yes, I am a cna and for the most part i do enjoy caring for the residents esp the ones that you know could not care for themselves at all. What I hate is the way we get treated by management, seldom get raises, frequent call offs which make it hard on the rest of us, while 17 a piece is typical from what i hear, even people that have been doing this work for 12 years even 20 years have still found it difficult plus we've even had cases where we had all 34 to take care of. Will the nurses help, no way! Alot of nurses esp. lpn's act like they know it all and are above helping a resident they will track us down when we are feeding someone or answering 2 other call lights during tray pass at supper. this really rubs me the wrong way cause for the most part i have the same education level as these nurses yet they act like we're all just dumb aides that only know how to change diapers, get hit, yelled at, and work 16-20 hour shifts! I've put in alot of overtime, hurt my back, residents have fallen do to impatience of waiting for their one aide who is busy with 33 other residents! And for what? Many nurses won't even talk to us like we're even half way smart and won't pay attention when we say somethings not right with a resident. This happened to me one night. I came in the room and found a very frightened resident, almost 105 temp, tongue looked swollen, confused, spitting dentures out, shaking, face looked discolored, eyes pucky and red, told nurse he didn't believe me, i said no you really need to have a look at her and so he did and that poor lady was sent to the hospital within 30 minutes!!!! she had sepsis probably rt the dialysis treatment poss? some days i like work other times like yesterday, i forced myself to go kicking and screaming, well not really but boy was i upset. i tried to call off the don gets on the phone and basically cut the crap that i needed to be there. so i went. it's so hard to be good myself when i see other ones missing practically every other day, coming late, leaving early, wanting you to fill in for them cause they had plans or have kids! I had one aide following me around for about a month prior to christmas wanting me to take her place that day, well she called off anyhow! so how can i keep my cool even when it's a sh^**y situation at work? i suppose it could be worse too.
So sorry you are having such a bad time. I agree with some of the other posts. Perhaps try changing jobs. I worked LTC for 5 years, left and went to work at hospital. I loved the change. I am not saying you would.............but what a difference it made for me to only be responsible for 8 or 9 patients compared to 20-30 that I was responsible for at the NH. I don't know how all hospitals are but the one I worked for the aide only had 8-9 patients.
Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.
Well on a lighter note. I went through nursing school after I decided that my marriage wasn't going to work out. I had 2 kids already and then after I started the actual nursing classes my ex raped me and I got prego ( I was already sleeping in a seperate room; he did this while drunk). I finished nursing school after a one year off because of c-section in august ( couldn't do clinical for semester cuz of not able to lift for 8 weeks) I suffered financially for a long time, now I am the one making the money. :)
The kids love me and don't quite know what to think of him. He decided at one point that he wanted the child support money and wanted to raise a few teenagers. I handed the kids over and traveled as a nurse for a year. Tehee, he couldn't easily toss responsibility to me if I was in another state.
Oh yeh; when I got out of high school I went to farrier school and did corrective horseshoeing for 15 years. I worked as a nurse aid while I built up that business. My ex's mom owned the property we lived on so my horse business had to end as I didn't have the money to rent or buy property in the area I did training, shoeing, breeding, and judging.
Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.
I have a daughter who is a nurse aid now in LTC. She loves taking care of the old people and her assignment is not overwhelming, usually 10 or 12 patients. I hope you find a facility that is nice to work at. My youngest daughter volunteers at the facility I work at too.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
Have you thought about being a CNA or patient care tech in a hospital? The money is usually better, the workload isn't as hard physically OR mentally, and in a lot of hospitals the aides get to do a wider variety of skills. I was a hospital CNA while I was in nursing school, and taking that job was one of the best decisions I ever made---I'd trained as a CNA in LTC, but couldn't handle the punishing physical labor---because I learned so much more in the acute care setting than I ever did in the nursing home.
