Bad experience as CNA :(

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I am currently a student who wants to become a nurse so badly. I'm doing a few more prereqs for an accelerated BSN program since I already have a bachelor's degree. I did a CNA class and started working at a nursing home a few months ago, as my first CNA job.... it was honestly too much and I've just given my two weeks notice. I'm wondering if anyone has had the same experience? It's got me freaking worried that I won't like being a nurse :dead:

Things I do not like about it:

  • I was given 3 days of training and then thrown on the floor left to my own devices
  • I'm assigned way too many patients at once (10-15), which means I don't have enough time to devote the level of care I want to give each of them
  • With that many patients, call lights are never ending, and I never even have time for a break let alone to catch my breath
  • It's extremely physical - lifting/turning patients who are contracted or disabled, and many of them were overweight - it feels like back breaking work
  • Being screamed at and sworn at by combative patients and having to deal with it 100% on my own as a new CNA... I can handle it but I wish the nurse or on of the admins would follow up and talk to the patient

Things I do like about it:

  • I really enjoy connecting with patients and encouraging them to be as independent as possible as part of their therapy (on the short-term rehab wing of course not long term wing, and seeing them make great personal accomplishments as the weeks go by. I really like connecting with their families/visitors too
  • Love feeling like I'm making a difference in people's lives
  • I've gotten so many compliments from the more alert/oriented patients saying that they really trust me and that I work hard and do a good job, they are super sweet and tell me I'm going to be a great nurse, which of course melts my heart

I don't mind the dirty work that comes with the job such as bathroom duties and cleaning patients bottoms. I feel comfortable touching patients and interacting with them, and I feel like despite the craziness, I've got a good bedside manner. I just think that LTC might not be for me. Any suggestions?????

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I've never worked in a LTAC facility, but, I have had many patients who are LTAC on my floor. It takes a special person to enjoy that type of work. I've had friends who worked in nursing in LTAC and they say the same, it's hard and stressful work due to patient loads and short staff. If you think you'll enjoy nursing, go for it. There are tons of options to specialize in. If you don't like one thing, try something else. I will also say I worked as a PCT in the float pool in nursing school and I absolutely hated it. However, I work in the float pool now as an RN and I love it. You'll figure out where you belong and what you enjoy 😊. Good luck!

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Working in the nursing home as a CNA is very difficult job especially if you are honest with the care you supposed to provide!!

I worked in nursing home 14 months and then I quit because they are giving me 14 to 16 patients 10 of them on ventilators. And all of them use diapers and i supposed to change them all in q2 and I suppose to provide 3 showers and we supposed to provide oral care and turn them and keep my eyes on another 2 confused patients who want to hit other residents and and and and etc ..... I am not complaining about providing care but simply i am not superman !! By giving me 14 patients in this condition they are the telling me to neglect half of them technically and if anything happen you are the one who will be in trouble

After I quit i worked as a CNA in a big hospital and believe me it's much better, you still get about 10 patients but most of them are independent and may be there's 1 patient using diaper ' it's much easier and you have the time to provide the care they need

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Someday when you're feeling like you must be nuts to want to be a nurse, check out the Specialties tab at the top of the page and cruise around. You'll have far, far more doors open for you when you have your BSN than when you're a CNA.

Hang in. Many of us have been there (I sure have), and it doesn't go on like this forever, even if you adore bedside care and stay in it for decades, if you have the smarts to succeed ... and by the looks of your writing, you're already up on a lot of your peers.

Stay in touch! Good luck!

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There are so many other avenues you can go in as a CNA if LTC is not your thing.

There is home care which I have been for 3 years and love it. There are homes for the disabled or retirement home is lighter work then LTC.

Sometimes you just have to find your niche and you can find the job is enjoyable. It might be the same with nursing once you are a nurse. Some areas you can not handle and will hate but there is a place you will find that will be a good fit for you and you can enjoy being a nurse

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Specializes in PCT, RN.

Working as a CNA in an LTC facility is extremely hard. I did it full-time for about 3 years and finally stepped out of it altogether. Too overworked and too underpaid.

There are tons of other areas you can work in as a CNA, such as dialysis or in a hospital on a different unit.

I wouldn't base how much you'll like/dislike being a nurse based off of your experiences as a CNA. The duties nurses and CNA's have are totally different.

