Aspiring CNA

Actually, I can't say that I will "never" want to, because I have never worked in health care. Maybe as I get my feet wet I would be more likely to persue higher ranks. Maybe I am just intimidated, to be honest.

I do not have issue with bodily fluids whatsoever. Obviously, because I am/was a doula and I have been vomited on, had amniotic fluid splashed on me, bled on, yada yada. But I don't think that I would be good at IV's or drawing blood. I am not a math wiz and it's my understanding that the higher rank nurse you are, the more and more math you would need to know. I am a people person. I think the reason CNA is appealing to me is because I know that CNA's make a difference. (the one that care anyways. I am finding comments in the forum that are very disconcerting to me. Like when a CNA knows another CNA is being abusive and nothing is done.)

I understand that I am very knew and I could have a skewed opinion of somethings. I really am drawn more to the less clinical care. Dealing with feces, urine, and personal hygiene is nothing less than I would do for anyone one of my family members when the need arises. I did take care of my Grandmother until she passed. I just did not preform vitals.

Sorry to write a paper on this!

It's ok, alot of people don't know. It's a person (typically a woman), hired privately by the mother, who is trained to know the physical and emotional needs of a woman in labor. Through my certifying organization I am trained to have knowlede in the physiology of birth. I am trained in all natural and holistic pain coping techniques and through position changes and emotional support, I help the laboring mother to labor more efficiently. I do not preform any clinical tasks such as bp, fetal heart tones, or vaginal exams. I am also familiar enough with the maternity system to provide evidenced based information of procedures typically used in childbirth (pitocin, epidural etc.)

Some would disagree that a woman in labor needs a doula, but stats are that woman attended by doulas:

Have a 50% less chance of c-section
60% less request for pain meds
25% shorter labor times

Not to mention, I was thanked by various L&D nurses for making their jobs so much easier. I changed the chux pads, dealt with hysterical moms, all while staying out of their way so that they could do their jobs. I make myself as small as possible when hospital personell is in the room.