CNA Info

leopold · Jun 11, 2005

Hello everyone!
I am a CNA about to go back to work for a hospice company. I have not done CNA work since the last day of CNA school, and therefore have very little experience.So tell me, how does a 126 pound woman change a much bigger person by herself? I know it can be done, I ve seen it.Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If the person is in bed it's easy cause all you have do is roll them to one side, roll the diaper or pad under, do pericare, roll them back and just pull the diaper or pad out. Sometimes, if the pad is placed correctly you can use that as a draw sheet to roll them. If the person is standing and you don't feel comfortable doing it by yourself, get an assist! Sometimes if it's a person that can support their body weight you can roll them over to the sink or bedside table and get them to hold onto it and sort of stand up (keep the wheelchair right behind and under them) and change them that way. I have learned by esperience never to try and do anything I feel uncomfortable with by myself. I won't even use a hoyer without an assist -- even though I know people that do it. Its dangerous for the patient and it's dangerous for you. If you're working in a place where you're fellow CNAs don't like helping go somewhere else and make sure it's the first question you ask at the interview because I am serious, it makes a huge difference. I was working with a woman who was pregnant and she was ambulating a man who was actually very stable and ambulatory but he lost his balance and fell on her and she lost the baby. I've seen a lot of CNAs who take great pride in the fact that they can transfer a 170 pound paralyzed man by themselves; I think it is just asking for trouble.

leopold · Jun 11, 2005

And just try using your nursing education to report a change in assessment. Your a CNA, not a nurse. %$!@$%@#% student thinks they know everything...

The nurses I worked with expected me to report changes. I had to do skin assessments and admission/ADL assessment. Oh and bowel movements. We had to track those and report to the nurse three times a day on any difficulties. The nurses didn't deal with monitoring BMs at all except to ask us. I had to report ANY change in condition, if I didn't I'd hear about it. And since CNAs do pericare, we were always the first in line to report any problems with skin breakdown. Yes, nurses do weekly skin assessments but we see those behinds several times a day. And a lot of times, since we worked so closely with the residents, if they were having a concern they would tell us before telling the nurse. If they asked me what was wrong I would say "I don't know, I'll tell the nurse." Then we'd go to the nurse. I never once went to a nurse and said, "so and so's hand hurts and I think it's because of X." And it doesn't take a nurse's education to realize that someone is having trouble breathing.

FuturenurseCA&O · Jun 11, 2005

HI~

Just wanted to suggest that you check with the BON (Board of Nursing) before you sign up for classes. I'm a student as well (1 yr completed in a 2 yr program) and was about to pay for classes and then I learned that with my transcript from nursing school showing that I have successfully completed basic nursing skills and $40 I could directly apply for my license. I don't know if this is true in Oregon, but it doesn't cost anything check out the BON website or simply call them to find out.

I am going to work as a CNA this summer. I'm both looking forward to it, and dreading it...but I want the work experience on my resume, and a little bit of extra cash in my pocket. Plus I like working...at school or a job, its nice to be out of the house doing something productive every week. I'm sure there will be wonderful days working with the patients and not so wonderful days...but if it is like clinicals I tend to learn more on the bad days--specifically the things I don't want to do as a nurse. In addition, I can practice my assessment skills, therapeutic communication, and time management. Kind of like "practice nursing". :chuckle

Good Luck~

~Darlene

sayitaintso · Jun 11, 2005

ZASHAGALKA

its people like you that turns people off from nursing,not everyone experiences the same thing so who are you to try tell the other poster not to be a cna....i'm sorry that you had a bad experience but not because you are a rn or whatever level of nursing you are now dosen't make you better than a cna i would hate to work around someone like you, you said you are not trying to direspect cna's but since i'm the dummy what exactly are you trying to do? ....not all cna's get 9-11 and hour some places(i live in new york fyi)you get $15 or better ...if you can tell me exactly what mcdonalds i can go to and get $9 per hour i'll be happy to work there as a second job.....my teacher was telling me about people like you who try to disrespect the cna's but try to remember that we are your right hands and we make your(nurses) work easier :angryfire :angryfire i hope you don't give off all that negative energy in and around your workplace ...its not good :rolleyes:

Plagueis · Jun 11, 2005

As a CNA myself, I do think we are underpaid for what we do. I keep hearing about how "important" and "vital" we are to the residents, but we are only paid $6 to $8 per hour to start. (At least around here.) The local hotels and restaurants pay around the same rate, but their potential employees don't have to take a 5 to 6 week course; pass a skills test; pass a written exam; get drug tested, and so on in order to get hired. Plus, I don't know of any CNAs who ever had less than 10 residents to deal with. How can we possibly give the residents one-on-one time when most nursing homes are understaffed? If we were paid more, especially for weekends, then I'm sure some of the staffing problems wouldn't be as bad. Nursing homes around here pay agency workers $15-$20 per hour to fill in staffing shortages. Why can't they pay us that much?

Shastalee99 · Jun 11, 2005

I'm thinking of taking the CNA course to work while i'm in RN school. I'm looking for some general on the course and what a CNA actually does. How long does the course itself take? Is it easy to find a job? What are the duties of a CNA in a nursing home? What are their duties in a hospital? What is the general pay (in rural areas)? Thank you SO much for helping me if you can :)

I work as a PCA in my hospital. Whether you are a CNA or not, that is your title here. With 1 semester in RN school you are allowed to work as a PCA (patient care attendant). I undertand some of the posts have said they loved being a CNA/PCA. I also read some poeple that disagree. Everyone has their own opinion. These people are patients, not patrons. They're sick and need someone to look out for them and be their advocate. No I don't like to get covered with C Diff stool or get coughed in my face or be punched, scratched or screamed at like I did on my shift last night. No I don't like being treated like an inferior by an RN or MD, or patient for that matter. Nobody does but that's life. If you don't like something you can move on, and you will because you're in school for RN, right? It's not that bad. You as an RN should bathe your patients and clean up after them anyway. So often we as nurses/students forget what out jobs enbtails and who we are caring for in the process. Cleaning up and assisting with a transfer is part of an RN's job and shouldn't be dismissed for a CNA/PCA to do.

