork you really have a dysfunctional floor.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
i have been a cna for 7 years and let me tell you nothing makes me madder then when a clueless new grad comes to work and puts me down for being just a tech!

i have experience which you do not! further i do not mind it when you ask me questions but do not be surprised when i pull the charge nurse aside because you did not know how to take that blood pressure!

why would you pull the nurse manager aside? why wouldn't you use your experience and expertise to help your colleague? sometimes people need refreshers. if a nurse was in a four year nursing program, learned bps in the first semester of the first year and has been using dynamaps ever since, it stands to reason that she may need a refresher when her mind is overflowing with disease processes, s/sx, and possible drug interactions. i think you could use that opportunity to show how much of a team member you are rather than reign someone in to elevate yourself. that can't be good for a new grad's self esteem. :crying2:

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Specializes in criticalcare, nursing administration.
I'm sorry you were treated that way. I LOVE my techs they are my eyes, my ears and some days my brain! :D

I totally agree. As an older nurse my first job was on a med-surg unit. In those days primary care didn't "exist", and most hospitals used team nursing. Three of us ( RN, LPN, aid) cared for 21 patients. They 'had my back" and I had theirs. The care we provided was superb because we all owned the responsibility .:yeah:

It is sad today to observe staff saying "It's not my job" or "thank God I don't have to do that anymore". when asked to do baths, bedpans or answer call lights. Often those times are the best opportunities for asssessment and for interacting with patients:twocents:

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
Ouch..that must have hurt. Let me try playing advocate though.

You also went caerte blanche to assume that all these, the nurse meant. For some, they have passed thorugh being a PCA and made up their minds not to do it again. We can't fault them for elevating themselves above that.

Apart from her insentiveness what else did she do?That is concrete. Remember, perception is reality and that does not count here.

To assume that she meant them? I don't think that's a reach. If she DIDN'T mean them, what would be the point of saying them? Aside from that, on the off-chance that she really didn't mean them, that almost makes it worse to have said it all in the first place. It's insulting, either way.

At any rate, I don't understand when any new RN thinks they no longer will be responsible for something that's a part of patient care. Even on units where team nursing is practiced, everyone has a part in the, down and dirty stuff. The CNA you're working with might be the FIRST person responsible for baths, but when said CNA has 10-12 patients, bathing all of them him/herself is impossible. The RN is going to have to pitch in. Same with any patient that requires 2 assist for cares...guess who number 2 is? (haha, no pun intended)

I love the CNA's I work with. I couldn't do my job without them, and I don't mind sharing some duties to reach the end goal...by the end of the night, all of our patients are well-cared for, bottom line. If I have time, I'll do I&O with my HS med pass...why not? I"m not above that, or anything else. In turn, the CNA's know that when I have a night that I'm swamped with my "own" things, the things they can't help me do, they don't mind if I'm not able to do any more than what I personally am responsible for. It's just good teamwork. If I'm passing a med and patient wants to get washed up and brush their teeth, well, guess what....I'll wash them up and help them brush their teeth. No big deal.

Sounds like new RN is in for a big surprise. We had an older guy in my class when I first started nursing school who, in our first clinical, refused to do basic am cares/baths on his patient. His theory was, he was going to be an RN, he didn't have to do that. He didn't graduate with us, surprise surprise.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Critical Care.

a good nurse has no problem completing any aspect of patient care, and does it with pride! Its sad when you get those nurses who think that certain tasks are beneath them. But then again, there are princesses everywhere :)

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