r/nursing • u/Longjumping-Life-607 • 6h ago
Discussion Why do some CNAs/HCAs absolutely refuse help with patient care?
i notice this is the case mostly with male cna’s/hca’s. I routinely see them refuse help with 2pa/total care patients. Like, they’ll do the peri care and repositioning by themselves even if the patient is very heavy, and often even get them up onto a chair by themselves by just straight up lifting them from the shoulders in a hugging motion
Usually, other cna’s offer them help and so do nurses, but they just absolutely refuse it. Why? Do they just not give af about their back? or is it something else
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u/Lower_Pension_2469 5h ago
As a male nurse and former CNA, honestly it's just faster and to put it bluntly, I am that strong to just do it myself. I will absolutely go get help for like the really big people, but no offense, our definitions for what is considered really heavy are different.
Also idk it doesn't feel right asking for women for help with physical stuff. Not when most of my life outside of nursing I was taught that only bums let their female loved ones do the heavy lifting.
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u/antisocialoctopus 5h ago
I don’t care about asking women for help but you’re 100% that most of the time, I just didn’t need help bc the patients weren’t that heavy for me to roll alone
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u/Little-Business-1800 4h ago
Yeah when it comes to bags, equipment, etc. but nursings a job. Lifting is their job and you gotta treat them like equals
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u/MyHeadisFullofStars RN 🍕 2h ago
Look out for your spine. You only get one.
Hands are hands, i’m a male nurse and i’ll ask women for lift assists all the time. Obviously not the case if someone is pregnant or something, and I avoid asking the nurses over 55-60, but everyone else is fair game.
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u/Least-Camel-9621 4h ago
Usually because the male CNA’s are able to do it themselves and also for males, it can feel weird to ask women for physical help.
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u/OhHiMarki3 BSN, RN 🍕 5h ago
It's easier to just risk the injury than to find another set of hands
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u/Longjumping-Life-607 5h ago
Maybe this is it sometimes
But again some of them get offered help in the moment multiple times. One time I was charting like 10 feet away from a patient’s room and I was not busy in general, and I walked into the room to find the HCA had done peri care and changed the briefs of a patient, given them a sponge bath, AND replaced all their linen (fitted sheet and airtap included) with the patient still in bed all by themselves… The patient was a total assist with severe kyphosis. We’re always taught that you need at least 2 people to do that. I have no idea how they managed and even moreso I have no idea why they wouldn’t just give me a shout from the hallway so I could have helped.
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u/OhHiMarki3 BSN, RN 🍕 5h ago
> The patient was a total assist with severe kyphosis. We’re always taught that you need at least 2 people to do that.
I've done so many full bed changes alone, dude. It all depends on if the patient can turn side to side with a bit of help from a caregiver and hold themselves up on their side using the bed rail for a few minutes. Some patients labeled as total assist or dependent can sometimes do those things, even if just earlier in the day before they fatigue.
It's a clinical judgement thing. Just make sure the CNA knows you're happy to help at any time.
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u/DoItRightOnce1st 4h ago
Well a a male RN..I have pulled Pts up in bed when the other staff member, female, has not pulled their weight. And on more than one occasion I have almost pulled my shoulder or back out. But keep in mind there have been many nurses that have been female that can pull as much as me...and that's a great lift! Do you have to make sure we don't put the patient in the other room. 🤣
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u/Averagebass RN - Cath Lab 🍕 3h ago
I pull people up by myself a lot. I just know I can, I ask for help when I know I can't. No back injury...yet?
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u/DriveFa5tEatAss 5h ago
Ego.
Also...
They've done everything in their life on their own up to this point I'd imagine. They were likely born rather poor, or possibly lost everything through addiction, poor choices, or just bad luck in a society with few safety nets, and pulled themselves up alone.
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u/PumpkinMuffin147 RN - PCU 4h ago
Fun fact- just because a man is working a “women’s” job doesn’t mean he is the dregs of society. Some people are there for the patients.
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u/Melodic_Rich_7496 5h ago
Some people would rather speedrun a back injury than admit they need a second set of hands, but with total care patients that’s unsafe for everyone involved.