Why are some aides so disrespectful?

Nurses Relations

Updated:   Published

This morning I was treated very disrespectfully by an aide. I've been reading the threads on here about disrespectful aides to try to learn how to deal with this particular aide. However, from what I'm reading, it seems that it won't matter what I do or say -- the problem is in the system that allows them to get away with it. It seems that management and administration always side with the aides. Why is this? I feel that if an LPN were disrespectful to an RN or supervisor, they'd get written up.....why not the aides?

It is not necessarily because the aides are part of a union which suppports them because there's no union where I work.

Could it be that they know they won't be fired because they're too hard to replace at the low pay they're earning?

I just wonder why aides are allowed to get away with poor behavior when I don't believe any other level of nursing is allowed to get away with it. Does anyone have any insight into this? I'd like to feel that I could discuss this with my superiors or human resources but if they're just going to turn a deaf ear, then there's no point.

Interesting, hiddencatRN. I will think about this.

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hurty25, thank you for all your comments. I've worked as an aide and know how hard and stressful it is. Definitely, I want aides to get their breaks. Also, they know that I'm there to help them with whatever comes up, and I let them know how much I appreciate them.

As I said above, I wouldn't have asked her to help if she'd been in the breakroom. However, I'd actually seen this aide in the breakroom earlier in the morning...and she was working away at the cell phone then, too...so I didn't think she was on break again in the dining room.

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farah1 said:
@hiddencatrn- Command? Yeah right. I'd like to see you command me and see how it blows up in your face.

No reason to use a tactic on someone who does his or her job without constant push back. Taking the question out of delegation worked in the particular situation after trying the team approach failed miserably. I wasn't interested in running to management, and before going the route of just never asking that tech for help, I gave telling a try. This tech and I now have a much better working relationship compared to before.

I prefer the team, we're all in this together approach, but you know, some folks just aren't team people.

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Specializes in Mental & Behavioral Health/Geriatrics.

High expectations and standards should be held of everyone involved directly in patient's care and well-being, regardless of pay. No patients or other employees consider your pay when you are being unprofessional, only your attitude. Aides are still professionals like everyone else who had to go through a certain amount of studying and training and pass a test to become certified. That holds them responsible for their actions as well, and no one should expect little of their colleagues in this situation.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

We all have worked with staff that are difficult to get along with-some people have a chip on their shoulder and resent any type of instructions or directions.They seem to enjoy creating discord on the unit and reaping attention from management. It's not about "getting out of your own stink" (whatever that means) You can respectfully and professionally address them and no matter what you say or how you say it they WILL have a problem with you because they choose to do so.You may want to try to always have a witness to your interactions.

In my experience when you are dealing with this type of person you first make sure your management is aware of the problem and discuss how they feel you can best manage the situation.Chances are they are well aware this person can be a problem.Next you document specific instances in which you instructed this person to offer care to a resident and they failed to do so and present same to your management.These people are bullies and if you show any weakness the behaviors will escalate.You can NOT loose you cool or back down.Bottom line-they are neglecting the care of the resident and YOU are esponsible,you are the resident's advocate. . I have worked with management that believed in bringing the conflicting staff together to discuss the situation-I discovered that if I kept my mouth shut the other person just picked up that shovel in the room and dug their own grave.In other situations we were spoken to seperately and encouraged to meet alone and "clear the air".That only works if management has reminded the cna that indeed they DO have to work under your direction.It is successful if you remember to allow the other person ample time to speak and can avoid making inflammatory responses.You do have to verbalize that you recognize their feelings and make sure you have an open listening posture.

