5 Ways to Get Along with Difficult Coworkers as a CNA

Working as a CNA requires team effort, and for this reason, it is important for you to get along with your coworkers. Unfortunately, this may seem impossible at times, especially if one of your coworkers insist on not getting along with you! So, just what can you do if you are faced with this situation? There are actually several things you can do as the following tips suggest.

Evaluate Your Own Behavior

If you are having trouble with a coworker, the first thing you will want to do is evaluate your own behavior. Have you been unfriendly to the coworker? Have you denied help when it was needed? Is your lack of performance causing your coworker to work more than he or she would prefer? While you may not want to admit it, difficulties with coworkers may be caused by something you did or did not do properly.

Observe Your Coworker's Behavior

If you have evaluated your own behavior and determined that you have not done anything inappropriately, the next thing you should do is observe your coworker's behavior. Is the coworker nasty to just you, or is he or she nasty to everyone? If your teammate is nasty to everyone and not just you, you can be sure that you are not doing anything wrong. Additionally, take note of the time of day when your coworker displays difficult behavior. Does it occur only during the beginning of the shift? Or maybe it only occurs near the end. In these cases, your teammate may be experiencing stress or job burnout, and again, you can be sure that you are not at fault.

Try to Speak With Your Coworker

Next, it is a good idea to take a few minutes before or after your shift and try to speak with your coworker to find out what may be wrong. Maybe your teammate could simply use a little extra help from you but has been too afraid to ask. Sometimes, just offering to listen to your coworker's concerns can improve your working relationship and even be the start to a lasting friendship!

Document Particularly Nasty Behavior

If you are experiencing particularly nasty behavior from a coworker or behavior of a sexual nature, make sure you document each incident in a small notepad. Simply jot down such information as what happened during the incident, who was involved and when the incident took place. As soon as you get the chance, make an appointment to speak with your supervisor and be sure to bring your notebook!

Never Go Overboard Asking for Help

Finally, it is perfectly understandable that you will need help with difficult tasks from time to time. Likewise, your coworkers may need your help at times as well. However, you never want to go overboard in asking for help. Keep in mind that when you ask coworkers for help, they need to stop what they are doing to help you. When this occurs too often, it could cause their performance to suffer, which could result in negative feelings toward you.

To sum it up, things you can do to get along with coworkers as a CNA include evaluating your behavior, talking to your coworker and documenting particularly nasty behavior.