Many CNA's on my floor don't even know how to wipe a female's genitalia, preventing stool from traveling up the lady parts. They don't know how to transfer correctly or safely nor do some now what the meaning of "work" is. The same goes for some RNs, doctors or whoever in the medical profession. There are lazy people and hard workers. It's you who determines what kind of nurse you will be. It's you that determines how satisfied you'll be as a CNA/PCA.

In a nutshell, I don't thoroughly enjoy being a PCA. I dream of being an RN a lot. But I can assess on my own and the nurses recognize my hard work when others are sitting at the nurse's station and ask me to tag along when doing something interesting to help me through school.

NicInNC, CNA · Jun 11, 2005

I ALWAYS try to put myself in the patients position. I care for them and do things for them that I hope someone would do for me if I were in their situation. Sometimes that means it's not all fun and games, but oh well. I feel good about what I do for others and when I can make them smile, I smile.

NicInNC, CNA · Jun 11, 2005

Hey, if you can deal with being a professional feces slinger, more power to ya! I couldn't stand it and made more moola in retail while in school just to stand there,smile, and say How are you? Nothing more refreshing than the smell of a major "Code Brown" at 7 am in the morning!

Just remember, that one day you could be the reason for that "code brown". Hopefully CNA's will still be around to care for you like you would want to be cared for.

Then again, maybe LPN's will be "feces slingers" then. You never know!

HisTreasure, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2005

Just remember, that one day you could be the reason for that "code brown". Hopefully CNA's will still be around to care for you like you would want to be cared for.
Then again, maybe LPN's will be "feces slingers" then. You never know!

:uhoh21: :uhoh21: :uhoh21:

God Bless the CNAs, PCTs, LPN/LVNs, RNs, BSNs, MSNs, NPs, CNMs, etc. We are all a team.

I am an LPN. I am a feces slinger. I am an RN student, I am a feces slinger. :stone I don't know where the "Then again, maybe LPN's will be 'feces slingers' then" comment came from. Is that a personal attack, or are you hoping that LPNs get further demoted? *No malice, just wondering*

Dulluthkid · Jun 12, 2005

I think the person was implying that if CNAs were to be no more, the feces slinging would then be in most LPN's job description. Thank God for CNAs!! lol

SwinkerDoodleRN · Jun 12, 2005

Hi, I have been a CNA for 3 mos, and I am doing it to get through RN school. I love it. My class took 6 weeks and I went everyday saturday and sunday from 8a-5p when i wasnt going to school M-F. It set me back 330 dollars not including the text. The class is interesting and realistically easy. I took my state exam at the home where i did clinicals and got a job at that same nursing home even BEFORE i passed my exam. When I did, I got a raise.

During the day, you get elders up and ready for breakfast, assist them in eating/drinking, and other duties as assigned. Showers are given to residents, there are usually activities for them, you assist in oral and peri care. Basically, you pick up and take over where they cannot take care of themselves. It is always important to make sure you let them do as much as they can. You ambulate residents, take them to the bathoom Q2H (or some residents that is just PRN). You get the drift. It is a hard job, but the smiles from your residents, the thank yous, the pats on the hand, the winks, the stories they will tell you, it makes your day worth while to know your day was spent helping not one, but 50 other people.

You should seriously consider doing this. You will love it now, and appreciate your patients more in the future!

SwinkerDoodleRN · Jun 12, 2005

I dont agree totally with CNAs having no respect. If you work at a craphole facility, then yeah you probably will not get very much respect. You work for your respect.

I work at the best LTC facility in Amarillo, TX, and I am very much respected and appreciated from anyone and everyone from the cleaning lady and my charge nurse to the house supervisor and the DON. They know who does their work, and they know that CNA's are the back bone to nursing. SO, it really depends on how hard you work and where you work. money is just money. a job well done that helps others and touches their hearts is priceless. There will be enough time in life to have a job where you get paid bookoos of money. DONT WORK AT MCDONALDS, WORK WHERE YOU WILL BE APPRECIATED, and ALSO APPRECIATE YOURSELF.

I did that route.
As far as I could tell, the things I did as a CNA were completely unrelated to nursing. OK OK, I wiped butts, but it's not the same cause now, when I wipe butts, I'm not mentally moving on to the next pt, I'm assessing this one.
And just try using your nursing education to report a change in assessment. Your a CNA, not a nurse. %$!@$%@#% student thinks they know everything...
Lots of work for about the same amount of pay you get at McDonalds; and you get more respect at McDonalds without having to pay for the priviledge of being a minimum wage employee.
If you want to be able to say that you came up through the ranks from CNA on then, great, go for it.
If you want a job that you can truly put your mind on autopilot - don't do it. Being a CNA is very hard work for very little pay and absolutely no respect.
I'm not trying to diss being a CNA; been there done that. The ones that actually do their jobs (shaving cream in the pits DO NOT count as a bath) work too dang hard for not enough money and respect.
~faith.