Are you comfortable being a CNA?

Feathers · Dec 7, 2007

Well, I am a new PCT & just started my first job. So far, it's going well. Not sure if I am 100% comfortable yet, but I can see myself getting there. The PCT's work as a team & also work well with the nurses (& vice versa). Everyone seems to be professional & helps each other out. There are bad apples in every bunch though, but it looks as if they're the exception & not the rule.

I'm working as a Tech for the experience, I intend on applying for the RN program in '08- I have completed all my prereq's.

I think anywhere you can pick up experience is definately worth it, providing you're happy with where you end up.

casi, ASN, RN · Dec 7, 2007

I'm very comfortable with what I do. I've been a CNA for 3 years and recently started a new job in a hospital. I think the thing that makes me the most comfortable with my job is that I'm comfortable asking other people questions when I don't know something.

As someone who starts nursing school in a month I definately think it's all worth it.

JaredCNA, CNA · Dec 8, 2007

Definitely comfortable.

I have to admit I was a little nervous having just earned my CNA license in January of this year and starting my job at a pretty decent-sized hospital a few days after.

I work nights, and on a 30-bed Med-Surg that specializes in Ortho, Neuro, and Urology. If going for RN, I'd DEFINITELY get on at a hospital instead of a nursing home if possible D/T you will work with (most times) a lot of very good nurses at a hospital who will always have time to answer your questions. I'm a big question asker. "Why does everyone who has surgery complain of a sore throat?" "How many days post-op can you turn a fracture patient onto the incision?" "Why do total joint replacements seem to have problems with anxiety more than any other surgery patient I've dealt with?"

On my floor a lot of the nurses who work nights because they want to, not because they have to or are new grads trying to get their year of Med/Surg experience, have been nurses for a very long time and are very skilled.

I am taking my pre-reqs now for my RN and I will apply to the program in Fall of 2008 (to start Spring 09). I definitely think the time-management skills I've learned (and believe, you learn a LOT about time management--I'm the only full time night CNA and am by myself most nights), and the questions I've asked give me a head start.

Plus, at a hospital you get to float to all the different units where they use CNAs (everywhere except L&D at my facility) at one point or another and can learn a lot about different nursing specialties. Most every nurse is willing to answer your questions and educate you so that you can provide better care to their patients, plus most of them want you to go to nursing school because of the shortages so you could have 10 or so 'mentors' as I call them. lol

TiggerBelly · Dec 10, 2007

I want to know your experience and what goes on between the cna, and the nurses. If you plan on up-grading to lvn or rn and if you feel it was all worth it.

MOST days I enjoy working with the nurses on my unit. I am completing my pre-reqs for the RN program, but am possibly going to be starting the LPN program next fall. Since the nurses know that I am a student they will page me to help them with dressing changes or anything else interesting they may find helpful for me to see. They will answer all of my stupid questions and try to really help me understand what is going on with a patient. I really really hope to land a job where I work now when I become an RN and have one of the nurses orientate me. I definately feel that working in a hospital as a CNA is worth it. It teaches you not only about time management (SO important) but also about generally how the hospital works. You get familiar with the equipment around you, the rules, policies and procedures, and how to deal with codes. I figured once I become an RN, I'm going to have enough to deal with.

aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN · Dec 11, 2007

I want to know your experience and what goes on between the cna, and the nurses. If you plan on up-grading to lvn or rn and if you feel it was all worth it.

I'm absolutely comfortable being a CNA/nurse tech. If I weren't I wouldn't be doing it. I'm not going to lie though..........I'm glad I'm not going to be doing it for the rest of my life.

Things at first were ackward just because I had never done them before but as time goes on, things become routine and you hardly think about them at all.

I have had mostly good expiriences with the nurses I work with. When I interviewed at the place I work at, I interviewed on two units. One would have been much easier work because most of the pts on that unit are self care and then the unit I work on where the majority of the pts we get are total cares.

The reason I chose to work on the unit I do is that even within the few hours I was up there observing, I saw a great deal of teamwork and I knew that was where I wanted to work. I'm not going to say that we all get along 100% of the time but we all work together very well. The nurses I work with all know that I am on the waiting list for nursing school so they teach me a lot about what they do as well. I absolutely love it!!!!!!

I work in a critical care unit in a hospital.

To be honest, you couldn't pay me enough to be a CNA in a nursing home. I like having more acute and unstable pts. Call me the sick type A, anal personality person I guess. ha!!!

Just the other day when I was working we had to ship a pt off to the ICU and it was all done in a matter of minutes because this pt was starting to "tank" or "circle the drain". I had one person that when I was helping them out of the bathroom have a stroke right then and there while I was helping them. This happens somewhat frequently on our unit and really makes you learn.

Hope this helps. It all just depends on where you work and who you work with. The people will make a bad work situation good. If it weren't for the teamwork on our floor, we would all be miserable and we know it.