A day in the life of.........

I'm a cna and I'm signed up with an agency. I haven't worked for them in a few months due to NS, but its not bad. I usually do sitter cases. I rarely work on the hospital floor. I do love it though ! Its like you pick your own hours. The only thing I won't ever do is work a sitter case 7p-7a, pure torture. Good luck.

CNAs with agency also get home heath cases-also nursing homes, home hospice, alzheimers, rehab-everything you name it. My experience has been about half the nursing homes are usualy under staffed-agency staff in generaly gets the heaviest and most difficult patients -although facilities do try to assign rooms keeping the work load in mind so lifting and so forth is evenly distributed. Patients also see you comming when you are new and they will test you. When you are the new-bee -you are unaware of the patients abilities, habits, preferences, clothing gets mixed up and so forth - so it is difficult, but you will catch on quick, once seasoned not much will get by you. When you try your best and work hard - experienced CNAs will show you methods that will help you and nurses are also often great mentors. Every place also have thoose CNAs that disappear all the time knowing you have a patient(s) that requires two people - example: hoyer lift is broken or you need to just change a bed pad and do peri care. Don't sweat it - it will get done and you keep moving. Keep the nurse informed, they usualy know what is going on. If a facility is consistanly-severly understaffed every time you get sent there - you do not have to except the assignment - besure sure to ask the agency when they call you where is the assignment before you say yes I can work XX hours-they will slam you quick with distant places and where everyone else don't want to go. I do refuse certain facilites. Once I was the only CNA on 10p-6a shift-60 patients and one LVN. I refused to do another assignment at that facility again - also beware if you turn down too many assignments, the agency wants to keep their contracts - they will either A-offer you a higher wage or B- You will be the last one on the list they call for assignments to indirectly punish you and/or because the person doing the calling wants to fill the slot as soon as possible and doesn't want to waist time calling a person who they will assume will say no when they call. Always keep your bases covered and know which other agency you can get work at if need be. Morning and afternoon shifts Mon-Sat be prepared to give atleast 3 showers if the facility does not have a shower aide. Good Luck!