You may be able to turn this person into one of your strongest team players-do some research here and on the web,ask for guidance from your management and take the time to follow through.Whatever this person's problem is it's likely that they are not happy and no-one has ever taken the time to really mentor them.You can really make the difference-Good luck

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farah1 said:

Let me tell you something people. Nurses and Techs or CNA's are suppose to work as a team for the good of the patients. Don't think that becasue you are a nurse, you can talk to Techs/CNA's in any way you choose and no you are no better. Everybody need to respect each other and be professional. Remember, those Techs/CNA"s are your eyes and your ears, they may be able to detect certain things that you do not becasue they have direct patient care and spend much more time with the patients than you do. Where I work we respect each other, and if there is a problem we talk about it once and keep on moving. I am a tech now and will be graduating as an RN in the next couple of months. You all need to start being professional and get out of your stink.

This is where the problem lies. Justified by this:

( I doubt this poster will be an" RN in a few months"- that close to graduation, one would hopefully have learned the accountability and responsibilty of the license.)

and this notion:

"Aides are still professionals like everyone else who had to go through a certain amount of studying and training and pass a test to become certified"

Then there is the sentiment:

"I should be an RN because I've been around healthcare for 10 years." This UAP acted on their belief and began practicing nursing without a license, inspite of being told by 3 RN's to stop doing so- myself, the nurse manager and the nursing supervisor (This UAP was promptly reported to the state Dept of Health, by myself, for their boldness and the facility recieved a deficiency for it! Maybe the DOH was able to explain the difference between licensed Nurse and UAP where this UAP found clarifcation.

I whole heartedly agree with Brandon- this crap doesn't go on in the military heathcare facilites. Everyone knows their rank and place. Better work environment all around because of it and things get done as they should. I have worked in both- military and civilan. I prefer military over the 'wishwashy' ways of civilan anyday. Corporals, airman and privates(the UAP's) don't tell the Lt's, Capt's, Majors and Lt Col's( Nurses)- to "do it yourself, I'm busy and continue to yak on their cell phones"!!( they are a shoe in to loose the few stripes they do have with this attitude and behavior; not to mention, a pay reduction. it's called "busting them down") Cell phones should not be used in a patient care area to begin with. Most facilities have policies against this practice for a number of reasons- it's rude to other staff and patients, and it's distracting to the workflow. Breaks are taken in the"Breakroom" not in patient care areas.

As the OP stated: the facilities( all- LTC, acute care and community health centers) are to blame- they view licensed nurses as "a dime a dozen" in which case- the administrations of these places should take the sole responsibility for any adverse outcome that arises.

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I think the solution to this disrepect to the licensed nursing staff by UAP's is : get rid of all aids/UAP's. Hire the new grads in their place-

the new grads will no longer be forced to work for free doing these stupid profession murdering "free labor" gigs,

they are formally educated and thus better prepared and have a deeper appreciation for the healthcare environment than than a UAP,

it provides the new grad with valuable hands on experience and skills and prepares them to assume roles of being in charge of a patient assignement solo,

It eliminates costly and lengthy orientations,

It doesn't take away from the staffing numbers the way orienting a new grad does.

Then when patient's address some one as "Nurse" all can honestly answer Yes. No mis- representation about it

It's a win-win situation.

Shangri La will once again permeate the hall of patient care areas. All will understand why they are there.The respect amounst the nursing staff and for the nursing staff will once again prevail.( at least the inner turmoil amongst"all nurses" staff will be solved. Next up is the ludicriss and vulgar CEO salaries)

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It is NOT because they are difficult to replace. In my facility .. for every CNA position there are 20 applicants.

They are "getting away with disrespectful behavior" because the correct documentation has not been given to administration.

Nothing will happen if you are afraid to even "discuss" the problem.

Thoroughly document each and every time it occurs. If the insubordination is affecting patient care... STOP what you are doing and call supervision in to evaluate the situation.

Insubordinate assistants will quickly learn .. you will NOT put up with it.

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Thank you, Been there, done that! I think you are absolutely right. I'll start documenting and giving to the administration.

