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?
You made a major supervisory mistake in apologizing to this CNA. You should've chewed her out instantly... not following RN orders is a serious professional mistake, and not showing respect for authority is just as bad.
By apologizing, you have encouraged similar behavior on her part, and her fellow CNAs... plus have weakened your supervisory authority over this errant CNA.
And using a racial epithet in the caregiver profession is really bad. I would've fired this person, if at all possible... she's not suited to the job, obviously.
Several issues here. First, the task note seemed a bit much and you probably should have told her in person. Secondly, I think you should talk to her in private. Explain to her that her patient abandonment could have been a cause for harm and that you are not there to worry about her feelings but that you are both there to work together in the best interest of the patients. Explain to her that you want to work as a team and that part of team building is trust. Tell her you will try to talk to her personally or hand over task lists personally (since that seems to be her issue) but that you do expect her to do her part just as you should. I would give her a break and tell her so..."I have every right to write you up for abandonment but I am not going to because I think that this was just a misunderstanding." Let her know that she can make it hard or easy but that you like easy. Why even say all of this? Why not just write her up as the others suggested? It is very important that you get out of adversarial mode but you must also make it clear that you will not put up with dangerous behavior. I would go with team building and writing her up at the first problem is not conducive to team building. It is passive aggressive behavior that flourishes in the female nursing community. We need to learn how to respect each other, work out issues together, and quit back stabbing.
I don't know if it is the same for you at your facility, but at mine the nurses and CNA's are coworkers, so the RN does not have the right to send home or write up. They do have the right to go to Mgr. with complaint and the Mgr. has the right to do the above. I wouldn't wait until next time. I would go to the Mgr. and tell them about the incident and nip this in the bud now. Right now I work as a CNA with one more year to go for RN. I have seen both senerios. RN's that will not do a thing for a pt. and hunt down the CNA to do it and I have seen CNA's try to show the RN that they aren't going to be told what to do. It seems like it gets to be a Us aganist Them when it really should be Us as a Team.
I think it's interesting what a sharp contrast in work place attitudes there are between some older and most younger RN's. IMO - I'd much rather work with a younger RN who is humble, teachable, non-abrasive, and non-agressive in there approach. Sometimes it awe's me how nonchalant some RN's are about the metastatic effects their bad attitudes can have on rest of the work environment. Take care.
Saude,
You are really making lots of assumptions and generalizations here. Please read my answer to the original post...it is rather benign and I am an "older" nurse. Negative assumptions and generalizations are invariably malignant to one's attitude and that sort of thing seeps out in daily interaction. Please check yourself.
Personally I would have written up this CNA threes times. First, The CNA did not follow her instructions. Second, She refused actually refused to follow instructions. Third, Later in the day she was underminding your authority within the department.
Where I work I would have been allowed to fire her on the spot without cause or no reason offered. A record in her file would have followed her future job apps.
This behavior could cause unsafe patient care which is TOTALY unacceptable and could very well be a liability in the future !
Specializes in M/S, Tele, ER/Trauma, Float, Resource.
I have been a nurse for 32 years and I have to say that this is the first time I have seen where a nurse writes a note to a CNA about a few task that needs to be completed. I have been there many times on not being able to take a break due to multiple reasons. Heave pt. care, multiple task, post op pt, a pt crashing or coding, multiple Dr.'s orders, family members coming out of the walls, all wanting a piece of your time. Call me old fashion but I think that the problem started when the nurse wrote the note and asking the HUC to give it to the CNA. You should of taken the extra few seconds to find that CNA and ask her to do these task. Now a mess was born. DO NOT get involved in the rumors and what they are saying, that the aides job might be in jeopardy. Don't go there, that will bring you down to there level and game playing. To me the mistake was made at the very beginning when the note was written. Move on. The aide has already proven that she is not a team player and she is creating her own mess and problems. What the aide was out of line for was saying what she said and mentioning the N word. Thats the problem, not wether you are both white or not. Don't start a war on the unit you work on. An innocent mistake was made and the aide is not willing to bend on it. Move on, don't repeat this another time. Sorry that this happened to you but you are the professional here, you went to college for your education. Think back to what your nursing intrstructor would of told you on how to handle this situation. Nursing 101. Good luck.
I agree with just about every reply here, the CNA's behavior was completely out of line. I would've contacted the CNA directly to make sure he/she got the information, but the CNA's behavior is definitely call for write-up. The CNA's working under your license and the patients were abandoned, which puts your license in jeopardy and could cost the CNA his/her license. Thanks for you devotion to nursing and keep us informed, K?
Specializes in M/S, Tele, ER/Trauma, Float, Resource.
Don't you think that before she writes the CNA up, is she should talk to the charge nurse that day? Yes the aide was insuboordinate but who this behavior in the first place? The nurse maybe by writing the note and asking the HUC to deliver it? The nurse was just plain wrong for doing it the way she did. Now the unit is in an uproar not only by what the nurse did but more so by what the aide is saying and doing, bringing everyelse into the problem Her imstake was innocent but look at what is going on now. Don't people think that is should be left alone and if the aide repeats this ebhavior again then write her up? Did the nurse ever talk with the charge nurse about what happened the day it happened? I really hope so
I think there is more than meets the eye here. No one likes to be treated as a "gopher". All you had to do was write "could you please" on the note, and then you are a team, respecting and helping one another, instead of a ***** barking orders. How would you like it if the supervisor came and gave you a list of things to do without asking please? Yes, she has a chip on her shoulder. Yes, she was inappropriate. Did you deserve it? Maybe. I don't know how you have treated the CNAs in the past, whether intentionally or not. I always treat the CNAs at work with respect. They have a tough job. I started out as a CNA and I have taught CNA classes, so I know what they are all about. Should you write her up? No. But you should have told her that that word makes you uncomfortable and it is not appropriate for the workplace. You can be assertive without being bossy. Try - I am sorry if I upset you but I was in a rush so it could not be helped. End of story. Remember, you are supposed to be a leader. Lead by example. Then instead of this kind of response you will get Christmas presents and cards from the CNAs like I do.
Well, I think that the damage is already done. It seems to me that although this approach may be somewhat counter productive at first, it would definitely put a new perspective on things for the CNA's. I would call a meeting of the CNA's before 15 minutes before the start of the shift and explain to them the importance on "TEAM WORK" when caring for patients. I would also explain to them respect for there supervisor and that further insubordination would result in a write up. The CNA needs to understand that the patients come first and that in an emergency situation you need to know she can be depended upon. Personally I do not think she has the compassion for caregiving and maybe she should be working at Mc Donalds. Wait a miniute, I don't think Mc Donald's would hire an impersonable, uncaring, mouthie, child like her! Take a deep breathe and assert your authority, after all you have earned it!
jlst
3 Posts
You made a major supervisory mistake in apologizing to this CNA. You should've chewed her out instantly... not following RN orders is a serious professional mistake, and not showing respect for authority is just as bad.
By apologizing, you have encouraged similar behavior on her part, and her fellow CNAs... plus have weakened your supervisory authority over this errant CNA.
And using a racial epithet in the caregiver profession is really bad. I would've fired this person, if at all possible... she's not suited to the job, obviously.