New CNA, first CNA job!

funtimes · Jun 15, 2013

Always remember you can only be in one place at one time. You will CONTINUALLY have 2 or 3 people who all want to do something at the same time and need help, at least if you work days or evenings. During meals we would always have some people who wanted to go to the BR or back to bed NOW, while other residents still needed to be fed. Or residents that insisted on sleeping in, then all wanted to get up NOW. Residents are generally in their own little world, and most wont understand that you have other people to help as well. THEY want help NOW and cant understand why you're making them wait.(in fairness you have to understand how horrible it is to not be able to go the BR or do what you want when you want).

Don't let it get to you, you cannot please all of the people all of the time in LTC, just do what you can and learn to prioritize requests and know what can wait and who and what needs to be addressed first, and try to get as many things done at once as you can. For instance if someone wants to go the BR in the morning, try to get them to bath and get dressed while they are up, instead of wasting all this time toileting them and then getting them back to bed, only to have them ring 45 minutes later wanting to get back up. This is especially important if someone is a 2 person lift.

Also, NEVER lose your temper with a resident. That is the fastest way to get fired or worse. You will almost certainly have residents say some really nasty stuff to you at some point, you gotta let it roll off you like water on a duck. CNAs can usually deal with a resident trying to hit them or bite them or whatever, but I've seen some get rattled by some of the things residents will say, especially if its from one of the more lucid acting ones.

Also remember to have a life outside of work totally unrelated to your job, so you can de stress and get your mind off the job. If your job is your life 24/7 you will go nuts.

TurtleCat · Jun 15, 2013

To the OP: Congrats and good luck! As far as tips go, I'd say no matter what you do, try to hang in there and stick it out even if the job is hard and stressful at first. Also, if any of the senior CNAs try to give you a hard time, don't let it get to you although that can be easier said than done. I think the NOC shift is the best to start out on, honestly. It is a lot slower-paced and you can take your time more, which provides ample opportunity for learning and mastering your skills. When I worked nights, it was basically just rounds every 2 hours, charting ADLs and then getting everyone up, dressed and OOB around 5-7am. Depending on where you work, you may have some cleaning and housekeeping duties assigned to you, too. I know our facility assigns wheelchairs for us to clean every NOC shift.

Also, I recommend asking questions and trying to learn as much about the residents and job itself while you're still new. You may sometimes feel like you're a thorn in everyone's side constantly asking stuff, but the way I figure, it's better to be on the safe side and ask when you're unsure of something, rather than risk doing it on your own and something going seriously wrong. Ask about which residents are fall risks, who are 2-person assists and who you can do on your own, etc. Just things like that.

IMO, you should treat the residents, and their care and safety, as your #1 priorities. Other things like efficiency, time management etc. are important too but safety should always come first. Better to take a little too long and do things the right way, than to just rush through doing everything recklessly or half-hearted. That said, there are times when unfortunately you may HAVE to cut corners in LTC due to the workload, just make sure that you're still being mindful of basic patient care and safety when doing so.

"Also, NEVER lose your temper with a resident. That is the fastest way to get fired or worse. You will almost certainly have residents say some really nasty stuff to you at some point, you gotta let it roll off you like water on a duck. CNAs can usually deal with a resident trying to hit them or bite them or whatever, but I've seen some get rattled by some of the things residents will say, especially if its from one of the more lucid acting ones. "

I think this is good advice right here! Personally, I can have a demented patient hit, grab, kick, etc. at me and it doesn't even phase me -- mainly because I understand that they're scared and confused and don't really mean it. I feel empathy and understanding more than anything else. But I admit it does get to me sometimes when a more lucid patient is verbally abusive, I guess because as a new CNA I'm still a little insecure. I've never lost my temper but I did feel like crying a few times. Best way to deal with it, I think, is to try and look at it from their perspective. They've lost all control and power over their lives, are helpless and dependent on others for their every need. Not everyone deals with a loss of health and independence so well, and will try and take it out on the only people they can, which are their caregivers. Not that it makes it right, but it does help you to understand it a little more and not take it so personally.

Also agreed that you need to be able to de-stress. With my previous jobs, I had a habit of taking my work home with me and going over any possible little mistake I'd made, etc. in my head. Since becoming a CNA in LTC, I've learned that I simply CAN'T do that without losing my sanity, haha. During your off time, try and not even think about work, and do something to wind down: go out and have some fun, watch something silly on TV, read a good book, etc.

ComeTogether, LPN · Jun 16, 2013

"Also, NEVER lose your temper with a resident. That is the fastest way to get fired or worse. You will almost certainly have residents say some really nasty stuff to you at some point, you gotta let it roll off you like water on a duck. CNAs can usually deal with a resident trying to hit them or bite them or whatever, but I've seen some get rattled by some of the things residents will say, especially if its from one of the more lucid acting ones. "

If this does happen---Walk away. (provided the patient is safe). I have done it many times and will continue to do it as needed. Sometimes, especially with an alert and oriented patient, you just can't take the abuse. It is usually due to the patient being scared, confused, lonely etc. but that doesn't make it right, and you don't have to take it. If you feel yourself getting angry, WALK AWAY. :-)

Usually a breather will give the patient and you time to reflect and upon entering the room again it goes more smoothly.

marsy82 · Jun 18, 2013

The one thing i found most helpful when I first started was getting to know which residents needed the most care. I then got a handover sheet and jotted down as much relevant info next to each resident's name and kept it in my pocket for the first few shifts. When the call bell went off I would pull out the sheet, look at the room number, identify the resident calling and have a quick read of my notes to prepare me - some have catheters that need emptying, some require creams applied or stockings removed, some need the toilet every 15mins (you will get very well acquainted with these residents very quickly) - make sure you know which residents are 2x assist, which need to turned every 2 hours and it helps to know which residents wake frequently during the night - some have nightmares, some will become scared/anxious in the middle of the night some experience sundowning - if you know which residents do these things you will feel more prepared when you go to see them. Keep in mind that not all residents will call the bell, so regular 30min checks on these residents is recommended. It won't take long and you will be in the full swing of things, the hardest part is the first couple of weeks, if you can handle that you will be fine, goodluck.