Yesterday, I had the patient assignment from hell. My side was full, a bunch in isolation, and about 6 that were so much work, I had little time to help the other two nurses that I was assigned to. The aide on the other side is just off of orientation (and she got a much longer orientation than I did). At least three times yesterday, I had nurses from the other side come to me and ask where the aide for their side was. I'd seen her twice during the day. Once when I was in the pantry getting washcloths ready for baths, and again about 1:00 when she decided she was going to lunch. (Never mind I got no lunch yesterday, but that's another story).
Since the other nurses obviously needed help since they asked me where the aide was, I offered to help. I do this a lot, and I really don't mind. One nurse got an admission, and since I was doing vitals on my side, I offered to do this patient's admission vitals. While we were in the room, I could tell the nurse was livid about not being able to find the aide. After the patient was settled, we left the room so the family could go in and she thanked me. I told her it wasn't a problem, and she said "Yes, it IS a problem. You shouldn't have to stop your work and do hers." I told her I didn't mind, but I could tell she was still really angry, so I let it go.
Then the other nurse comes to me and asked if I saw the other aide. I said "not for about 2 hours" and asked if she needed help. She said she did, but then she said the aide "said she was coming right back."
Should I have helped her? I got the feeling she didn't want my help, so I went back to my vitals.
This was the first day I worked with her as she is new, and always had a preceptor before-- working the other side of the floor. What bothered me about this one was I found out she never did the AC breakfast blood sugars on her patients (and I found this out way after they had all eaten). From what I've heard from the other aides, she's very untrainable and does whatever she wants. I've only had one experience, and I can say I am not impressed.
However, I hope I only need to suck it up a little bit longer... I keep praying I'll get the job in Hospice, and I'm sure the nurses will be telling the unit manager about what happened yesterday as the one was very angry (and I don't see her get angry very often). She's the one that will speak her mind.
I must've skipped over the part in your OP where you mentioned this other aide was just off orientation. That, in itself, should make you &/or the nurses want to say something so that you can put a stop to bad or old habits before things get any worse. Considering she is new to the facility, try talking to her first and nicely pointing out what's bothering you & the nurses. Then, if that doesn't work &/or the problems continue, approach the manager. Does this aide have any prior experience working as one? Regardless, as I said earlier, "Nothing will change &/or be corrected regarding the other aide's behavior until you speak-up and do something about it."
Ironically, now that I'm aware of her just getting off orientation, your story sounds eerily familiar to what I just got done dealing with last week. I was training a brand new LPN whose only job experience was as an LPN at a LTC facility for 2 months prior to this job. He never worked anywhere as a CNA. So to put it mildly, the past 2 months of training him were a hair-pulling nightmare. No matter what I said or did to help him, the same issues kept coming up. And I did say something, and several times, to the higher ups regarding his progress, or lack thereof. Unfortunately, they were all about giving him the benefit of the doubt and would only say to me "He just needs more time" or "He's still learning". I hope to God they were right because he's now off orientation and, when he comes back from vacation, will be taking patients all on his own w/o someone standing in the shadows to guide him along. Honestly, it was very frustrating being his preceptor because I had never dealt with an orientee who struggled so much & just "didn't get it", and at the same time, lacked the support of higher ups who couldn't even give me suggestions or ideas on how to "fix the issues" when everything else failed. And if they're not willing to support me or take me seriously, who will?
If you keep doing her work for her she a) wont ever learn her job properly and b) will never get any time management skills. Or she could just be bone idle and you are letting her get away with it. Any which way yu look at it you end up being the patsy following around behind her cleaning up the mess.I don't know about you but I'm too old to do my work and someone elses.
But what happens if no blood sugars get done if I don't do them? The nurses won't be able to give coverage, and that's endangering a patient... I will not let that happen.
I hear what your saying. Are your pts unstable diabetics? Honestly you will end up killing yourself, burning out and no good to anyone if you keep this level of work up. maybe when you finally do see her you could ask her if she is having problems with her workload, explain the importance of doing the things like blood sugars and obs before she toddles off to spend the rest of the day in hiding. let her know that you are aware that she is a slacker.
Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.
You sound like the type of aide that I love to work with. Thank you so much for all that you do. Having a good aide can make a horrible day a manageable one. I know that you don't always get the respect that you deserve but I want you to know that you guys have saved my shift more than once!!
Thank you for being so willing to help the nurses who got stuck with the missing aide (BTW, I think I work with her--I've seen her around somewhere...check the break room).
but what happens if no blood sugars get done if i don't do them? the nurses won't be able to give coverage, and that's endangering a patient... i will not let that happen.
i'm not saying you should "ignore" what the other aide has not done, especially if it's important to the patient's well-being &/or safety. but you can't let her behavior, actions, and attitude continue on. you are not helping yourself, your co-workers, and most importantly, the patients. either you or one of these nurses has to be woman-/man- enough to talk to management about this, before something serious happens that all of you could've prevented.
maybe this will make my point clear: imagine you & others continue to sit back and do nothing about this aide's work ethics, knowing full well that it puts the patients' safety & well-being at risk. then one day there is an incident involving a patient that may have been caused by or a result of the aide's careless attitude. yes, she will be held accountable for her actions, especially if it can be proved that they directly or indirectly caused the incident or that she could've prevented it from occurring. but you & the others might also be, too. why, you ask? because you guys had first-hand knowledge that she was not performing the duties of her job &/or in a safe manner, yet did nothing about it. thus, that makes each and every one of you equally responsible for putting these patients and their lives in harms way.
so do you really want to be caught up in this mess more than what you already are? sooner or later, this person is going to screw up royally. and when she does, you and anyone else that was aware of the problems will be taken down with her.
I am an RN on a busy cardiac unit. We have recently gone through some staff changes that have left my shift (3pm-11pm) short nurses aides. We have hired new aides, but while they are on orientation, they can't be alone. Unfortunately, that means that our "seasoned" aides frequently have up to 18 pts to get vitals and blood sugars on, as well as toilet, clean, etc. While I am of the opinion that as a nurse I am not above helping a pt to the bathroom, cleaning them, etc. Sometimes with my assignment, it is all I can do to give meds on time. Throw in the family with customer service issues (true story...) that has another RN assigned but are still asking for me (since I took care of their dad or whoever last night) since they hate this nurse, and I absolutely cannot be of much help to my overworked aide. On the rare occasions when I have an easy pt load (sort of), I try to help. But it isn't easy.
The worst part of this is that because of the shortage of aides, they are burning out the really good ones, who will eventually quit.
It's no wonder they disappear! I dont' blame them! Sometimes I feel like it too!
One thing I have noticed is that the aides will help each other if they can, but only to an extent. There is a time when you have to sink or swim in any aspect of health care. Either do your job, or find other means of income. The ones who are a problem don't last long on my unit.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I remember working as an aide where the other aides would disappear when I needed help with the heavy patients. It was disgusting, to say the least, because they had no problem seeking me out when they needed my help. It is a physically taxing job to be a CNA. What I think is that the managers should promote them to work together and write up the ones that don't, but that is easier said than done.
Now, being a nurse, it is even more annoying for me when they can't be found, or make up excuses for why they will not help us. It also makes me feel sort of bad, because recently I was in their shoes. But, bottom line, is that we each have a role. I am sure that most nurses here would love to grow arms to help them out even more than we already do, but then, who will do our work...and document?
Update: She was back today. I think someone must have said something to her because she stayed on her side and I didn't hear a peep out of the nurses. Course, we were all busy today because we were discharging like crazy.....
Update: She was back today. I think someone must have said something to her because she stayed on her side and I didn't hear a peep out of the nurses. Course, we were all busy today because we were discharging like crazy.....
Maybe someone stuck some Duct tape to the bottom of her Crocs...;)
Glad she acted like a REAL aid this time.... Keep us posted on the
Ok I just got back home from work.....few hrs ago (I am addicted to all nurses.com)
I had a very very busy day today. I had 5 patients and they all had multiple IV meds, not to mention 3 critical lab values and all those K-riders and trips to the CT...I swear they all had appointments with CT!!
