New CNA

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

I just got certified and started my new job as a CNA, I went thru a week of orientation and last night was the first time I worked the floor by myself. I was on a hall that had 4 lifts and 2 two person transfers, and no one would help me with the lifting. We're not supposed to use the lifts on our own, and I know better than to try a 2 person transfer by myself. I'm just wondering if it's always going to be like this, the other CNA on my floor wouldn't help me at all, I'm not lazy just scared to death I was going to drop someone. I got there at 3pm and still had residents up at 11:30pm when I was supposed to be leaving, I only had 1 up she was combative and won't get into bed. Finally when the next shift showed up they helped me get her in bed. Is not having help normal or should I talk to someone about it, I hate having to leave residents up waiting for me to get help. :crying2: I guess I needed to vent a lil, I just think that if I need and ask for help the other CNA should help instead of sitting down talking to nurses and CMTs. I was late with all of my residents because she needed help that was the worst night I've ever had :angryfire.....but I survived :yeah:Thanks for letting me vent on here!!!!

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I definitely feel for you- I worked as a CNA to pay for school and in my case not having help was normal. But if it is a threat to patient safety then I would speak to your charge nurse about it. When I started as a new CNA, I was definitely treated like one and the other CNAs pretty much saw me as fresh meat and at one point left for 2 hour lunches and left me on the floor alone with 24 patients! The charge nurse also felt that since the other CNAs had seniority and did not want new admits let alone patients at all, she gave me 4 new post op admits within 30 minutes.

So I definitely feel for you and I'm sorry you had a difficult first day. I actually found the RNs to be way more helpful than the CNAs so see how the next day goes and get to know your RNs :).

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um... is all places like that?

i'm trying to get a job, and i wont know what to do if they treat me like that..

this girl i had to work with, she didn't do anything and made me do everything since i was new too.. hated her.. UGH

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I don't think all places are like that but you will definitely meet ALOT of lazy CNAs unfortunately. I am still struggling with being a CNA because alot of it is learning where to draw the line on being "nice" and helping. In reality though, in the workplace I found that the CNAs tend to group together but really they won't be much help to you. I have found the RNs to be VERY VERY helpful and I feel it is more important to have a good relationship with your RN because not only are you helping their day go smoother but they will most likely be the one to help you transfer or pull your patient up the bed.

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I've had that exp with the other cnas, pretty miuch standard stuff. RNs are the best! No matter how bad a day I'm having my RNs are very supportive, understanding about me being new and willing to help in any way. They seem to find the other cnas as irritating as I do, lol.

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Specializes in LTC.

^Where I work the nurses don't help us with anything. We do our job, they do theirs.

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I had a interview today and the woman who did the interview told me to expect to get the cold shoulder when i first start. She said all new cna's go through that.

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There is this one nursing assistant I work with who will only take care of her patients and she won't help the other NA's with their patients. There is NO teamwork going on when you work with her. Some nurses will help and others won't. Most of the time there are only 3 NA's on the floor. While you're catching up with your work this same NA has the nerve to ask you to help her with *her* patients and get an attitude if you tell her to wait. It's like she thinks it's a competition or something: whose patients are bathed fastest, whose glucometer checks and vitals are done fastest, etc.

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awww, i am so sorry your first time on the floor was like that. i had an orientee with me today. (note that i wasn't even the regular on the floor) i am very sweet and kind to the new people. i was new once. i started off on night shift and the lady i was working with wouldn't talk to me and was kind of mean and curt with me when she was telling me what to do. we are cool today but there were some days that i went home crying because i felt so rejected. :cry: but now i am one of the top nurse aides at that facility. people want me on their floors. i float to the different floors now and i am there around the clock.

i admit that i don't always follow the rules. i am too short staffed most of the time. its unfortunate but i am used to it now. i know how to take good care of my people and get it done. it takes time though. it takes time and effort. be patient and kind to yourself and do your very best. that is all that you can do.

i am really appalled by the way they treated you. i can't believe you still had people up at even 10pm and no one had the decency to come and help you. i would never do that to anyone...whether they are new to the floor or not. not even our meanest cnas at my facility would let that happen. where the hell was the charge nurse. normally they step in and say "yo! help out the new person!!" i am confident all of my charge nurses would have done that.

then people get mad because people quit and we are short staffed. :icon_roll

don't give up sweetie! i wish you were one of my co-workers. i would take much better care of you than that. we all have to look out for each other.

stay strong and please don't give up! we need you!!! the residents needs kind and loving aids such as yourself. :heartbeat:heartbeat

~button

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Specializes in Alzheimers and geriatric patients.

I hated the girls i started working with. They were hateful and wouldn't help me. Since i now have been at my job awhile and have senority i try my best to make sure any new CNA's i work with feel welcome. Just don't forget how you were treated to begin with because the temptation to be part of the crowd and heckle the newbies once you are accepted is great!! I have only been mean to 1 new girl and that's because after one week on the job she thinks she knows more than anyone else, and tries to do lifts and stuff by herself. She is treatening my residents safety.

Also- most senior nurse aides will try to screw you out of breaks. DON'T let them. you need that time away from the floor to regroup.

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab, CCU, Alzheimers, Med-Surg.

Sounds like a really rough night! But things will definitely get better. You will quickly learn what each resident wants/needs/does habitually. After that it gets a lot easier. As far as asking for help, you need to tell your nurse if you are not getting help, and if they do not do anything, then you need to tell the supervisor/manager on duty. Don't be afraid to do that, everyone is there to care for the residents, and everyone needs to help! A couple weeks ago one of my fellow aides found out that nobody was helping me (I'm new too) and got so mad about it, that she told the nurse about it. :redbeathe It's nice to have someone like that to work with.

I have been working at my LTC for about 5 weeks, and it is just now getting easier. At my LTC they orient you horribly, and then send you out on the floor to work with people you know nothing about/have never even meet or seen.

All I can say is stick it out until you get more familiar with the residents, or go find another job where the workload is lighter, and the staff are better. I am going from a one star government rated home to a four star. I will have less residents, more pay, more help, everything! So understand that you do have options. :)

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