Do you work in a nursing home or assisted living as a nurse? If so I am sure you work with CNAs, STNAS, and other nursing assistants.
Be Careful! I have spoke with four nurses this year (two in the last month and half) who disciplined (informally) STNAs or who were perceived as "being hard" on STNAs by encouraging the STNAs "do to their job" and all 4 nurses have been accused of patient abuse or neglect by the STNAs later down the road.
Guess what? STNAs for the most part are not licensed by the State Board of Nursing and even if they are licensed, STNAS and CNAs do not have "as much to lose" as a nurse who is terminated, reported to the State Department of Health or another agency and investigated, and also reported to the State Board of Nursing or Attorney General's office and investigated.
Why don't DONs and ADONs and Administrator give nurses the benefit of doubt in these types of matters and internal investigations? I mean at-will employment is one thing, but what happened to treating a fellow colleague with respect and fairness? Is it too much to ask to be treated fairly if you are a nurse and you work in long-term care?
I don't know but if you are a nurse and you work in a nursing home you know the politics and the complaining that is involved in a typical day of work. Protect yourself and your license. If the environment is too toxic, go per diem and find employment elsewhere or consider working part-time at the nursing home and part-time elsewhere.
Don't sweat the small stuff because as a nurse you can find a position anywhere! You are not licensed by the facility and you have employment options that CNAs and STNAs don't have and will never have.
Don't become so attached to a facility and the residents that you can't see that it is time to move on until its too late. I know you love the residents but you should love your unrestricted nursing license, your livelihood, and yourself even more.
Soon To Be RN,
Thank you for the comment. The post doesn't bash CNAs, STNAs, and MAs. It is an actual problem.
The good, the bad, and the ugly acting exist in every profession, trade, or occupation.
State Board of Nursing complaints are in indeed investigated. However who wants to be the subject of a Nursing Board investigation for a frivolous complaint that takes months or years to resolve?
Who wants to hire an attorney for Nursing Board representation that may cost thousands of dollars to defend a frivolous complaint?
Again, I say to all nurses if you work in long-term care, be careful!
Posted by: latonia | July 30, 2008 at 06:36 PM
Why is it that nurses are given the benefit of the doubt and not the CNA's? We all know nurses take BIG shortcuts in LTC. They borrow meds and use other suspect methods. Guess what? Frivolous complaints are thrown out and/or punished by BON's. Sounds more like CNA bashing than an actual problem...
Posted by: Soon To Be RN | July 30, 2008 at 06:25 PM
Nursing assistants do have a lot to lose they are reported to board of health and their certificate are taken, investigated, and can never wordk as an stna,cns again.
Posted by: angela smith | July 21, 2008 at 03:15 PM
Nurse Job,
I am glad to hear that you have not faced this type of situation in long-term care.
Posted by: latonia | July 19, 2008 at 08:40 AM
I haven't faced this situation.....
Posted by: Nurse Job | July 19, 2008 at 12:18 AM