Good luck to you. I worked LTC as a charge nurse and an ADON, and it's no wonder they can't keep good nurses.......the working environment is brutal, and nobody seems to give a rat's @$$ if it ever gets better as long as the corporate fat-cats who run the places can make a profit. :angryfire
as a cna this is my third job this year related to nursing. The first job i got mad with the uncooperation, mandation, obsurd float schedule, never knew where i was suppose to be and i just called one day and said i quit. not a very nice thing to do. the second was home care, by far the best place i worked for but only was getting 16 hours a week, unpaid travel, too much paperwork, and if a client bailed then you were out those hours. My coordinator was good to me though always trying to get me assignments. but the hours were very irregular, it just wasn't a very steady job. Now this place and i don't know. I was in an rn program at college and made it through my base courses and about half way through medical surgical nursing. I do have an associates degree in general studies. I thought about bridging over into the medical assisting program cause the material i've had is very similar but i would have absolutely no time for work cause i'm also starting an lpn program next month. I would like to go to medical school but i just don't feel that i'm smart enough. i'm frustrated cause if all had gone as planned i'd be an rn and have my own place right now. but i'm still in school, living the saga as a cna, and at home with my parents! if there's no daylight available soon i will be quitting but i want to leave on good terms cause in healthcare you never know who these dons will squawk to.
I just recently did my nurse aide training as a prerequisite for my nursing school. If I was you I would just"brush your shoulder off". Take a minute with yourself and really look at yourself because from this last message your all over the place. Form LPN to RN to Medical School. I mean shoot for the stars but realize that there are steps in between
I read your post and I immediately had the same dredged up feelings that I have come to associate with LTC. Being a DON, your responsibilities were clearly more overwhelming than what I have experienced as the LPN - but the message is the same - LTC sucks the life out of you. I, too, am totally disillusioned with the sad state of Managed Care and understaffing, to the point that I have just resigned after one week of orientation in a brand new state-of-the-art facility.....This place is positively palatial - all private rooms, mostly private pay, computerized and high tech in every aspect; the best type of equipment and the best (and the most) of everything. Surely you are asking, "so what's the problem?"......there is more emphasis on aesthetics, than on staffing........after 2 nites on the floor (3-11) with 22 pts. and 2 CNA's, I had to ask myself "is any job really worth this type of stress?" I spent 4+ yrs. in my last LTC facility - which was also understaffed much of the time, but it was "family-like" and I miss that now. The grass always seems greener........I eventually left after working the past year and a half on 11-7; I wanted to go back on days, but we were fully staffed and I didn't want per diem......I decided I "needed a change"........hence the new orientation saga......I love nursing. I love the familiarity of knowing the likes and dislikes of my residents and I want to do everything I can to fulfill my duties, but with the way things are everywhere - it is becoming harder and harder to practice safe nursing. I'm not a wonder-nurse - I just can no longer attempt to do my med pass (safely and in compliance), answer lites because there isn't enough staff; do the treatments, the doctor's orders, and the mandatory notes at the end of the shift. I am tired of being told that "you can really make a difference", when in fact, it can't be done without the proper support in place. Everyone suffers in the end - but sadly, the patients stand to lose the most of all and that should never be......
I didn't mean to respond to your post by adding my frustrations - but having done just that (I apologize), and I understand your frustrations. I am hoping to find my niche - and you certainly deserve to find yours. Best of luck......
Great reading all - of the 'normal' situations that we experience in aged care and medical wards. Hate to add but yes 'have been there and done that' too.
Now self employed and just pick out a few places I like working at and then take my own 'time out' when I feel the slightest bit stressed.
After 36 years of nursing I must add that I am dissapointed that nothing seems to have changed in the areas discussed above. Poor staffing levels, bad staff and conditions, know-it-all nurses, stress, lack of sleep, etc. etc.
Why do we do it?
Because we are caring people who enjoy helping others?
Of course!
Otherwize we would be working in a factory or bar, or as a checkout chick!
I'm proud to be a nurse, and always will be, how about you?
Thanks Mister Chris - I have to say that 99% of all replies have been extremely supportive. I realized that this is really why this website is so important - we often think "maybe it's just me......". I may have continued to feel that way about myself, all the while beginning to question my own nursing capabilities - had I not written my feelings and received so much support. I am grateful for that. To answer your question - yes, I too am proud to be a nurse. I just hope that I will eventually find the right niche for myself. I have to have hope that there is some job out there where I can make a difference.......that's the bottom line for me. It's not enough to just collect a paycheck........Thanks again for your input.
