I work as an aide/CNA/LNA on a critical care unit. I took care of a patient last night. I work part time. Apparently, the patient had been on the floor 10 days but due to being floated to other floors, being sick one night and only being on a few nights I only took care of her once before that.
I went to change her soiled sheets last night and realizing that I would need a nurse for help, grabbed her nurse. The nurse is very abrupt and barks out orders (what I would call an "old school" nurse) to me and makes petty comments(For example, she was the RN who told me not to call patients "honey"; I checked and there is no policy on using terms of endearment like that; she was basically sharing her own opinion). So we changed her and the entire time she is saying,"Watch her neck". Ok.
I leave to do other things and then this nurse comes up to me. Here is the conversation:
"You know that she has a broken neck, don't you?"-her
There was nothing obvious to indicate this woman had a broken neck. She was not wearing a collar, was not on a Stryker frame, did not have screws, had full mobility, yadda, yadda,yadda.
"I had no idea"
"Well you must have known..she has been here for 10 days"(see above) and she stormed off.
I felt horrible about this. I went over to the kardex (With the CNAs and the Kardex, I don't think anyone would say "Don't read it" but I do not want to come across as invasive; that rule changed for me last night)and read throughh the info-all I saw were a lot of odd symbols and nothing about a broken neck. On nights we do not do "report" like they do on days . Anyway, the patient was ok (thank God) . I really did not know the woman had a broken neck and no one sure as heck was volunteering this info. Starting tomorrow, I am going to insist that I get a report from someone about the patients.
Anyway, I am sick of this nurse and her attitude. I am an aide not a ^&&(($)_+ slave and a little gratitude for the care that I do provide would be appreciated. I am not going to let this deter me from becoming an RN but I am beginning to see what lateral violence is all about. How should I handle this?
I think it is part of the issues. this lady is being 'delegated' to and she does have a responsibilty to take direction from the registered nurse... to which she clearly by her own words is not going to listen to. Yes it is the nurse's rsponsiblity to know about the patient and direct the CNA... so there were two issues here. but i certainly think that there is a root problem to the issue in the first place.
Yes, and it was addressed already. There is no need to re-hash when the issue has already been discussed ad nauseum.
(For example, she was the RN who told me not to call patients "honey"; I checked and there is no policy on using terms of endearment like that; she was basically sharing her own opinion).
Well i know in MY CNA course we were taught not to use these words when speaking to a patient
it was described as disrespectful, I cannot remember exactly the reason for this but it did have alot to do
with bring them down to a childs level, as we typically call our children sweet heart, honey, sweetie, sugar and so on. Since they are older than us (usually) they deserve to be address as Mr. or Ms. unless requested not to.
I have worked with a nurse that yelled at me for everything even in front of residents, it was very degrading and sometimes he would say things that were extremely hurtful, but after I talked to him about i found out he was going through a tough divorce he apologized and we get along better now, but honestly I THINK that the personal and professional life should remain where they belong. I dont take my issues at work home to my husband and i dont take issues with my husband to work with me.
You should definitely get a report for all your patients before you start. Make it happen!
If the nurses seem too busy, then you have to insist. CNA's are supposed to give each other report. You can also doing a walking round with the CNA going to each room.
That nurse sounds like a power hungry bully. Just remember, she is not your boss. When I was a tech I worked with a nurse like that. Her name was Eunice, she was evil, she was married to a drunk, and all the techs hated her. But she wasn't going anywhere so we all had to put up with her. Maybe you could toss a dead fish in her locker or something. Just kidding! Boy, I'm gonna get flamed now.
Regarding the terms of endearment debate. I call my patients honey, baby, sweetie, and yesterday I had a 17 year old I called son all shift. I hug my patients and I tuck them into bed and I break my neck to make them comfortable and I put their needs in front of my own and occasionally I will tell them I love them. I don't do this with all of them, but with a lot of them. Because that's how I feel about them, on an emotional and a spiritual level, and I am maternal and fiercely protective of them.