Try finding a job in a different environment and see how things go there!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Being a CNA in a NH was more difficult for me than being a floor nurse at the hospital. It was brutal. I experienced everything that you described from the three says orientating to the patient load (we had 30 but two CNA's worked together).

I would suggest you apply at hospitals as a PCT. You learn so much more. It is still hard work but much more of a team environment and will help you when it comes to getting a job as a nurse. I had no idea at 18 years old that I could have worked as a CNA in a hospital and I wish I had.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I worked as a CNA in a hospital while I was in nursing school and LOVED it. Nursing home, not so much. I'd started out in an LTC and quit within weeks.....it was just brutal. But in the hospital I got to see so many interesting things, and I learned how to prioritize which helped me greatly when I went back as an RN.

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Specializes in hospice.

I also worked as a CNA in the hospital, and still had 13-15 high acuity elderly telemetry patients (literally next door to retirement community) assigned to me, usually with at least a few on Lasix with no foley, or GoLightly, and 1/4 to 1/3 on contact precautions every day. Q4 vitals, two rounds of blood sugars, strict I&O, plus all that toileting, baths if I ever had time, running specimens down to the lab that couldn't be tubed.....and somehow charting it all, and working where the majority of RNs ignored call lights all the time.....

It was awful. I hated it. Hospice homie for life over here.

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Best thing that ever happened to me was when I was applying for cna jobs. I applied everywhere, of course the LTC facility I applied for got back to me about an hour after I applied. They had me out for 1 tour and 2 interviews, one was with a few nurses from the facility. They asked me if I wanted to work in LTC after I graduated. I, without hesitation, I answered no. I got turned down a couple days later. Had I not, I would not have been able to accept the two part time cna jobs at two different hospitals that helped mold who I am as a nurse now(able to work anywhere and not care).

Id look for a prn float aide position. You'll get exposed to a lot of different things and if you're really lucky they'll cross train you as a unit secretary and monitor tech.

Nothing wrong with not liking LTC. My first two semesters of nursing school were at a LTC facility and I hated it. Almost quit nursing school. Third semester was at a rehab hospital. I absolutely hated all of it. I was going to quit until one day I had a one day clinical where I got to spend a little time in the cath lab(3-4 hours was scheduled) 12 hours later I was glad I stuck with it. Just have to find your moment.

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I've never worked in a LTAC facility, but, I have had many patients who are LTAC on my floor. It takes a special person to enjoy that type of work. I've had friends who worked in nursing in LTAC and they say the same, it's hard and stressful work due to patient loads and short staff. If you think you'll enjoy nursing, go for it. There are tons of options to specialize in. If you don't like one thing, try something else. I will also say I worked as a PCT in the float pool in nursing school and I absolutely hated it. However, I work in the float pool now as an RN and I love it. You'll figure out where you belong and what you enjoy ������. Good luck!

That is so nice to hear!!! Thank you, lovesongajp. I've been applying to hospitals like crazy and hopefully something will come through! I'm glad you love your job as an RN :)

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Working in the nursing home as a CNA is very difficult job especially if you are honest with the care you supposed to provide!!

I worked in nursing home 14 months and then I quit because they are giving me 14 to 16 patients 10 of them on ventilators. And all of them use diapers and i supposed to change them all in q2 and I suppose to provide 3 showers and we supposed to provide oral care and turn them and keep my eyes on another 2 confused patients who want to hit other residents and and and and etc ..... I am not complaining about providing care but simply i am not superman !! By giving me 14 patients in this condition they are the telling me to neglect half of them technically and if anything happen you are the one who will be in trouble

After I quit i worked as a CNA in a big hospital and believe me it's much better, you still get about 10 patients but most of them are independent and may be there's 1 patient using diaper ' it's much easier and you have the time to provide the care they need

Bashar.RN, thank you for your response!! I feel the same exact way.... 5 out of 9 of my patients were fall risks the other day, and I was so busy running around when their bed alarms were going off because all of them kept getting up by themselves. I hate to say it, but I was so occupied running around for them that I had little time to provide care to anyone else. It was frustrating because I hold myself to high standards and I felt like I was not put in a position to be able to provide good care. I totally understand the superman comment!!! I hope that I can get a hospital job soon, fingers crossed! Thanks for sharing your positivity!!! :up:

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