I was almost done posting this but it went away? Sorry if it comes up twice???
Anyway, I am an RN on a busy day shift med-surg/onc floor. The other day it was crazy. It was about 1400 and I had not eaten or peed. I was starting to feel a bit sick. I told the HUC that I was not feeling well and that I was going to take a quick break to pee and eat something real quick. I told her to tell the CNA I was working with that I was not feeling good, would be back quickly, and to give her this note.
The note said - Take temp in 502 and get water for 507. Thanks
Well when I got back, the CNA working with me was livid. She demanded to talk to me in private. She says (and I quote) "I am not your N-word" (but she says the word if ya know what I mean) "You can't just leave me notes and expect me to do what you say"
I was just so shocked! First that she would use the N word (we are both white) and second, that she seemed to not care that I had to get off the floor for just a few min.
So I end up apologizing to HER, explaining why I left the note, and telling her how bad I had to take a quick break. She really didn't care, didn't even give the water or take the temp, and just talked trash about me for the rest of the shift. I heard her later telling the other cna's that 'she put me in my place"
this type of behavior is so dishearting for me, We should ALL be there to support eachother and the patients. What would you guys have done?
I'm going to be honest here. You are the RN she is the CNA. This is going to sound harsh but you really need to grow a backbone. This person swears at you and you apologise? You need to put her in her place. If I needed to have a break I would TELL them the CNA not ASK them what they need to do. If they argue back I would TELL them that it's non negotiable.
There are many times I suddenly realize I haven't peed or that the cafe is about to close. When you have 6 patients stuff happens. It would only take a second to write a note and give it to a fellow nurse to give to your cna. Families to talk to, pain pills, insulin to give. Again if the cafe was about to close you would have to go right then to eat--and deal with the results of the BP when you returned. She didn't take the BP then she shirked her responsiblilites-neglect. And the N word? Whew. I wonder if anyone with a diverse family that she was unaware of heard her? Of course doesn't matter if you are white, that is offensive to anyone. I would doubt her care around the diverse patients on the floor-how safe would I feel leaving her in a room with them, who are dependent. Sounds very ignorant and she knows it and you are probably a very nice person who puts their patients first, therefore she felt no threat in attacking you. What bothers me is those who are asking why you waited so long to void. You know there are nurses who help their cnas and may then have to stay late to chart, but they are in the rooms helping the cna-turn, toilet etc, they see the pt transfer, their skin, etc. There are others who always delegate even if that means they sit and ignore the call light till an aide is available to answer it. They get out on time. Sounds like you are in the rooms, with your sleeves rolled up. I work with some people in the past who I wonder how they slept at night...leaving pts in stool, allowing them to wet themselves, waiting for an aide to go to a room, instead of going themselves.....
I'm going to be honest here. You are the RN she is the CNA. This is going to sound harsh but you really need to grow a backbone. This person swears at you and you apologise? You need to put her in her place. If I needed to have a break I would TELL them the CNA not ASK them what they need to do. If they argue back I would TELL them that it's non negotiable.
This is actually where I kind of disagree. This doesn't foster or promote teamwork in my opinion. You should always ask someone to do something for them, not just TELL them. I don't think you'd be winning anyone over by this. It's different when you're working FOR someone and working WITH someone. Everyone on the floor is working WITH each other.
I dunno, maybe I'm the only one who feels like this, but being a new grad, and just knowing how I am, even 10, 20 years down the road, I know its not my personality type to just demand that someone do something.
Now, if the CNA responses like the OPs did..... then yes, you'll see a different side of me real fast
Jollydog everybody is entitled to there own opinion I NEVER said I agreed with the CNA's behavior , both the RN and CNA were in the wrong on how they handle this situation . If you don't agree with me then thats how it is but don't mis-interpet what I had originally posted .
