Already burned out...

[eveningsky339]

I just recently finished my CNA class, but facilities around here will hire students, so I've been working at a nursing home since February. However, I'm already showing signs of burnout.

I think my facility strives to be a "good" nursing home, but the common perils of LTCs are still there: the toxic work environment, some "bad" CNAs, the mindless repetition of nothing but ADLs, the low pay, the back problems, etc. I dread going to work every day. I really should have known-- the DON told me when I was hired that she's never seen a place where CNAs left so fast. Most new CNAs leave after about six months, and I'll probably find myself leaving before then!

I've really found myself disagreeing with what nursing homes do in general. I feel like offspring dump their parents there to die, and we only prolong the process. So many residents wish they were gone, and yet we only sustain their misery. If it were up to me, all the residents would be receiving home health care, not stuck in an institution.

The only reason I took the job was because it was within walking distance, and at the time we could not afford a car. I have a wife, a stepson, and a baby on the way that I need to support, but I need to get out of the nursing home.

I had a job interview at the hospital (VERY hard to get hired there), and there are some mental health agencies around here I could apply for, assuming transportation works out (we only have one car). But until I find out how things go with the hospital, how can I avoid burnout? I don't want my residents to suffer from poor car due to my stress.

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

Activities really seem to have no clue. This person thinks she knows what we do but she doesn't. Our activity director once said she doesn't like our total care hall because the workers are "too slow." Plenty of the CNAs on that hall, including myself, work ALL THE HALLS. It's not that we're all slow, it's that it's harder. We can't have every single person repo'd, toileted, washed, dressed, groomed, fed breakfast, hydrated, toileted again, and sitting in their wheelchair ready for rec to take them 3 hours after walking through the door.

On that hall it's like taking care of 15 newborn babies- feeding or giving drinks every 2 hours, changing diapers every 2 hours, etc. Only they're all huge and some of them can and will beat you up. And then you throw some toddlers in their terrible twos in there- running around getting into trouble, throwing tantrums, and maybe a sullen pre-teen or 2 (those who ring constantly and purposely take up lots of your time), along with some anxious overbearing parents (in this case sons and daughters), and there you have it! But in actual day cares, the ratios are regulated!

[Poi Dog]

An activities person once told and I quote, "We babysit so that the CNAs can mess around."

I didn't even know what to say to that, :idea:I was just flabbergasted. Keep thinking that sistah.

[Faro]

/Agreed. My first gig as a CNA at a SNF I would LOVE to switch places with activities director. They'd crumble in a heartbeat.

[tokidoki7, ASN, RN]

Changing your attitude won't help if your unit is still understaffed and you have to take care of 10 or more bed-ridden patients. I tried that before. . .and it didn't work. I eventually switched to part-time and I am much happier. The unit is still understaffed with only 2-3 CNAs to take care of 30+ patients and the pay is still low, but I'm not there as much. Some things never change. Sometimes it's best to move on instead of sticking around and hoping things will get better, which they won't.

[totally_nuts]

wow, I can't believe you guys have to care for so many residents on your own and get paid so little.

I'm a CNA in a LTC facility in Australia. We have 64 residents in my facility and a minimum of 10 CNA's for the 7am-3pm shift, along with the 2 RN's and 3 enrolled nurses (your LPN's I think). The 3pm-11pm shift has 6 CNA's plus nurses and the 11pm to 7am shift has 3 CNA's plus a RN which is more like your ratio.

No wonder there is so much burnout. Having said that though, I did suffer from burnout - took 3 months off to put things in perspective and now I'm fine.

For those residents that just seem to linger, I try my best to make them comfortable and to let them know they are not alone.

It is a damn hard job and at 19, I don't think I could have coped with it.

Good luck!