what does being written up really means ?

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Mar 4, 2016

I think:

It's not your job to prevent falls!!

You did nothing negligent per your post.

As a former CNA, I know that we can be blamed for a lot of stuff outside of our control.

I think you did the right thing by breaking her fall/letting her fall safely.

You are not supposed to break a persons fall with your body.

If you had, and had become injured, there's a chance the facility would have said you didn't follow policy/protocol related to falling.

From what I read in your post, you transferee her with a 1 person assist, which is the transfer she is supposed to have.

If you'd transferee a 2 person assist by yourself, or failed to use a hoyer, or violated some other policy related to transferring, that would be different.

I'm sorry that your facility believes in writing up CNAs/staff if a resident falls.

Not all falls are preventable---unless you're willing to get hurt and then be written up, still, for failure to follow policy.

I just saw that you're saying she was recently changed to a 2 person assist.

In my opinion, the facility should have a better policy to inform you, CNAs, of changes. Are you supposed to look up changes before you answer a call light? Does your shift report include changes to ambulatory status?

If not, how would you know?

When I was a CNA, shift report didn't usually include these things. Nor did I have a chance to look at the chart before assuming care.

There's a possibility that the status was Neger changed in the chart, as well. I'd ask for proof before admitting wrong doing.

I'm sorry this is happening. They may just need a scape-goat.

FYI: an a nurse, we are held accountable to know all of these things. We ask for it before assuming care/ receiving report and we confirm the info in the computerized charting. But, we only have 5 pts max.

Though it's probably time consuming, perhaps in the future it would be good to create a "brain/note sheet" each shift with pertinent info....

Ness25 · Mar 4, 2016

Thank up you so much it's means a lot and I appreciate you taking time out to respond to my post I feel horribly but you made me feel a little better.. Thanks a lot

Missingyou, CNA · Mar 5, 2016

What it comes down to is that even though she's always been a one assist and was only recently changed to a 2 assist...the fact is, she was a 2 assist. You didn't check the care plan and that is why you were written up.

You weren't written up because she fell, you were written up because she was a 2 assist & you transferred her by yourself and she fell. They are basically saying that she likely would not have fallen if the care plan was followed.

Let this be a lesson (especially since you don't work that floor regularly) to ALWAYS check the care plan, yes, even if you just took care of that person yesterday and you "know" what their status was yesterday. Things change..as you found out the hard way.

If your aren't scheduled to meet with a supervisor, I'd suggest you request one just to let them know that you realize your mistake of not checking the care plan first. Let them know that this will never happen again. ...it could save your job.

Ness25 · Mar 5, 2016

Thank you for ur respond I appreciate it a lot

elizabethpeacock · Mar 24, 2016

If you did not follow policy and did not follow the plan of care that was in place, then you have a good chance of being removed from that facility or possibly fired. You may just be disciplined with a warning or suspension. However, it is a basic rule that you be aware of the patient's plan of care even when it changes - that means you check at the start of every shift. Always remember that people's status can change - sometimes dramatically - depending on medication, infection, etc. Just because you transferred someone last week and they were fine doesn't mean that you can transfer them without looking up what is going on. And any time the patient winds up on a lower surface in an unintentional way, that is a fall...

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Mar 25, 2016

Today I had a "fall risk" pt.

Ok so I had my game on point regarding preventing falls.

They neglected to tell me he becomes violent when redirected. SMH. A staff was assaulted. I didn't even know he had a hx of this. They asked me why I think he assaulted the staff person.

Come to find out at shift change, he's hit and punched staff for the last few days. [emoji29]

BBboy · Mar 25, 2016

Agreed with everyone else, the 2 person assist will always get you pretty much where ever you go. Knowing that you're from agency and not a normal staff member it does suck that you weren't personally informed about the change, I know that when I used to work memory care any changes to a pt's status or care plan was recorded in our 24 hour log book and it was our duty to check that book prior to the start of every shift (meaning we had to go back and look at all the days we hadn't worked as well so that we didn't miss anything)