Hi again, I worked as a CNA for 5 years, then graduated and worked with CNAs as an RN for 2 years in a CVICU. I became very comfortable with the CNA/RN relationship.
Then I moved to the ED, and started working with EMTs.
It's obvious some of them don't like nurses, I've heard comments like "Only a nurse could mess up cables that bad", or "These nurses need to be trained how to clean". When I ask one of them on my "team" to help out with the 3 patients we got at the same time, maybe start an IV or something, they give me attitude: "I don't need to be told how to do my job". When I don't say anything, and wait for them to do their job, I end up drowning, they don't seem to be able to see what needs to be done. (ie chatting in the clean utility room with another EMT while I'm running my a-- off) I have NO PROBLEM doing everything: cleaning, starting IVs, stocking, putting people on/off the bedpan, etc...I just can't do everything all at once, and I AM trained to be an RN and do RN stuff: assess, triage, medicate, monitor, call doctors, call floor nurses, etc...
I've never had this many problems with CNAs, usually once you show them you're willing to do what they do, they're more than willing to help. Not so much with the EMTs, they seem to not want to take "orders" from a female nurse. But I don't know how to ask them without it seeming like an order...