Jollydog everybody is entitled to there own opinion I NEVER said I agreed with the CNA's behavior , both the RN and CNA were in the wrong on how they handle this situation . If you don't agree with me then thats how it is but don't mis-interpet what I had originally posted .
and i never said that you said you agreed with the situation. i said theres no reason to appeal to to both sides when one side is clearly, clearly, CLEARLY out of line.
how did the RN put herself in a desperate situation? it happens. RNs everyday now go hours without breaks and food... its just the nature of the beast. its not desperate.... its reality.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
The OP asked our opinion and from my perspective there are 2 concerns here. First is the obvious insubordination by the CNA. I think we can all agree that what happened here was very unfortunate. But lessons can be learned from both sides. In my opinion it is irresponsible for an RN to not take care of herself and get something in her stomach. And I'm not sure where you work but where I work a bathroom break takes me about 30 seconds to pee and 1 minute to wash my hands. Take care.
I agree that lessons can be learned on both sides, but the story seems to relay that this nurse is trying to do patient care, got caught up, didn't feel well, but still put her patient's needs into consideration by writing a note to the CNA to do something while she was unavailable. How does this suddenly become blame the victim? And, I really believe that all nurses have been 'irresponsible' by not taking potty breaks or eating. As I said, many find ways around it-I carry some crackers in my pocket and hide water somewhere, but there are others that will not, for whatever reasons. I work in an OB-GYN clinic and every now and then, I find myself not getting bathroom breaks, either. We have patients who faint, are in labor, are anxious, confrontational and sometimes, we are so short that I would feel guilty to leave the unit to eat when the other nurses have not.
Too many times, nurses have found themselves in situations where they were accused of abandoning post when they were actually in the bathroom, getting approached with emergencies where they feel they need to respond instantly, etc... Sounds like you work in an awesome place and would like to apply there.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
and i never said that you said you agreed with the situation. i said theres no reason to appeal to to both sides when one side is clearly, clearly, CLEARLY out of line.
how did the RN put herself in a desperate situation? it happens. RNs everyday now go hours without breaks and food... its just the nature of the beast. its not desperate.... its reality.
i know... just on orientation for my first week, and i see some of the newer (4-8months new) nurses working and make statements at 2pm like "holy %^$#.... its already 2pm... i haven even drank/eaten yet"
i guess ONE good thing is that time will fly by but then again that could be bad for the patient too.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
i know... just on orientation for my first week, and i see some of the newer (4-8months new) nurses working and make statements at 2pm like "holy %^$#.... its already 2pm... i haven even drank/eaten yet"
i guess ONE good thing is that time will fly by but then again that could be bad for the patient too.
I normally get an hour break for lunch. I have to force myself to eat because I am not normally hungry at 12pm, but notice by 1:30pm, I am suddenly hungry. I spend time asleep, trying to rejuvenate for the next haul. Now, I am trying to bring lunch and squeeze bathroom time to around 11:30am to avoid the rush to get rest. It took time to do this; I had to learn about the new clinic I was transferred to, learn the personalities of the nurses, the ebb and flow of the clinic, etc...
Most people that care about what they are doing, trying to be a good team player and being as available as possible to patients may suffer from this with no intention.
This is actually where I kind of disagree. This doesn't foster or promote teamwork in my opinion. You should always ask someone to do something for them, not just TELL them. I don't think you'd be winning anyone over by this. It's different when you're working FOR someone and working WITH someone. Everyone on the floor is working WITH each other.
I dunno, maybe I'm the only one who feels like this, but being a new grad, and just knowing how I am, even 10, 20 years down the road, I know its not my personality type to just demand that someone do something.
Now, if the CNA responses like the OPs did..... then yes, you'll see a different side of me real fast
Sorry I wasn't clear in my previous post. I was only responding to the behavior of the CNA as described in the OP. In a normal everyay situation where the CNA's isn't using the N word and refusing to work then yes I would word any requests as though I'm asking not telling. BUT If someone clearly has a poor attitude towards work like the OP described then as the RN I would be telling them what they have to do. The problem with people like this CNA is that they have obviously been allowed to continue behaving in an unprofessional manner. The RN is responsible for supervising and delegating tasks. The RN may or may not be in charge of disciplining the CNA but they can certainly report and document the behavioural issues.
Scrubby
1,313 Posts
I'm going to be honest here. You are the RN she is the CNA. This is going to sound harsh but you really need to grow a backbone. This person swears at you and you apologise? You need to put her in her place. If I needed to have a break I would TELL them the CNA not ASK them what they need to do. If they argue back I would TELL them that it's non negotiable.