You sound like a great tech. Just keep on keepin' on. Ignore the Eunices of the world. They have to live with themselves.
Oh and the supervisor might want to mention it to nearly 90% of the staff that uses those terms of endearment
I know this issue was not the purpose of your post, but it makes me apoplectic with rage when I hear other personnel do this. That patient is not your honey! It's tremendously presumptive to use terms of endearment with patients, particularly when they are helpless to stop you, or may fear that their care will suffer if they say anything. Stick with the patients names and that will always reflect well on your professionalism.
About the actual reason you posted, even if I weren't an RN I would insist on getting some kind of report before taking care of a patient. I don't know why the nurse didn't just say, "Watch her neck, it's broken." Our techs always get report from the techs on the previous shift, regardless of whether the shift change is day to night or night to day. If there was no tech on the previous shift, they get report from the RNs. You simply have to have basic info about patients in order to care for them safely.
When I get floated to ICU one of the first things I do is round on all of the nurses and ask them, "What do I need to know about your patients so I can care for them tonight." I then also ask "Is there anything specific you need me to do tonight?"
This seems to help me get a good idea of what I am walking into.
Specializes in Peds, PACU, ICU, ER, OB, MED-Surg,.
The nurse was rude. If it happens again discuss it with her first then follow the chain of command. I've worked with adults and children. Routinely try to call them by name but occasionally I do slip and with a honey.
Definitely get report! CNAs at my hospital are not allowed to look at the patients' kardexes, but we can get a brief report on the information we need to know from the nurses after they get their report. We are not allowed to take report from the off-going CNAs. Make sure there are not policies in place for what kind of report you're allowed to get! I see you wrote something about need-to-know and the Kardex, so make sure you're allowed before you get yourself in trouble when they audit those charts!
It sounds like you need to talk about some of these issues with a supervisor.
Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.
In NC it is against normal protocol for nurses to use terms of endearment toward their patients and they can be reported for it. On the other hand we are in the south where and most Healthcare professionals use such terms frequently and the patients do too. However not every patient has that "southern hospitality" and can reprt you. As for the nurse she could have been much more tactful in the way she approached you about that patient and about how to address patients.
I'm glad that this nurses unprofessionals ways haven't killed your urge to be a RN it should in fact make it stronger gor you to be a better nurse than she was.
When I was an aide I always either got report from the previous shift aide (this was not official policy, but I felt a need to know), and I read the patients chart since the hospital I worked at the RN's and aides charted in the same chart, just different areas.
I don't like surprises and found out the hard way that just because a pt was NPO didnt mean the RN would tell you or that it would be posted, the same goes for pt's in contact isolation when the iso cart was placed around the corner.
As for terms of endearment, I may be old school and former military but for me its Ma'm or Ms, Sir or Mister. In my RN classes the use of "pet" names is highly discouraged and to be honest, when I do arrive into my later years any nurse that calls me "Honey" or "sweetie" is bound to have to deal with a very disgruntled pt for the rest of their shift.
We were also taught not to use "pet" names for our residents. However, in the south it is considered respectful to use the term "Miss" and the first name. I found this to be helpful in getting some of my dementia patients to respond to me as Jane Doe Smith has always been "Miss Jane" but she may not remember who Mr. Smith is let alone that she was married to him!
Oh and the supervisor might want to mention it to nearly 90% of the staff that uses those terms of endearment
That doesn't make it ok. And if your nurse asked you not to, getting defensive with her probably won't help your relationship with her.
There doesn't need to be a written policy about not calling people by nicknames, pet names, whatever: it's not professional or necessary. They're not really terms of endearment because a term of endearment is something you use with someone you have personal feeling for. As a nurse, you shouldn't be sentimental and lovey. Please save the "honey" and "sweetie" for your significant other or kids.
laynaER
228 Posts
Yes, and it was addressed already. There is no need to re-hash when the issue has already been discussed ad nauseum.