[seniorcare]

Hello All,

I am a male CNA who has worked in LTC for 4 years. I receive some respect from a few nurses and very little respect from many nurses. I refer to both RN and LPN. Do you have respect for your hard working, caring CNA? If yes, why? If no, why? I am trying to gain some insight here. I just cannot figure out why so many nursing assistants that are model nurses providing superior care receive little or no respect. What is going on?

[sweetnurse6740]

I will have to say that in my 11 years in LTC, I have nothing but the utmost respect for the CNA's that I have woked with. With out them I would be in big trouble. They spend so much more time with the residents and when they know their residents well, cantell of subtle changes that someone else might not pick up. I ahve also worked with CNA's that strictly did it for a paycheck and had no compassion what so ever for the residents but, I still gave them respect because those people always had a way of weeding themselves out. As a nurse in LTC I would like for all CNA's to know that you are greatly appreciated and you make all the difference in the world.

[MagRedC5]

[ QUOTE ]
seniorcare said:
Hello All,

I am a male CNA who has worked in LTC for 4 years. I receive some respect from a few nurses and very little respect from many nurses. I refer to both RN and LPN. Do you have respect for your hard working, caring CNA? If yes, why? If no, why? I am trying to gain some insight here. I just cannot figure out why so many nursing assistants that are model nurses providing superior care receive little or no respect. What is going on?

[/ QUOTE ]
The certified nurse assistant (CNA), although often taken for granted, is essential to the success LTC health care team. Dawson, Harahan, and Stone (2004) showed the American Health Care Association found there are 52,000 CNA vacancies nationwide. Furthermore, vacancy and turnover rates are extremely high, with 91 percent of LTC facilities not meeting minimal CNA staffing levels (Chutka, Evans, and Fleming, 2003). Amy Zimmerhanzel, Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) and Unit Manager for Heartland, an Austin-area LTC facility, stated staffing issues and scheduling of nurses as well as CNAs take up a majority of her time (personal communication, July 14, 2004).

The current LTC workplace is not sustainable if it cannot attract and retain sufficient numbers of competent health care workers, including CNAs. Nurse managers need to examine their respective units to ensure the environment promotes teamwork, encourages retention, as well as career advancement for CNAs.

Nurse managers must work to raise consciousness among staff nurses about the real value that CNAs add to health care. The days of treating CNAs as a commodity must end. The average staffing level in 2001 was 3.5 hours of care per resident day. This equates to approximately 14 RN minutes, 14 licensed vocational nurse minutes, whereas CNAs spent 42 minutes of care in an eight-hour shift with residents (Wells, 2004). Even though CNAs practice lower levels of care, such as bathing, dressing, feeding and toileting patients they may take any action that a reasonable, prudent non-health care professional would take in an emergency situation (BNE, 224.6, 2003). While CNAs are busy providing lower levels of care, such as activities of daily living, the RN is able to spend quality time on patient assessments and nursing care plans. Therefore, it is important for RNs and CNAs to foster a good working relationship. Managers should encourage a unit environment to be more nurturing and supportive.

The above is a portion of a term paper I did during my UTMB, at Galveston, RN-BSN online program. References available upon request.

[tmoorelpn]

Prior to being a nurse, I was a CNA. I worked on a very "heavy" unit and I worked my butt off every single night that I was there. So I haven't forgotten what it's like to have five people needing to go to the bathroom at the same time and of course they usually want to go to bed at the same time too I try to help the CNAs whenever and however I can. I know the job isn't easy because I've done it. I remember the nurses that helped me and I thought they were the best and I loved going the extra mile for them because they helped me when I needed it the most. CNAs are the backbone of nursing plain and simple.

[ns lpn]

Yes, I think the CNA's provide one of the most improtant functions of nursing-personal care. The CNA's where I work often go above and beyond the call of duty and are the hardest workers around. I hope anyone working as a CNA knows how important they are not just to the patient but to the health care team. I have a good working relationship with the CNA's at my LTC facility because I know when it comes to the patients they know them the best and make no bones about it.

[1mg.epi]

I respect my CNA's if they deserve it. Some are so wonderful and helpful. Some are not worth the gum on the bottom of my shoes. Just like some RN's and LPN's. It all comes down to the person, NOT the job title.

One thing people who do not get much resepct must look at, is it one or two people. If it is more than that maby that person is the problem.

[nylpn05]

I work with in general 5 CNA's daily..of the five, there is ONE who does her job and does it damn good. She doesn't have to be looked after and she takes pride in her work. She works her butt off and I help her as much as I can. The other 4 usually need to be babysat all day, and should work flipping burgers at McDonalds..they missed their calling. I'm disgusted with the element of PEOPLE this place hires to care for the residents. 90% (no lie) are convicts, if there were drug testing here, they'd lose about the same percentage of CNA's. Hopeless..

[Ohnurse]

Yes, absolutely.
I never worked as a CNA, but I've been an LPN for 22 years. I was called to a facility one night by my agency, and found they had one CNA for the entire building (over 100 beds). I was one of two LPNs who volunteered to be CNAs for the night, so the staff nurses could do their own work. (they gave me the choice)I had 24 skilled residents, all incontinent, all needing to be turned. I made two rounds the entire eight hours, with a ten minute break between and stayed busy. My back was a mess and I felt sad I didn't have enough time to spend giving proper care.

[Registered Nurse]

Yes, I respect people and CNAs are inclusive. I was a nursing assistant and an LPN before becoming an RN.

I am wondering what specifics your are talking about regarding respect?

[Shelly Levitt]

Most people who do not respect CNA's have no idea how hard they work and should not be placed in a position of authority. If someone is disrespecting CNA's then I think their superior should make them take an assignment for one day and evalute how good and how fast they could do the job!!!! I know how much crap the CNA's have to take from the confused residents that resist care and the ungrateful demanding family members. The least one can do is to give them the support and understanding that any Human Being Deserves. TOO ALL CNA's a BIG HUG XOXO.