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why do nursing home aides have such attitudes?

ok, i work as a social worker in a nursing home. I just dont get why most of these minority aids have such attitude problems. Some of them are so nasty to the residents. I even had some agruments with them. I worked in another nursing home before and i found the same problem there too. anyway, the other day, one of the aids came to me with an attitude problem saying that someone needed more clothes. First off, just so u know, my caseload is 85 residents. I simply do not have to to go shopping for these people. Most of the famiies are involved and we are only suppose to get it through a catalog if they do not have family involved. I cannot belive these aids -they had the gaul to say i was lazy and should just go to the store to pick something up on my lunch break. I told them i have a life too-and i need the lunch break for my own reasons and time. They kept saying that i dont work as hard as they do-oh my God-they dont even know the amount of work i have-i felt like teling them off!

Public Comments

why didn't you?
The problem in a lot of nursing homes is that they are understaffed. You might get paid more but because you have a bigger workload it is easier to suffer from burnout. What this person said to you was definitely out of line. It does sound however that the aide is frustrated that more could not be done for the patient at the moment. My best friend works as one. She told me that what also frustrates her to no end is that there are some aides that are only in it for the money. They don't even wash up properly when they go from resident to resident putting these elderly at risk. I think that the only reason why the government does not do more is because these elderly no longer vote. It is a sad reality.
you sound as if you have worked in nursing homes that do not care. as a social worker who has the responsibility for the funds ? a nursing home patient must remain with the minimum of $35.00 in their account every month from their medicaid part a or b or both. that is the law. you should enlist the assistance of volunteers to shop for them. and the next time any aide or cna gives you any stuff, just let them know that the next time state comes in that you will make sure that the know their feelings.
Breathe in... breathe out... repeat. One of THOSE days huh? I am sure you know that most all jobs have those few bad apples. Don't let them ruin your cider. Not to make excuses for these particular aides performance or attitude issues.. but if U have 85 residents as a social worker.. how many do each of them have to wash/feed/clothe, etc? - sounds like all of U need an extra long lunch break. Hang in there.. and don't let the turkeys get U down. Not even on Thanksgiving.. turkey day! BTW: telling them off will get U nowhere fast. Try to play nice. Kill them with kindness.... warm fuzzies in the workplace.. ahh..
Firstly, they are way underpaid, just like you! They do a job no one else wants to do! They are frustrated and they know that the chances of finding a better job with their limited skills and education are very small. They know you, on the other hand, have more resources and a better education, so if you wanted, you could find better work. I am not saying that they are right for showing disrespect, that is wrong, but the attitude can be understood. You just experience the worst of it all the time. If you think that they deserve to be reprimanded in some way, report them to the supervisor, immediately. Abuse of the patients should not be tolerated.
Number one... I disagree that assistants are "jealous". Number 2, just because someone is an NA doesn't mean they have limited education. Why do u say that it is only the minority? That is a stiff generalization. I have seen NAs of ALL backgrounds be rude to patients and whoever else. I always that say just because someone does a certain job it doesn't mean they are less educated or whatever. I can say this because I was an NA. Day by day we had to put up with people, especially nurses, and their "holier than thou" attitudes. But what I do know that you have a lot to deal with also. Social workers get it from all sides. There are some that just simply don't care and there are others that want to do but they can't because their hands are tied and they are limited on what they can do. I am sorry that you have to put up with disrespect. We all stress and we can never assume that our burdens are bigger than the next person's. There are alot of bad employees, nurses and assistants, in nursing homes and that overshadows the ones that are good and actually care. There is a silent but long-standing"war" btw nurses and NAs. It won't end. There are some that resent those who may have more education but we can't assume that they all are like that. I hope that you have better days. I hope this small bunch doesn't spoil it for the good ones. And it isn't only a "minority" issue. It is an EVERYONE issue that needs to be addressed.
First, if these people are abusive to the residents, you need to report them, immediately. Second, as I understand it, they dont really know what your job is. Its really none of their business, but many do not understand. I am a nursing student and frequently come up against aides that do what they can to sabotage my day and make the students' lives difficult. They are overworked, underpaid and underappreciated.
I was an aide for many years and understand the problems we are to dress the residants nicely so the nursing home doesnt look bad and if we dont or cant it comes down on our heads and im not saying your job isnt hard but we are the ones who are with these people every day I would some times bring clothes in if the home alowed it some dont but what im trying to say is that we get close to our people they almost become family and it hurts to see some one you care for that worked hard all thier lives have to wear rags because no one seems to care you know we are some times the only ones who are there when they leave this world and then we bathe them and wrap them up so if they get a little crankie try to understand what the aides are going through maybe yoou could put up a notice in the break room or in your church for donations of clothing that is still in good shape.
I would have to say that it is because they put sooooo much time into their work (or the devoted ones, at least...) that they get burned out on it. also, they take TOTAL personal care of the residents....thats alot of responsibility. well, others maybe are ALWAYS that way, even before they were an aid.
If you are a social worker, I think that your attitude is not only racial, but just as bad. You DO NOT work as hard as they do...until you have cleaned out pressure wounds that you can stick your fist in that is also infected with MRSA, changed diaper after diaper for a 12-hour shift, dealt with Alzheimer's patients that scream and cry from confusion and fear, deal with residents who has families that don't care or come by, residents that are combative from confusion and try to hit you and pull your hair out...and all of that on top of major staffing issues and budget constraints that prevent those people from giving proper care or even a proper bath to residents....where do you get off that your 9-5 air-conditioned office job is easier? All you do is touch-and-go, write a report and stick it in a file. What hardship do you suffer? You have to take your lunch at 12:30 instead of 12:00 and strain your finger from a pen that won't write well? They said you are lazy because YOU ARE lazy...an aide tried to tell you that a RESIDENT NEEDED CLOTHING and you were more concerned with your lunch break than a resident that NEEDED CLOTHES. They said that you don't work as hard as they do, because YOU DON'T. Cry me a river.
Some CNA's are rude people just like social workers, nurses, teachers, construction workers etc... When you get frustrated with your work remember that social workers in general have difficult underpaid jobs everywhere they work. BUT they don't wipe butts or clean vomit for a living. About the clothing issue did you contact the laundry room and see if the resident really doesn't have any clothes or are they just dirty?
Underpaid & Burnt out