Pros
Flexible schedule, moderate salary, fair benefits, and great paid time off. Also, career ladder allows for bonus and greater greater pay. Centered on the patient's complete experience. I frequently hear positive comments by my patients about their overall experience.
Cons
The main issue is inequality of job performance, accountability, attitudes, and team work. Some staff focus on the patient and are present in their assignment and a great day is when the CNA team member shares this value. Other days, this is not the case and CNAs are found hiding in empty rooms, lingering or frequenting the break room and just not present. These CNAs need to be micromanaged and followed-up with frequently, which takes the nurses focus from other aspects of care. Management at Novant blame the nurse for not staying on top of these CNAs thus causing nurses to stop complaining. The management on our unit does not want to take accountability to ensure these CNAs are doing their jobs. Nepotism runs rampant within my own department and I have seen poor job performance and staff feeling uncomfortable to come forward with concerns in these cases which makes staff feel powerless and untrusting of management. As far as how staff treat each other, it varies from complete respect to physical threats. Our unit is disorganized when it comes to staffing changes in midshift leaving us surprised when we try to call our team member for help. The CNAs go home mid shift without telling their team member they are leaving! Poor performers with bad attitudes get away with far more then they should because they are allowed to use excuses and charm to get around issues. RNs are expected to run the show without the support of management and this creates a weak structure with CNAs who don't care enough. I would that 50% of our CNAs are lazy and display poor attitudes.
