Too good to aide?

Blackcat99 · Aug 2, 2004

I am an LPN who has never been asked to "be the aide" for a night. I would gladly do "aide" work. I think it would be wonderful to escape from the paperwork. :)

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Aug 2, 2004

Ah, possibly, at the place i work now, but only dayshift on the old med-surg floor i worked on.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Aug 2, 2004

Probably if it's happening that often perhaps it would be a wise management policy to share the duties and rotate. Perhaps keeping a list.

But as was said above, we still don't surrender our license just because we're a "CNA for a day". Personally since I like hands-on I wouldn't mind. However, would it be arrogant of me to say that it's not a good use of education and license? I would just make smaller RN/LPN assignments so they could do the CNA work as well. But I don't know what I'm talking about since I don't work LTC.

Altra, BSN, RN · Aug 2, 2004

Probably if it's happening that often perhaps it would be a wise management policy to share the duties and rotate. Perhaps keeping a list.
But as was said above, we still don't surrender our license just because we're a "CNA for a day". Personally since I like hands-on I wouldn't mind. However, would it be arrogant of me to say that it's not a good use of education and license? I would just make smaller RN/LPN assignments so they could do the CNA work as well.

Agree - doesn't seem like the best use of resources. When I first read the OP I wondered if this was a case of one or more RNs being unwilling to help out with bathing, toileting, etc. but as I read further it sounds like this is more or less a permanent thing?

The 2 hospitals where I've had clinicals so far operate under 2 different models. One uses "team nursing" - a PCT and and RN operate as a team for their 6 pts. Occasionally there seems to be an additional LPN floating around that part of the unit - approx. 18 beds. I've seen a lot of teamwork - only one time that I can think of where you couldn't help but notice that a particular RN usually made it a point to be elsewhere when call lights were on.

At the other hospital it's primary nursing, so while there are 2 aides per unit, the RNs play a greater role in bathing, linen changes, etc. They typically have a pt. assignment of 4, sometimes 5.

As a student many of our tasks are "aide" tasks, although of course as we progress we take on more responsibilities. I don't think I'd like a future job where I never, ever had the time to do the "little" things that only come from spending time with a pt.

CHATSDALE · Aug 2, 2004

I have never been asked to do aide work in a LTC but at a hospital where i worked if there were a lot of aide call-ins they would often redivide the floor and a nurse would do patient care.....this was done on a rotating basis so you would never have to do it two days in a row...this was difinitely easier for nurses who had worked as aides prior to being nurses...of course your pay remained the same...you showed up to work and deserved to be paid for your time...many of the nurses did not like it at all but the aides all seemed to have a big smile on their faces

night owl · Aug 2, 2004

Question....do any of you by chance think because ur an RN you can't play the CNA for a shift?

I'm an LPN on nights and have been an NA on rare occasions for a shift. It's really a nice change to do direct pt care. Our Rn's also play NA for a shift if very desparately needed and without complaints. It's really kind of funny how fast someone volunteers for the job. :chuckle And of course your pay doesn't decrease for that one particular day.

dazzle256 · Aug 2, 2004

I love working as an aid and getting RN pay. Less stressful IMO :)

night owl · Aug 2, 2004

I have heard of RNs who walk out of rooms when a patient needs to go to the bathroom , goes up to the nurses station pages the CNA and then sits at the nurses station while the patient has to wait. The person who suffers is the patient.

I know this happened to my mom when she was in the hospital for CHF. She was on IV Lasix, complete bedrest and asked a nurse who walked by her door to please hand her the bedpan from her bedside cabinet. The nurse told her it wasn't her job and walked away. Needless to say by the time someone came to give her the bedpan, she had to wet the bed because she couldn't hold it any longer. She said she never felt so humiliated and degraded in her whole life. I mean how hard is it to hand someone a bedpan no matter who you are??? :angryfire

weetziebat · Aug 2, 2004

As an RN, I'd be glad to help out with whatever needed to be done. I've helped with many a bedpan. Certainly don't think I am "too good" to do aide's work. But...the reason I went to school to get my RN is because I found CNA work to be waaaaaayyyyy too physically demanding. God bless all aides!! They really do work hard. So there is no way I'd spend a shift working as an aide. And it does seem odd to let aides go home and replace them with LPN/RN's. Maybe I just don't understand the situation despite having read all the posts three times :uhoh3: - gonna go have another cup of coffee.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2004

........it's funny though. our adon has always been fanatical about ensuring pts. get the proper care but i recall one time that she was forced to take an assignment and her attitude was 'to hell w/the showers'......it's different when the shoe's on the other foot, yes?

Yes indeed, it sure is. :angryfire

boggle, ASN, RN · Aug 3, 2004

I agree that replacing an aide with an RN for a shift does not make financial sense, but I can see it might happen sometimes.

I can see one problem that would make an RN a pretty slow aide. Even though you are assigned the aide job for the shift, you still would have to perform as a nurse in any care you give. Your license requires that you act as any prudent nurse would. So I would be assessing and following through with questions about any complaints or symptoms I observed while giving care. I wouldn't be reporting these things to another nurse to come in and assess for me. And of course that old patient teaching habit would slip into my aide care.

And besides, the aides I've worked with really know their stuff. They know the individual routines and preferences of their patients and make care go smoothly. I know my nursing routines for the nursing care I give the patients. Boy, would I be slow when switching roles.

Still, I would love the chance to have time to give personal care. Don't think my old joints would like it too much.

jschut, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2004

Although I certainly don't mind in the least helping out when I am needed and where I am needed, which includes doing some patient care, I agree that I went to school to be a nurse.

I was a CNA, and if I wanted to remain a CNA, I wouldn't have went to nursing school.

A whole shift? I don't think so. But if the Aides are busy elsewhere and a patient needs to relieve themselves (or perchance, already has and is distressed about it) I'm certainly not above helping a person in need.