Advice I'd give to New CNA/MA's - Page 2

I love your advice

I loved all your tips, I wish more techs & nurses would follow your example. I was an ED Tech & some of the nurses were great but unfortunately a few of them should not have been working on the ED at all. I've seen nurses that couldn't even draw Ativan from a vial during an emergency, to pt neglect. When my shift was over I'd always check on the patients assigned to me to let them know I was leaving, see if they wanted anything before I left & wish them well. Patients would often say to me who is going to be my nurse now, which indicates some of these nurses never made contact with the pt at all. That was just the tip of the iceberg unfortunately. So, I hope the few bad ones out there read your tips & use them to become a better RN, CNA, tech or whatever position & drop the attitudes & give the pts the care & attention they deserve.

I have definitely been guilty of violating #1 and #5. However, I have gotten much better at answering call lights. I do think, however, that just because you don't answer a certain call light in a timely manner that it is often not done intentionally. There have been many occasions where I have set off to answer a fellow CNA's call light and gotten summoned to do other things either on my hall or by a nurse. Also, are you from the south? Because down here, even though I know that we are taught not to call people nicknames like "sweetheart", "honey", or "darlin'", I have found that people respond more openly to uncomfortable procedures/situations when these terms are used--especially my dementia patients. It's a sort of second language down here. I love your list though!! So very true!!

There are LVN students in clinicals who need to read this!

True, but man is it hard not to do!

I am a CMA entering my nursing program this fall.

This article was full of good common sense that applies to everyone, not just CNAs/CMAs. Good job!

I'm glad you mentioned the "darlin, honey" issue. Two weeks ago my husband was ill and I took him to our doctor. The CMA called him "sweetheart". She's about 25 and we are in our 50s. I found it disrespectful, unprofessional and completely inappropriate.

Today I went to the same office for my school physical, had the same CMA, who called me sweetheart as well. I didn't say anything, but I did bristle for just a moment. (We're not from the south and neither was the CMA. People in my area just don't call anyone except their real sweetheart that term of endearment.)

I do want to say one thing about the article that I disagree with though. While it's great to encourage CNAs and CMAs to go further with their education, not all WANT to. Being a CNA or a CMA are honorable endeavors. I know CMAs that continue their education and also became certified as phlebotomists, cardiac monitor techs, ECG techs, lab techs, etc. Even though going into nursing has been my choice, not all CMAs want to be a nurse. We need good CMAs just as we need good CNAs. God bless those CNAs who give such excellent and personal care! To be a CNA, happy and fulfilled with helping people on a daily basis is a great thing. CNAs who excel at what they do should be considered a valuable member of the nursing team, and those who chose CNA as a career should be respected (and thanked) for their service.

I can't resist pet names. Everyone says its in professional but that's just ME. I'm up close and personal with these people for 12 hours, most of the time I feel like a buddy to them by the end of one shift so you'll hear me calling people "sunshine" and "grams" or gramps. Maybe even a sweetie or a honey. I just can't help myself. The other thing is half the time I couldn't even tell you their name. That's awful I know, but I mostly know them by room number. Probably because I say sunshine too much lol. To be fair though almost all of them call me sweetie or doll baby or something of that nature. Anyways just thought id throw in my 2 cents. Great advice though!!