I just wanted to say...

[littlenursingmommy]

I passed my clinicals, and will soon sit for the state test. With any luck, I'll be hired right away, (can anyone tell me exactly how difficult it is to be hired as a STNA..?) and I couldn't be happier.

When I began as a nursing major at my college, I had no plans for working as a STNA. If you had asked me at the time, I would've said that STNAs do not hold up to the same level of respect as nurses. I figured you guys were just there to do all the dirty work. But, I was very, very wrong.

When I pictured STNAs, I suppose I pictured them in a busy hospital, sticking people on bed pans. I had yet to discover what we do in the environment of a LTCF. We are there to care for the people that cannot care for themselves, and that job is so incredibly important. When I tell people what I'm planning on doing soon, (working as a STNA, that is) my usual reaction from them is that of disgust....like, "why would you want to clean up someone's poop?" well, It's simple: they can't do it for themselves. I cannot express the ammount of compassion I feel for these people...if I can make their lives a little bit better just by cleaning them up and treating them with dignity and respect, then I would be honored to do so. I now have the utmost respect for aides wherever they work, but especially those working in the LTCF's. The last hurdle I have to jump is passing my state test, and once I do, I will be very proud to carry the title of STNA. :)

[classykaren]

Thank you for writing that

[bigbadduck]

:clphnds: congratulations!! thanks for your post, too!!

[CinnScorpStudent]

Fantastic attitude, are you a fellow Ohioan? Where are you going to school? Cin"cinn"ati here...

[sonomala]

You're going to do great! Congratulations!

I soooo wish I still had that attitude! Just a few months in and its drastically depleted. If it weren't for my faith and my new shift coworkers, I think it would be gone. For every resident that treats you well there are sooo many that won't. Even knowing they don't understand what they're doing doesn't always help. I get through my day only with the help of Jesus. I know on these boards I sound like anticna but I've been at it two months and have been dealt things I'm looking to forget once I finish my degree. I used to think I wanted to only work with the elderly. WRONG!