What do you guys think is more stressful, working at a SNF as an LVN or as a CNA ?

[futurenurse310]

What do you guys think is more stressful/difficult, working at a SNF as an LVN or as a CNA? Or are they both equally pretty stressful but in a different kind of way from each other?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Let's face it: nursing homes and SNFs tend to be stressful workplaces, so I would say that both positions are very stressful in their own ways.

However, I also feel that the LVN's job is more stressful because he/she shoulders some responsibility for what the CNA does (or fails to do). In most cases, the employee with the license has the most to lose.

[DSkelton711]

I agree with TheCommuter. Even though each position will have its own set of stressors the LVN has more at stake: giving meds and more complex interventions as well as being responsible for everything they and everyone else does. Staffing levels just seem to be horrendous and I think it is awful that we should have to work with such high levels of stress.

[TonyaM73, ASN, RN]

I agree with the above two posters. Both are busy jobs, but as far as stress, the LVN has it hands down. CNA is only responsible for their own work, but the LVN is not only responsible for all of the medications and treatments, paperwork and assessments, but also what the CNAs do and don't do. I can't tell you how many times I have heard CNA say: "well the nurse was in the room, why couldn't she take the pt to the bathroom?" The answer to that is: If I am taking this pt to the bathroom, waiting in the room until they are done and then getting them back into bed, then who is my job for that 20 minutes?

SNFs do not have enough staff, PERIOD!

[CNABESS]

As a CNA I can honestly say it would be the LVN. Why? Because when you are the nurse "everything" is you fault. It is a lousy truth, but still a truth. When something goes wrong it goes up the ladder from the CNA to the nurse, and down the ladder from administration to the nurse. It is an ugly fact. The nurse is the dumping ground for problems in a SNF, no matter what the cause. A CNA is held responsible, yes, but then the nurse is responsible since the CNAs work directly under his/her supervision. The lousy understaffing only creates problems.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

As a cna iworked my shift,took my breaks and went home without a care in the world but it isexhausting.this was before hoyer lifts and disposable anything.universal precautions were unheard of at that time.as an lpn i am the filling of the poop sandwhich i get squeezed from the top,the bottom,the front and the back if someone else is haVing a bad day.and i take those feelings home with me more then i should(scuse the typos and how do i capitalize on this thingee..)

[futurenurse310]

Thanks for all the replies guys, very good info from everybody.

[DarcyLPN99]

As an LPN in a LTC facility, it's nice to see that other people agree with me! It seems as if everything comes back to me if it's my fault or not. And yes, I am ultimately responsible for the CNA's, too. But I have to give them kudos, too. They have to take orders (and sometimes not so nicely) from the nurses, they are asked to do things, especially when sometimes its the nurses responsibility and they're too lazy to do it. So, I applaud them, too. But it's like I said, it's nice to see others that agree with me!!!!