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I'm still confused, if you had time to stop and ask the aide to take the patient to the service, why not take the extra few steps to just deliver her yourself? I do not see you taking any responsibility for this mishap, when the reality is, there is more than one issue to address. How many breaks does your facility give? Ours has a 15 at the beginning and a 15 at the end paid break. We also get a 30 minute unpaid lunch break. Are you suggesting there is not more than one break to your work day? Even an 8 hour shift normally gets a lunch break and a 15 minute (what used to be called smoke) break. Is it not plausible this aide was legitimately on her second break, since you saw her in the break room earlier?

You failed to ask the appropriate question. Then got angry at her for continuing with what she indicated was her break. She failed to tell you she was on break. I see this as nothing more than a communication problem, both of you need to resolve. And before I report someone for insubordination, I'm going to make sure there is actual insubordination occuring.

I understand you said you were busy. However, I feel you wasted time talking with this aide when you could have taken a couple minutes and done the job yourself. Then you would have been applauded by the patient. Now the patient feels like none of the nursing staff cares if her spiritual needs have been met, because both of you have failed her.

I have been disrespected by nurses before. I have seen aides disrespect nurses. It goes both ways. But this is not a disrespect issue. It may be a lazy aide issue, which needs to be documented further. But not one of blatant disrespect. You need to make your needs clearly known. My nurses do it often, "hey, I'd toilet patient X but I'm horribly behind with meds, could you go help?" or "you know Patient Z takes an hour to situate each positional change and I have to get this tube feed started, can you take care of it for me?" SURE! I'm your assistant. It's what I do. Do NOT, however,expect me to stop my break, which may be the only time I sit down for 12.5 hours to do work off the clock. It's illegal, last I checked.

Let's not pretend nurses get a free for all while aides do the grunt work. Treat me with respect, I will be your best friend and you will want to only work with me every shift. Treat me like the dirt on the bottom of your shoe, and I may magically never be able to find help for 2 assist patient lifts except for you.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Quote

I'm still confused, if you had time to stop and ask the aide to take the patient to the service, why not take the extra few steps to just deliver her yourself?

#1- because I was the only nurse on the floor and could not leave it unattended at that time.

#2-I was waiting for a return call from an MD.

#3- I was still administering my AM meds.

#4- I was still completing my AM documentation and I asked you to.

#5- I was starting my morning treatments after my med pass.

#6-because I can do YOUR job but you can't do MINE and come 3pm you'll be leaving promptly while I am still trying to finish mine .

#7-because in the time it would take me to take the resident all of the way over to the chapel I could have finished all of the above and then had time to actually take a break myself (which is something many of us nurses don't get to do)

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Well then, I'll say your aides are lucky as there's not a single shift I get out on time for. Most of our aides don't get out on time. I usually run about an hour late trying to finish things up, and sometimes S*** hits the fan and it's even later that I get to clock out.

How does anything you stated indicate you had a right to make her work on her break, though? I often don't take breaks as an aide, so maybe I'm just a little more protective of the times that I do. The only time I do take a break is if I'm falling asleep standing up (I work nights), which normally means I'm getting sick. I'll take that unpaid lunch break only and take a power nap. Frankly, half of our aides don't take breaks. However, if I do take one, I would not appreciate anyone asking me to do something on that break. I would also say I'm on break though, or maybe reply with "I can bring her down as soon as I clock back in" so my nurse would know I'm off the clock. Our nurses wouldn't expect us to give up breaks though. They show us a lot of respect, and in return we give it back. Maybe I'm just lucky to work in a facility where respect is mutual. Actually, I've never had a nurse look at me and just say "can you do this?" It's normally prefaced with "are you busy?" We do have those employees everyone knows is lazy, and I'm thinking your situation is more plausibly a lazy issue...if anything is wrong. However, I still lean heavily on "miscommunication" from both sides.

I will give you this though, being the only nurse on the floor does make it difficult, as does the waiting on the MD to call. In that I can understand why you would ask for help. I can appreciate the gravity of that responsibility.

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