cna in hospitals

[TLWSTNANOH]

What would a CNA do in a hospital vs a nursing home? which is easier and which is easiest to get into?

[sbenning5]

Hi, I'm interested in the answer too. I just got my certification and have started applying for jobs.

Anyway, best of luck to you.

[FutureNurse23]

In my opinion nursing homes are easier to get into. And hospitals are easier as far as work wise. It seems though in my city nursing homes are willing to pay you more and give you better options to have time for school. If you can handle the work in a nursing home you can handle the work any where.

[sbenning5]

"If you can handle the work in a nursing home you can handle the work any where"

Good point!

[rancelumsden]

This is a late entry to your question. I worked in LTC and hospital ---- very large difference. There are far more jobs in LTC than hospitals, so getting a job in a nursing home is far easier.

But, the amount of things you do, not the physical difficulty, varies hugely. In LTC, you will spend a large portion of your time transferring, toileting, bathing, diapering, and feeding. Those are the primary skills you will constantly use (along with bed changing).

In hospital, you have many more tasks. I spent at least 10% of a shift doing vitals, something I did very little of in LTC. A lot of vitals done manually, in rooms where precautions were set up and you had to go in gloved and suited. With training, I took glucose readings, did EKG's, checked heart monitors, hooked patients up to computer screens where their vitals were monitored, on/off scd's, assisted nurses with small procedures, setup/brokedown rooms for suction, oxygen, IV's. There are procedures for admitting patients, discharging them. I would go to the lab and blood banks for results and materials. I would transport patients to have testing. There was only a small amount of tranferring and diapering. Made beds of course, helped bed bathe some patients (but most needed no help), and once in a while fed someone.

Also did post-mortem work (I was in a med-surg/oncology unit --- a fair number of patients died there).

A lot of computer work. EVERYTHING you did was entered into a computer.

I had 2 full weeks, 8 hours a day, of initial training including the computer system. After that, 4 weeks with a preceptor. Then, EKG and other training.

The major difference is that in hospital, there is no routine and you don't get to 'know' patients. Many come and go in several days. Your day is never planned. Constant interruptions, priorities change by the minute. You have to enjoy being rushed and having a new set of patients every day (there may be some patients you had the day before, but minimal carryover). So, you're constantly going into rooms with people you know nothing about.

Many CNA's just can't deal with that. They want to get to know people, have routines, don't like constant change all day/every day. If you're like that, don't work in a hospital. If you don't like machines and computers, don't work in a hospital.

[ExpatHopeful, LPN, LVN]

I think that is a great description of what a hospital CNA does since I am one myself. I have never worked in LTC, but it seems that variety vs. routine is the overiding difference. If you want to be able to develop lots of different skills and enjoy working with different people every day then working in a hospital is for you. If you like routine and forming long term relationships with your patients then LTC may be better.

What you will find to be "easier" depends on your personality I think.