Two residents have refused my care

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I've been a CNA for about 4 months. I've worked alot of hours on a certain floor and I have applied for a line there. However, there are 2 residents on this floor (out of 28) that refuse my care. The first gentleman is very difficult, to say the least, and has refused other CNA's in the past. I've been told he usually refuses care from people of a different race, but I'm Caucasian just like him. I've made multiple attempts to resolve the issue by going in to help other CNA's and being extremely polite and friendly. However, every time I think he's gotten over his hatred of me, another CNA or nurse informs me that this resident has cursed about me over some small thing, such as walking past his room without stopping when he is ringing his bell, even though he is not on my assignment for the day. Or not putting his coffee in the proper mug. He also claims I dont do his care the way he wants it done, even though I do what he asks. The second resident is a female paraplegic and is very, very picky with her care. She also seems to feel that she has extended knowledge on CNA job description and duties, and is constantly "reminding" and "correcting" all the workers (even when the thing she is "correcting" really doesn't matter). She is a CT transfer but is usually on bed days due to pressure sores. She also has a catheter. All the workers dread giving her care because it takes minimum 45 minutes because every little thing has to be a certain way. I totally understand that she has a right to have her care done the way she likes it, but she takes it way too far and will not let you speed up the process. Every limb has to be turned a certain way, every item in a certain place, every pillow and sheet and bootie placed at a certain angle and spot on the bed.....Anyways, one day we had a student and I was showing her my knowledge of how this residents care is done, and while I'm showing her this resident is talking over me to the student and telling her what to do. She kept telling me her leg wasn't straight and pushed behind her enough for me to turn and I kept telling her that is was fine (as her leg was as straight as it could go and as far back as it could naturally go before being in an awkward position). She kept telling me to pull it back and straighten it and kept saying no no back more and straighter so I got frusterating and just began to turn her and she got upset and yelled wait wait wait listen naiomi listen! So I stopped and repeated what I had done until she was happy and then turned her. She said I know you think I'm bossy but... and kept talking and I didn't respond and just kept doing her care with the student. After we finally finished her care she said sorry to me and I said that's okay! and smiled and left on what I thought was good terms. Then I come back to this floor a week later and she has reported me and said I'm rude and rough and I go too fast and she doesn't want me doing her or her husbands care (who has dementia). Basically I feel really embarrassed that residents have refused my care because I know I'm a very smart and caring person compared to alot of workers :( Ive seen CNA's speak very rude to her compared to anything i would ever do and she never refused them? Does anyone else have a similar experience? I just feel very bad about both situations and I feel like staff are looking at me funny because I've been refused. My coworker/friend said to do nothing to resolve it and so did the nurse on duty, but it all just really bugs me. Why me!!!

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I guess I'm asking for advice on what to do in the future to give care to residents like these as well as anyone who can related to having a resident refuse and report you for (in your opinion) a silly or wrongful reason. thanks guys

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Loss of autonomy is a terrible thing, CNS2016. Different people attempt different ways to hold on to whatever power they possess.

I sense that you are a caring, involved individual, CNA2016. Keep doing the best you can (which you obviously are) and know that you will never please all of the people all of the time, no matter how hard you try.

With acceptance comes growth. That goes for both sides of the bedpan.

Well wishes, CNA2016!

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Okay thank you so much for your reply. I really needed some thoughts about this so I really appreciate it.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Patients will fire you. It happens. Not everyone will like you. Its something you have to get over to work in this field.

Oh and btw not answering a call light because the patient is not on your "assignment" is totally uncalled for. Everyone should be answering call lights regardless of assignments. Assignments are given out to tell which aide should bath who, get ready for bed, or dinner, NOT whos call light you should or shouldn't answer.

