Advice on mentoring inexperienced CNA

1 She's very young (19 or 20) and this is her 1st CNA job (it may also be her 1st job period!). I've personally seen that she shows little initiative and is difficult to find on the floor... if you know what I mean. Other/more experienced CNAs/nurses relate to me similar observations. She has told me she's interested in becoming a nurse and is "taking some prerequisites". Sometimes I get the vibe from her that she thinks nurses have it easy just passing meds while the CNAs answer all the call lights etc... which as we nurses know is not the case. I'd like some feedback on how to motivate or mentor her. Any input would be appreciated!
Ive been in her shoes now im in yours..the best advice I would give is encourge her to become a nurse..then let her see for herself ,as a nurse, how it really is..experience is the best education/ eye opener.

We have young NA's who are studying nursing on my unit. Aside from teaching them CNA duties, I take the time to educate them about nursing, and allow them to ask questions. Also, when I'm taking vitals, doing dressing changes, or giving meds, I will explain the rationales. This is my approach with all the NA's, not just the ones in nursing school. I find this approach helps them to understand why their roles are important, which builds a team, rather than the tired us vs them mentality.

I'm a CNA, and I understand your frustration, believe me we feel the same way about fellow CNA's that are "underproductive". My suggestion is that you have one (or more) of the other CNA's talk with her, ask them how they do things, make her feel more like a team player.

Is there any other profession ,but nursing ...that feels a slacker needs "motivation and mentoring"?Slackers need to be disciplined according to policy.... PERIOD. She has already figured out how to get OUT of working, so she must be able to realize that doing so compromises patient care.

I would not have another CNA talk to her! I am dealing with this crap now and I would much prefer criticism from a nurse! Make her feel like part of the team and make her understand. What she does is important and why. This can go along way

I think it doesn't matter which profession one is in, a lazy person is a lazy person. Personally I jump when a bed alarm goes off (I work the night shift on a psych ward as a "Mental Health Worker" ie CNA lol), and for good reason. I would hate for any of the patients to end up on the floor (the paper work is immense esp. for the nurses), and I enjoy getting positive feedback on how well our shift works. However, I do realize that I tend to pull my weight and that of my fellow workers alot. Most of the Nurses help with the call lights and every other small thing - getting a glass of water, toileting..it makes me feel like part of a team. They don't "belittle" us (CNAs). On the flip side, there are some nurses I've worked with who sat in front of the computer screen on fb or watching some video while the call lights were almost deafening. I had to ask one if he felt it was too much to ask if he could please answer the call lights if he notices we're held up helping other patients? . I guess my point is, people are different. Some people like to help, some just don't care. I personally like to make sure I did my job to the best of my ability at the end of the shift. If am feeling tired, I verbalize it. I too, am working on my "pre requisites" haha but at this point am torn on whether to go with nursing or respiratory care. Am sure I'll figure it out by the end of my school year. Good luck with the CNA.

Some CNAs tended to diasappear once they knew nursing students were in the floor doing rotations. On my second to the last rotation, some were in the lounge having their break complaining that our group was not doing enough bed changing and baths. One of us had to tell them that we were on our second to last semester of graduation so we needed to step it up and really do nursing duties...wound care, getting to know vents, IV pumps, foleys, administering medication, learning to chart, etc...things that nurses do since our last semester was our Leadership, they were very upset that we were not helping them all the time. We did tell them that we would answer the call lights from them...still were not happy. We did some bed changing and some baths...but at that stage of our program when we were almost finishing we knew we had to learn more nursing duties. At the beginning of our program our professors wanted us to learn what the job on the CNA entailed so complete patient care was encouraged. So yes, unfortunately some have come across as being lazy, but more often than not, the CNAs were awesome with us....I learned so much from some of them. As one poster said, a lazy person is one no matter what position, which is unfortunate because the whole team suffers, the other CNAs and the nurses. You need to speak to this CNA. Your idea of mentoring is great, she still young and getting her feet wet.

Quote from MoopleRNShe's very young (19 or 20) and this is her 1st CNA job (it may also be her 1st job period!). I've personally seen that she shows little initiative and is difficult to find on the floor... if you know what I mean. Other/more experienced CNAs/nurses relate to me similar observations. She has told me she's interested in becoming a nurse and is "taking some prerequisites". Sometimes I get the vibe from her that she thinks nurses have it easy just passing meds while the CNAs answer all the call lights etc... which as we nurses know is not the case. I'd like some feedback on how to motivate or mentor her. Any input would be appreciated!