What do Alz. care CNA's want from the nurse

[tlc2u]

I have been a floor nurse on a memory care unit for a few months now and was recently told that some CNA's say they do not want to work with me because I do not give them enough support.

This came as a shock to me as several of the CNA's have told me what they like about me being the nurse on that unit. They say previous nurses spent much of their time in the nursing office on cell phone or computer. They said they like that I am on the floor most of the time and help monitor and assist the residents.

I spend about 15 mins. in the nursing office eating a quick sandwich and ordering meds. Other than that I am on the floor giving meds and assisting with residents. I do not bring my cell phone to work. Only once in 2-1/2 yrs. has my family called me at work.

I was not told which CNA's feel they need more support or what support they need.

I'd love for the CNA's here (especially those from assisted living or Alzheimer's units) to tell me what they need from the LPN.

Thanks for any tips you are willing to share!!!

[Glycerine82, LPN]

Well, I can only tell you about previous nurses I've worked with in LTC. I know not all nurses work this way, but the ones who did really upset me.

I've had nurses hunt me down to do something they could have done themselves in the time it took to find me. Mind you, I was never taking a break or relaxing. Was always with another pt.

I've had nurses give the patients meds and ring the call light while they are in there for me to get the patient a cup of water, toliet, etc. Some patients are too time consuming to take to the bathroom, I understand this. If the patent is ambulatory I see no reason why the nurse can't take them into the bathroom while they are already in the room, and let me know they'll be ringing soon. Or, take out their pajamas and let them get started changing and let me know. Again, this is regarding ambulatory patients or patients who are capable. I've had a lot of patients who were able to get their top dressed and just needed help with their bottoms.

Nurses who would finish their med pass and be hanging out in the break room, or in front of the residents TV for more than just a 10 minute break. With bathroom lights and call lights going off all around. The mentality was that their work was done, and they would not help the CNA's because it was CNA work.

In general, i found in LTC the CNA was treated like the bottom of the totem pole. We don't have much if any education. Nurses who didn't take me seriously when I voiced a concern or nurses who made it clear I wasn't capable of putting on a band-aid. Some nurses wanted me to put on butt cream for them some didn't want me to. I never knew what I was allowed to do and what I wasn't.

In general, CNA's don't know what nurses do or how hard they work. I've come to understand what all is involved in an LPNs duties in LTC and I know there is a lot involved and honeslty, most of the time there really wasn't time for the nurses to help me. Some of my nurses would help me in anyway they could, when they could. Not all were like I described.

If you are there for your patients and you do the best you can by them (which it sounds like you do) then forget about the CNAs who have a hair across their bum. Try to help them when you can and don't hunt them down to get a box of tissues for Mrs smith, LOL. Treat them with respect and dignity and let them know you know they are important. Also demand this from them. If they don't give respect they can't expect to get it. Thats all I've ever wanted from my nurses.

[funtimes]

I'm sorry I cant be of much help. I don't have much experience working with LPNs, so I don't know how the role varies from that of an RN. I know when I worked in LTC our opinion of the Nurses was never solicited, so this is new to me.

I guess some facilities might be short staffed of CNAs and the Nurses are expected to pick up the slack, but where I worked the RNs gave us a report, told us if anything was out of the ordinary or needed to be done, and then we largely went our separate ways. They had their job to do and we had ours, and the CNAs were generally expected not to bother the RNs with CNA tasks. Some RNs would occasionally offer to help, and some wouldn't.