We had one aide but she was sitting with a 51/50 patient:madface: So in a sense no aides all day:angryfire
Anyhow, it was 1515. I was giving reports to the on coming RN, my one patient just got back from CT, she was hungry and I still had to hang all her piggy backs.....the aid (she is the one who hides from us always....in the break room always applying lotion on her hands) was doing vitals....my patient was on the call light, the aid goes to the patient's room and then she comes running back to me...in the midst of my report she tells me...."your patient in 10A is calling you, she said she wants some ice chips and she wants her ice bag to be filled (the pt is getting k-rider)" I was just about to open my mouth..."Could you..." but before I had a chance to request her she said..."I am doing vitals"......then she took off....
The on coming RN and I just looked at each other....
On our floor we practically have to beg that aid to help us out....she is the full time one....the other part time aid is awesome....we told our manager many times, but you can not fire her because of the union....I wish she would just quit....then the part time nice aid will be able to become full time:lol2:
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Ok I just got back home from work.....few hrs ago (I am addicted to all nurses.com)
I had a very very busy day today. I had 5 patients and they all had multiple IV meds, not to mention 3 critical lab values and all those K-riders and trips to the CT...I swear they all had appointments with CT!!
We had one aide but she was sitting with a 51/50 patient:madface: So in a sense no aides all day:angryfire
Anyhow, it was 1515. I was giving reports to the on coming RN, my one patient just got back from CT, she was hungry and I still had to hang all her piggy backs.....the aid (she is the one who hides from us always....in the break room always applying lotion on her hands) was doing vitals....my patient was on the call light, the aid goes to the patient's room and then she comes running back to me...in the midst of my report she tells me...."your patient in 10A is calling you, she said she wants some ice chips and she wants her ice bag to be filled (the pt is getting k-rider)" I was just about to open my mouth..."Could you..." but before I had a chance to request her she said..."I am doing vitals"......then she took off....
The on coming RN and I just looked at each other....
On our floor we practically have to beg that aid to help us out....she is the full time one....the other part time aid is awesome....we told our manager many times, but you can not fire her because of the union....I wish she would just quit....then the part time nice aid will be able to become full time:lol2:
Unions can be a blessing and a curse; they retain bad employees and good ones, but the good ones really, really pay for remaining. I have a few that are similar if not worse...
;)
swee2000
258 Posts
I must've skipped over the part in your OP where you mentioned this other aide was just off orientation. That, in itself, should make you &/or the nurses want to say something so that you can put a stop to bad or old habits before things get any worse. Considering she is new to the facility, try talking to her first and nicely pointing out what's bothering you & the nurses. Then, if that doesn't work &/or the problems continue, approach the manager. Does this aide have any prior experience working as one? Regardless, as I said earlier, "Nothing will change &/or be corrected regarding the other aide's behavior until you speak-up and do something about it."
Ironically, now that I'm aware of her just getting off orientation, your story sounds eerily familiar to what I just got done dealing with last week. I was training a brand new LPN whose only job experience was as an LPN at a LTC facility for 2 months prior to this job. He never worked anywhere as a CNA. So to put it mildly, the past 2 months of training him were a hair-pulling nightmare. No matter what I said or did to help him, the same issues kept coming up. And I did say something, and several times, to the higher ups regarding his progress, or lack thereof. Unfortunately, they were all about giving him the benefit of the doubt and would only say to me "He just needs more time" or "He's still learning". I hope to God they were right because he's now off orientation and, when he comes back from vacation, will be taking patients all on his own w/o someone standing in the shadows to guide him along. Honestly, it was very frustrating being his preceptor because I had never dealt with an orientee who struggled so much & just "didn't get it", and at the same time, lacked the support of higher ups who couldn't even give me suggestions or ideas on how to "fix the issues" when everything else failed. And if they're not willing to support me or take me seriously, who will?