Well.... I must say that I just "threw in the towel" tonight! I worked for 2 weeks in a LTC, and it's to brutal for me! Sorry to say that the CNA's had the run of the place, they really did, I guess it was because I was new and they wanted to see what they could get away with from me. I had absolutley no respect from them, they would not help ME out at all! I am not opposed to taking people to the bathroom, or changing depends, or answering call lights, but when I ask them to do somethng for me they just walked away! I'm sorry, but when I am passing meds to 25 people with alzheimers I just don't have the time to take people to the bathroom! when I went to my nurse supervisor, she told me well, it's just because you are new... it will get better...HELLO!!... the other nurse on the unit has been there for 9 years, and they just worship the ground she walks on...it's not fair. Then they all sit around and don't speak english, and scare the residents to death! I just need to stick with my home-health I guess...
You just described my last two jobs. You should read all the posts on this subject, because if you don't, you'll end up feeling "maybe it's just me". That's how I almost ended up until I realized from this wonderful website that so many of us have the same story. It's not just you my friend - it appears to be universal. What makes it so frustrating is that the only reason we are feeling so burned out and overwhelmed is because we are caring people; we are trying to our jobs to the best of our abilities - but we can't do it without the support. I'm glad you at least have some home health care assignments. As for me - I'm still searching for my "niche". Good Luck. :)
I threw in the towel on my part time job almost a year ago.
I got burned out from having to pass meds to about 45 residents.
I had aides who would go hide in rooms, they would turn out the light, shut the door, pull the curtain and either lie down in the empty bed or sit in a chair there by the bed.
Do you think they TOLD me they needed a short break??? NO they did NOT.
Got burned out from aides not doing their job.
I would go down the hall during my med pass and find residents naked, no clothes on whatsoever, lying in poop or pee.
Or some residents put to bed with all their clothes on. Why does it always have to be one way or the other? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know you don't go to bed with your street clothes on or go to bed naked.
Got burned out from having to tell aides over and over EVERY single d****d night,
"Make sure the residents get their bedtime snacks."
I mean how many times do you have to tell them anyway??
This particular facility is still getting deficiencies and snacks not being handed out is still one of them.
Aides calling in sick all the time, and having to work short every night.
Yeah, I got burned out, too, and threw in the towel.
It's a 2 way street. You got aides and you got nurses. Some don't give a s***, and some do. Some try and some don't.
I tried and I got burned out on that part time job.
Never again, I hope I never have to work in LTC again.
I'd rather pick S*** with the chickens as to have to work there where aides hide in rooms and sleep.
I believe that no matter where we work whether it is as a hosp, LTC, we will all experience the same general problems.....1) poor staffing; 2) some aides who will get away w/ whatever they can (let me add - NOT ALL AIDES ARE LIKE THIS; 3) management who has forgotten what it's like to be in the trenches.
I believe that there is no "easy" fix for these problems and that the national nursing shortage will continue until....1) schools open their registration doors allowing more students into the nursing programs; 2) management takes a firm stand on call ins and crappy staff attitudes****; 3) upper management "strongly encourage" lower management to work a shift or two q month as a "refresher"; 4) Ratios based on acuity and not just on the numbers.
****I once worked w/ an aide...she reported a BP of 80/130 (yes...that's rigth 80 over 130)...I told her to please re-check and she argued w/ me and flat out refused to re-check it. I reported her for that along w/ proof and documentation of falsifying documents, not turning pts or providing incont care as reported, etc. I was told by my manager...."Well, I can talk to her but you know...if she gets mad and quits, she will not be replaced". My response...better no aide than one who lies and is chronically insubordinate. This single act by my manager made me throw in the towel at that particular place.
webblarsk
928 Posts
So sorry you are having such a bad time. I agree with some of the other posts. Perhaps try changing jobs. I worked LTC for 5 years, left and went to work at hospital. I loved the change. I am not saying you would.............but what a difference it made for me to only be responsible for 8 or 9 patients compared to 20-30 that I was responsible for at the NH. I don't know how all hospitals are but the one I worked for the aide only had 8-9 patients.