Thursday, January 6, 2011

Touchy subject

I have a problem that is really bugging me. I use an Aide service that helps me around the house. Maid on steroids so to speak, or at least that's what one of them was. My first aide was a slow moving dim witted bovine. She had a nice personality, but she never finished a job, moved slowly as she did it, and couldn't remember what she had done the week before so was always asking me, “What do I do next?” I hate having to nursemaid someone that should be able to do simple tasks and complete them. I especially hate getting told the job is done and finding it half-assed or not finished at all. Eventually I had enough and told the agency to get me anyone but her.


My second Aide was, WOW! A self starter, always remembered what I needed, witty, fast moving, in fact so fast, many a time I cut her loose early because everything was done. She helped me out in the garage, got her hands dirty with joy, was a gear head, and soaked up EVERYTHING I taught her from machines, to electronics, to motorcycles, to computers. Sadly she left me for a job at one of our GOOD manufacturers and I'm proud of her and was told a lot of what she learned helped her get that job.


Now I'm on my third Aide and just don't know. While this one is faster than the first one, she seems even dimmer witted. I explained how I use water from my filter pitcher for ice cubes, then watched as she emptied a tray of ice cubes in the filter hopper. I explained no, water in the hopper, the filtered water in the ice trays. This was last week. This week I opened the fridge, saw the near empty pitcher and started to ask about filling it, and she beams at me and says, “I already got that done.” Huh? I open the hopper and it was filled with ice. Of course she refilled the ice trays from the tap... Yeah sure, I'm being neurotically picky, but that is just one example. These girls are CNAs! How do they get through their Certified Nursing Assistant courses?


My dilemma is that girls 1 and 3 are black, and girl 2 was white. I've seen intelligent industrious blacks. These are not them. Are they being slow out of choice? Is it like where you don't work fast or you will get more work thrown at you, and you don't use your brain or you might have to think? Is it an inability to think? I have a shirt that says Marilize Legaluanna. She read it and took near five minutes to put the words right so she got the joke. It's frustrating. How in the Hell do they teach their kids to excel when they don't know how to themselves?


I'm going to give her one more week then beg for a new girl. I'm going to specifically ask for a Hispanic one. I feel like I'm being racist, but I just can't be nurse maiding someone that has a bone head simple job and can't do it. When Aide #2 put in her notice, I specifically asked for someone with a brain and good work ethic. If this is their answer, I worry what I'll get next if I do request someone else. At least now I'm starting to understand why our school system is in so much trouble.

4 comments:

  1. I don't mean to bash the profession of CNA, there are many out there who give it all to their job. The problem is, this is not a high paying job. You may be paying quite a bit for these aides, but they are not seeing that money, the agency is. The work they are expected to do is often dirty work or heavy lifting work.

    Unfortunately, it must not be very difficult to obtain a CNA certificate. There are high school students who have this certification..... and some of them are not very bright.

    On the flip side, CNA's provide intimate, personal help to people in nursing homes, hospitals, and in-home services. Some of them are truly angels, providing special care to those unable to help themselves. They work very, very hard and are not compensated enough for their dedication.

    The problems you mention, huck, are not race driven. It is inherent in many jobs, both professional and blue collar, and found within all races. Lack of professionalism and general lack of ability is becoming more and more prevalent.

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  2. Don't get me started. The dumbing down of society. It's depressing.

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  3. EXTREMELY well spoken Ms KK....!!!

    What ever happened to “accountability”...as far as I am concerned it went right down the toilet!

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  4. While I’m on a roll...Huckman, you should create a list, a realistic list, have the person follow it, date it and sign it. If they are proud of their work, they should have no problem signing it. This way you have something to go back on and maybe it’s not all them but a little of you too....

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