What the heck is the matter with my Cnas?

LifelongDream · Aug 17, 2009

I think one of your problems is the expectation that they are there to serve you. Throughout your post, you refer to them as "my CNA's". In my previous job as a teacher, the custodian could be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you were good to them and didn't abuse them, they were there to help when you needed them, but if you walked around calling them "my custodians" and barking orders, they were scarce.

It may be helpful to assign routine duties such as emptying foleys, taking vitals and helping patients to the bathroom as things the CNA should ALWAYS do. That way, they don't feel as if you are constantly barking orders, it's just something they do everyday. Also consider that you are not incapable of moving from your post to help with routine patient care. It's still okay as a nurse to walk a patient to the bathroom or provide other routine care. After all, I hope that the reason you became a nurse was because you want to help people get better or be comfortable when they are sick, not because you wanted to sit behind a computer and chart and pass meds all day.

It may also help to change your attitude toward them and show that you are appreciative of the hard labor they do. If they are not doing their job to your standards, talk to them about it. If that doesn't work, write them up. If that doesn't work, ask them to leave.

Lastly, take time to tell them thank you for doing their job well. Show them respect and realize at the end of the day, the only difference between you and them are 2 years of nursing school. And unfortunately, one day you may be the patient laying in the bed waiting for someone to come and clean your backside. Just a thought!

JavaMama98 · Aug 17, 2009

I get what you're saying. one reason I refer to them as "my CNAs" is become I'm the one going to bat for them when the next shift comes in complaining about how this and that wasn't done. I ALWAYS thank them whether I like their work or not. And I can only WISH that I did sit behind a computer and chart all night. I work in LTC and all of it is hand written. I figured it out last night anyway. I answered all but 2 of of one of the CNAs lights. She sat down all night, never did a single round, didn't pass ice and emptied her 2 foleys only after I asked her to and pointed out that the prior shift had let them get way too full. The CNAs at my facility aren't allowed to do vitals so we always have that to do. I did my paperwork, med pass, passed ice, answered her lights (except for 2 that I couldn't get to), and kept everyone turned and repositioned, thanked her at the end of the shift and she told her friend on the way out that she was "so tired". What gives?

Thanks for your advice though. They will cease to be "my CNAs" if that's the thanks I get.

PhoenixTech, LPN · Aug 17, 2009

I get what you're saying. one reason I refer to them as "my CNAs" is become I'm the one going to bat for them when the next shift comes in complaining about how this and that wasn't done. I ALWAYS thank them whether I like their work or not. And I can only WISH that I did sit behind a computer and chart all night. I work in LTC and all of it is hand written. I figured it out last night anyway. I answered all but 2 of of one of the CNAs lights. She sat down all night, never did a single round, didn't pass ice and emptied her 2 foleys only after I asked her to and pointed out that the prior shift had let them get way too full. The CNAs at my facility aren't allowed to do vitals so we always have that to do. I did my paperwork, med pass, passed ice, answered her lights (except for 2 that I couldn't get to), and kept everyone turned and repositioned, thanked her at the end of the shift and she told her friend on the way out that she was "so tired". What gives?
Thanks for your advice though. They will cease to be "my CNAs" if that's the thanks I get.

Please take heart. :redpinkhe I think that the boundary was crossed when you started doing so much to 'help out' while she sat reading. Bringing magazines and the like.......maybe your considerate, I'm also considerate but you are now a RN. You're not there to make friends and I feel like you underminded yourself from the start. It may be residual from your own CNA days that you picked up so much slack for her but now she has come to expect it. At least that's how it seems to me.

Way not cool for her to walk off the job and call you lazy. Comparing my own duties to what you posted about her duties, I wish that we didn't have to do vitals. I do all that you mentioned and so much more at my hospital and it seems her responsibilities are so trivial, she should have no problem with them, however it appears like she has other things going on and just may be going through a hard time right now.

On a lighter note...I call the RN's I work with 'my RN's' all the time when I post or tell someone else about them. It's a term of endearment for me and never have I denoted any kind of disrespectful conotation. It makes me feel close to them if you can understand that. Like we are the team that we are. Of course when I address them, I call them by name.

LifelongDream · Aug 18, 2009

I apologize. It seems I misunderstood the tone of your posting. For some, it's just a matter of them being lazy and there is no excuse. At the hospital, my preceptor and I floated to many floors because she was a flex nurse (Got paid the big bucks for being willing to float wherever they needed her...). I noticed on some floors, the CNA's did minimal work while on other floors, they were very willing to help. I guess it's like every other profession and there a good ones and bad ones in every bunch. It seems you got the bad bunch. Do you have the authority to write them up?

mrsshifflette09 · Aug 18, 2009

Please don't use the term "my CNA's". It is really rude. From what your profile says, you are in your first year of nursing. You need to reconsider your views. You don't sign their paycheck, and you don't own them.

JavaMama98 · Aug 18, 2009

Thanks, mrsshifflette09, for rerminding me that I don't sign their paychecks, nor do I own them. My bad...

I certainly will reconsider my views. I will most certainly from now on give them the respect that they give to me and to our patients.

JavaMama98 · Aug 18, 2009

I have the authority, lifelongdream, to write them up but it almost seems in vain. Many of my co-workers have numerous write-ups for the very same thing. Because I'm new there I came in unbiased and thought everyone did what they were supposed to, until I saw for myself. We did have one CNA who got complaints from every hall (both patients and famiy members) and they gave her the ultimatum to move to days during the DONs hours there or quit. She chose the former and hasn't had any complaints since. This is not to say that all of our, my goodness, the CNAs (not sure how to refer to them anymore without risking being "rude") don't do anything. Plenty of them are ones that we can depend on to treat the patients and co-workers with respect. I think I just needed to vent anyway but I may have to go back to "lurking" so that I don't start getting flamed.

nkara, CNA · Aug 18, 2009

boy I didn't take offense to your post. I believe it sounded like the aide just didn't like her job. You just can't please some people I guess.

foxy824 · Aug 18, 2009

Please don't use the term "my CNA's". It is really rude. From what your profile says, you are in your first year of nursing. You need to reconsider your views. You don't sign their paycheck, and you don't own them.

She never implied that she owned them. the truth of the matter is that there are some very lazy CNA's and Nurse's as well. I doubt that she meant it in a rude manner but in a family/teamwork sense. I am currently a CNA and a nursing student at johns hopkins hospital the #1 ranked hospital in the US and also the busiest, so i can see both sides of the situation. the point of the matter is it's very important for all health care professionals to be just that... PROFESSIONAL!

mrsshifflette09 · Aug 18, 2009

Well, grammatically speaking, she did imply that she owned them. I used to be a CNA also, nurse now, but I still would never call them "my CNA." I do not disagree that they were not doing their jobs, and she should say something to NM about it. It's just rude imo to say that.

NC Girl BSN · Aug 18, 2009

I have worked at a LTC facility that had a few lazy CNA's and they will work you to death. I think communication is the key. I was a CNA for 15 yrs so I knew what kind if nurse I did not want to be. I would let them know what things I needed from them, helped them out when I could and intern I gained their upmost respect and they helped me out in so many ways. The few that half-a**ed. I would ride them so bad that they would request not to be on my hall because they had to do their jobs. You gotta find the right communication technique to gain their respect. Maybe you can talk to them and ask them their thoughts about the situation and how it appears that you come across. Maybe you come across as lazy in their eyes and just don't realize it. Good Luck!