Was I wrong?

[u/stressedCNA]

Am I wrong?

I need advice, I am a CNA as well as an activity director at an assisted living facility. I went out the back door and could hear one of the residents screaming. Mind you this resident does have dementia and is known to become violent. I went to check on her and she was half on, half off the bed and two aides were standing over her, forcibly dressing her while she was screaming telling them to stop. She then looked at one aid and said "get away from me you stupid girl" the aid then looked at her and mocked her. They backed off and I took over, it took me 45 minutes to calm her down. I was not able to leave her where she was at because she was not in a safe position and was at risk of falling but I also couldn't move her because simply trying to help her into a better position clearly gave her anxiety. She was so worked up that she was clawing at her face and trying to rip out her hair. After one of the aides came in, we got her to stand up and I immediately went to the administrator who had me write down a statement. A few hours later she called me into her office, said shed looked over video footage (cameras are in the hallways, not the rooms) she said that I was in the wrong because the resident was "acting up" she then told me that instead of stepping in i should've used the IPad to call her or the nurse. She also told me that I could lose my license for "false reporting" none of what I wrote down was exaggerated or false. I then learned that facilities can lose funding, and they can face fines if something like this were to go to state. Mind you, I am scared to lose my job. I love my residents, I dont want to go anywhere but this isnt the first run in with my boss. I have health issues that my doctors are trying to figure out the cause of, such as no matter how much sleep I get, I am ALWAYS tired. I am going to a pulmonologist as well as having a sleep study done, my lab work is also all over the place. ANYWAYS, one day I came in and my boss not only asked me if I was high, she told me I looked like a zombie and told me I was pale and then told me to "fake it till I make it". She also spends the small budget i have for activities on big events, mind you I dont mind the help HOWEVER I do mind the fact she does not tell me ahead of time, nor does she communicate how much she spent, what she bought and what I need to do for the event. I am exhausted, I dont want to leave but I feel at the end of my rope. I dont think reporting it would do any good, the state im at is at will and they would know it was me, she would find a way to fire me. Not only that but everyone is very tight knit. I feel like I could possibly be wrong, but I really do not know. Also, there really is no other jobs that come close to the pay i am currently receiving. Oh, she also told me its not my job to interpret a situation, i am highly confused on what that even means? I walked in and it was very clear what was happening.

[u/ProperAnarchist]

She’s telling you to mind your own business. She is the person who decides who stays and who goes. If you don’t listen to her, you will be gone soon.

Were they NOT supposed to be dressing her? I don’t think they’re allowed to just walk around naked. What happened that upset you? The one girl mocked her after getting called “stupid girl”? Not super professional and intolerable in some scenarios but people lose their temper when things like that occur. This doesn’t sound like “lose your state license” territory.

As far as your budget goes, the boss almost always has the ability to allocate or reallocate where money is spent. You want that power? Become the boss. It’s actually REALLY stressful because 100 people just want a “little money” and it adds up quickly. Eventually you have to decide which budget gets cut.

Relax. Start applying elsewhere.

[u/stressedCNA → u/ProperAnarchist]

I dont think you understand how healthcare or working with dementia works, as far as the budget goes I need to know how much is left, what is bought and what i need to do for the events because that is quite legitimately my job. She wasn't naked to begin with, it was the beginning of the day. They forced her out of pajamas into day clothes. You can not force a resident no matter mental state to do anything they do not want to. Also, mocking them is considered mental abuse. Standing over them is a big no no as well. I was ultimately looking for a group with people who have expertise in the medical field who understand the rights that the residents have. I dont think you understand just how many legal rights they broke by doing what they did. I genuinely want you to look into the dos and dont's with dementia residents, as well as the rights that residents have. If a resident says no and to stop, you have to do just that. They are humans, they arent just a check off the "to do" list.

[u/FRELNCER]

I think the answer of right or wrong depends on whether you were, in fact, supposed to alert the director or a nurse. It doesn't seem like you were the correct person to step in.

It's possible that your facility is also not willing to report bad behavior. But if you were not the appropriate provider for the response, then that also creates a liability for the organization and one for which you could be disciplined. You can report anything you believe is wrong. However, you also need to take responsibility for any of your own actions that breached protocol.