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hi there thank you for your input :) yes in our facility in BC Canada you are only responsible for the 9 residents in your assignment and you do not have to answer call bells from other assignments or you would never have time to do anything :) we are one required to answer call bells from other assignments if they have been unanswered for 5 minutes or so. also, this occurred during morning care and this residents care aide was on the floor with another resident. this resident is also a ringer and when I walked by he was safe and in bed so I was not required to stop and talk to him or answer his bell. thank you :)

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just wanted to add that your response was kind of uncalled for hehe but I'm assuming your facility's call system does not work that way. I actually didn't realize that other LTC places could use a different call system among staff so thank you for letting me know. very interesting :)

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Specializes in CEN.
hi there thank you for your input :) yes in our facility in BC Canada you are only responsible for the 9 residents in your assignment and you do not have to answer call bells from other assignments or you would never have time to do anything :) we are one required to answer call bells from other assignments if they have been unanswered for 5 minutes or so. also, this occurred during morning care and this residents care aide was on the floor with another resident. this resident is also a ringer and when I walked by he was safe and in bed so I was not required to stop and talk to him or answer his bell. thank you :)

On the unit where I used to work, I often had 7-8 patients (above the nurse to patient ratio we were supposed to have) and CNA's would often have ten. We were still required to answer call bells even if it wasn't our patient. We didn't have to necessarily give them what they asked for if we had no time (pt wants meds, to be cleaned wants a tray), that could be passed on to the person in charge of their care. We did have to acknowledge that their request was heard and see to it that someone was helping them.

I understand that you are busy, but not answering bells can cause falls. I have had quite a few A&Ox3 patients getting out of their beds when they were not supposed to because they got impatient waiting for the call bell to be answered. Being too busy to help does not mean that you shouldn't answer their bells even if these patients are frequently ringing. I have answered many calls like that even when they weren't mine. If it only took a few seconds to help them or if I had the time, I did them. Otherwise, I told them that someone would be with them soon and I'd look for help. They may not always be happy that they have to wait but knowing that someone is passing along their message can go a long way in keeping a good rapport with them.

Best of luck to you.

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thank you for your comment! yes I agree with all you've said and I always help when needed. However, I know these residents quite well and I made a judgement call based on this resident which was very acceptable to all the nurses and other aides as they deal with said resident daily as well. While I'm sure the resident would likes to be answered promptly like all residents should, he is cognitive enough and fully aware that this is sometimes not the case. Also, he is a paraplegic and doesn't have the upper body strength to move to fall :p I probably should have clarified in original post but regardless I am very conformable with my call bell answering habits and so are all the professionals on this floor that know this resident. also, as mentioned, this resident frequently refuses my care so my stopping to speak to him would likely have caused him to yell at me for even stopping like he has in the past haha.Thank you :)

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Just wanted to update: Another nurse on duty for this floor came on and was unaware of the resident refusing my care for her or her husband as the nurse had not charted anything or even left a note to pass on to new nurse at shift change. So when I was almost finished explaining what happened she stopped me and told me to come with her to the residents room. She went in and said to her "Naiomi is going to be doing yours and your husbands care okay?" in a polite voice and the resident agreed and was totally fine with me afterward! Now I've decided to do the couples care as a 2P because I do not want any allegations against me again (as she said I was rough and rude). As for the male resident....he still refuses my care even today he did haha. Asked him if he wanted me to bring him dinner and he told me to get the hell out of his room and he didn't want to see my face haha so I guess that's the way it's gunna be (that's what happens when I answer his bells haha!). Very happy the other nurse did that though with the female resident but I'm sure those 2 nurses are going to bump heads when she finds out! Thank you all for commenting :)

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When residents act the way these two do, consider it a blessing when they fire you. You can not please everybody all the time. Sometimes it is just better to avoid the emotional turmoil of trying to please someone who refuses to be pleased. Concentrate on those who do not criticize for no reason and those who actually appreciate what you do for them.

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It's a control thing, in my opinion when patients or anyone exhibits that kind of behavior. They've lost control of their bodies, health, income, and who knows what else. They make themselves feel better and in some semblance of control by exerting control over something or someone, and you were their target for a while. Now that they're are allowing you to be their caregiver, have they moved onto another target? I'd be shocked if they haven't or that they won't eventually. I wouldn't take it personally.

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