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Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I just received a call from a dear friend who has asked me to care for his elderly mother at night while he is at work 5 days a week. I haven't taken my state test yet and was wondering what kind of liabilities should I be aware of. He said she's ambulatory with walker and may need some med reminders and help with feeding. That's about it. It sounds like something I could do, but again am I getting in over my head by going at this alone? If I decide to do this, should I get insurance? Also, how much should I charge and would I be able to claim this as "experience"? I'm assuming that he would be paying me cash from his pocket.

Specializes in Psych, Emergency, Med/Surg.

I guess I should clarify that I worked as a bartender for this "friend" for almost 12 years. When I decided to go into nursing, I quit. Now.......6 months later, I'm asked to care for their mother. I've been "in business" with this family all of my adult life. But I see what the last poster is saying. Man is this complicated.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
My honest opinion is it is a bad idea all the way around,because mixing friendship with business can result in unpleasent outcomes, which can result in your friendship going down hill. if you want to help pitch in and lend a hand from time to time, and maintain your role as a supportive helpful friend. A friend/ employee, of is too conflicting I have all along a handful of times helped my close friends and family members out,but I never worked for any of them, so always maintained control over what I did and when I could come to do it. By keeping things that way,I always came out in the end smelling like a rose, by not being viewed as an employee. I prefer to remain on the sidelines while hearing the moans and groans about other nurses,home health aides, who had not met up to my friends exspectations. once money crosses hands it is a totally different ballgame,and in a situation like that friends often feel you should go the extra mile,and further base wanting to pay you cheaper rates, just because you are friends. i would think this one over carefully.

That is true, that accepting money from friends can lead to another realm that is hard to return back from. Things do change when the roles take a flip.

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I think this would be a whole different ball game compared to working for them previously as a bartender. You will be expected to take care of a special family member and with that comes a lot of exceeded expectations which can turn awry at any moment since you are "friends" sometimes it is better to be a stranger so their aren't any weird strings (invisible if you know what I mean) attached. I don't think I would do it if it were me. Good luck though, it is very hard.

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I guess I should clarify that I worked as a bartender for this "friend" for almost 12 years. When I decided to go into nursing, I quit. Now.......6 months later, I'm asked to care for their mother. I've been "in business" with this family all of my adult life. But I see what the last poster is saying. Man is this complicated.

... Working as a bartender is ALOT different than working as a healthcare professional. And yes- a CNA is a healthcare professional. If you screw up a bar order- the chances of someone getting hurt or dying are astronomically small... If you screw up a transfer or even if Mom just happens to fall on your watch even if there is nothing at all you could have done? That can ruin a friendship AND be a huge lawsuit in the making. Yeah- it's very complicated... I wish you the best in making this difficult decision.

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Specializes in Psych, Emergency, Med/Surg.
... Working as a bartender is ALOT different than working as a healthcare professional. And yes- a CNA is a healthcare professional. If you screw up a bar order- the chances of someone getting hurt or dying are astronomically small... If you screw up a transfer or even if Mom just happens to fall on your watch even if there is nothing at all you could have done? That can ruin a friendship AND be a huge lawsuit in the making. Yeah- it's very complicated... I wish you the best in making this difficult decision.

What I mean, is that we met through business. Over the years have become friends, I guess. I know these two different jobs are apples and oranges. I'm really starting to steer away simply because it's such a difficult choice. I keep asking myself why was this opportunity presented? But then I also keep telling myself if it's this difficult then there's your answer. Too much hassle.

I'm going to be talking to my instructor about this tomorrow. It also doesn't help that I've been without work since I left bartending to go to CNA school. Some income would be nice.:p Maybe I could even express my reasons for reluctance to my friend and hope for a resolution that way.

Everyone's :twocents: has been awesome though! WWFD?

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Specializes in Psych, Emergency, Med/Surg.

I decided, along with my friend and his family, that this was a non-favorable idea. Whew, that's a load off my shoulders! I could not, for the life of me, come to a 100% conclusion on whether I should have taken this case or not. Now I don't have to think about it anymore. Back to the job hunt!:D

Thanks to everyone and their support, or non-support. lol

Everything happens (or doesn't happen) for a reason. :wink2:

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