want to quit my CNA job, need advice

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

Specializes in public health.

I got my CNA lincense in the beginning of October. While looking for a CNA job, I worked as a caregiver for almost a month. The job was easy and my clients are really nice. But I thought I need a real CNA job in order to get some nursing experience, so I applied to hospitals and nursing homes. The only place that accepted me is a nursing home. I had the CNA job for about 2 weeks and I feel like I am drowning. I am depressed everyday and terrified to go to work. This is what happened during my orientation: I let two people fall. Neither of them hurt, and nurses were notified. I think it's my fault because I used the gait belt but didn't recognize that I was not capable of transferring them (I am a petite new CNA without any experience). So after that, everyone started passing the words that I cannot transfer people. I didn't feel like I am ready to be off orientation, so I asked the nurse if I could get a couple more days. The truth is the nursing home is really short on staff, so they were pushing to get me off orientation and start on my own asap. We usually have 4 CNAs during the day shift, but today is just me and three other experienced CNAs. I didn't feel comfortable being assigned my own patients (10 patients) but there is no other way around it due to short of staff, so they gave me my patients anyway. Everything was fine in the morning, but I was pulled to go to a transfer training for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the middle of the day because the nurses feel like I need to get more training. So I missed my two 15 minutes break. Didn't get my lunch break until I told the charge nurse that it's 2 hours before the end of my shift and I still haven't eaten yet. So I went for lunch for 20 minutes and came back realizing that I have to help a patient to shower. Well, I've never done her shower before and she needs a hoyer lift. I was freaking out because everyone is getting ready to leave (1/2 hour before the end of the shift). I asked 2 other CNAs to help me which they did but neither of them think it's urgent so they just took their time. I showered the patient by myself but was really frustrated because she is pretty much dead weight and she screams "help" all the time. At this point, I still have two more patient to chart, but after I finally put her back into bed, it's already 10 minutes after the shift. If we can't finish charting before the end of our shift, the computer doesn't allow us to chart anymore. I told the nurse that I don't want to get into trouble but I didn't have time to chart her. She told me it's OK (I was told by other CNAs that if I didn't chart on time I would get a write-up). Anyway, sorry about the long post. I just feel like I am being thrown into a lion's den and had no idea how to do my job right. I am constantly under stress. While the nurses are friendly to me, and ask me what trainings I need, I just don't know what to tell them. I feel like I am so slow (but I am always busy, running around). Can you give me some insights? Thank you!

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I feel your frustration and I can only say it's how a lot of us feel in the beginning. It seems some transition into the job in no time at all and some of us need weeks to get into a routine.

As long as the nurses seem willing to work with you and it does seem that they do then give yourself some more time to get into the routine. If you are unsure of ambulating someone then you MUST get help. Put resident safety above all else and don't feel pressured to do something by yourself if you're unsure you can do it safely.

What you're frustrated with is your time management skills. Ask the more experienced CNA's how they manage to get their duties done within their shift.

You will get the hang of it.

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At my facilities, CNAs were expected to work in pairs. It makes the job easier and faster all the way around. Try making that suggestion to your supervising nurse and let her know that you feel it will help you to get up to speed if you work with the help of a partner.

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I am a new nursing assistant. The long-term care facility that hired me has a scholarship program that is getting me certified so that I can stay on as an employee. I started in August, and I'm already looking for a way out of this. There is never time to really give people personalized care, it's mostly just herding people like cattle. I never take my 15 minute breaks because it would make me lose momentum and fall behind. However....what I would advise you to do and what I am going to do is stick it out and take advantage of any continuing education programs, get all the experience I can here and then move on to another facility where quality is more important than quantity, and it's not just all about cost containment. I would love to work in a facility where they would allow the CNA's to work in pairs, even better I would love to work full time in Hospice care. However, I need experience working in a facility such as this for at least a year before I can look elsewhere. Get some support from family, friends, and co-workers to help you make it through before you make any fast decisions about what to do. It may be that you just need more time and experience to feel that you're doing a competent job. Your employer has invested time and money in you and they may be willing to work with you to help you feel better about your experience there.

Good luck to you --Linda--

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I am also a new CNA and have been off of my orientation about 3 weeks or so. I am still trying to get in the 'swing' of things. I work 3rd shift, 11p to 730a. Some people claim night shift is easy, I think otherwise for sure! I have been on my unit doing 3rd shift for almost a month or so, and I think I have gotten out at 730 maybe 2 or 3 times. It's usually after 8 going on 830 until I get to clock out and go home!!!! The night goes pretty smooth, until about 6:00 when we start getting people up. Since there's only 2 aides at night, it's hard getting 1st shift to help you out once in a while!!! It's hard work, very stressful and I am sweating prefusiously by the end of the night!!! I also work in a long term care facility, and I just wanted to say I definitely see your point and am going through the same things myself!!!!

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Specializes in public health.

Thanks for all your input. I just want to let you know that I quit my job today. The DON and my supervisor are extremely understanding and willing to let me go without the 2 week notice. (I still have to work tomorrow but just to finish up the week). They also gave me good advices such as maybe looking for jobs in home health or hospital. I just can't handle the heavy patient load and forever changing schedules. Anyway. I am now looking into other options. I know I still want to be a nurse.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.
Thanks for all your input. I just want to let you know that I quit my job today. The DON and my supervisor are extremely understanding and willing to let me go without the 2 week notice. (I still have to work tomorrow but just to finish up the week). They also gave me good advices such as maybe looking for jobs in home health or hospital. I just can't handle the heavy patient load and forever changing schedules. Anyway. I am now looking into other options. I know I still want to be a nurse.

Don't worry..LTC is not for everyone :) And @ least you gave it a try. Maybe you should look into assisted living facilities too. Good luck!

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

Rushing someone through orientation, because management failed to do their job (providing adequate staffing), is not only poor leadership, but shoes complete disregard for the residents let alone the employees. Why in the world are the nurse's asking you what training you need ? It's their job to know and to provide. I don't blame you for wanting to quit this job. Just don't quit as a CNA, because management and leadership are supremely inadequate at your current place.

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I'm so sorry that you had an unhappy experience! One thing that you absolutely MUST do going forward is to continue to ask, ask, ask for help every single time you feel uncomfortable about your ability to do a skill. It is for your own safety, the safety of the patient, and the safety of the facility to do so. I am told that these places have such high turnover that they are just happy to have someone who shows up to work on time and is always there. If that is indeed true then even if they thing you are a pain in the behind they will not do anything negative to you because they need you more than you need them. MAKE someone help you when you feel unsure. By doing so you will learn and hone your skills until you end up being able to do those things independently. And then you will be able to help the new girl later on! I speak not from the experience of a CNA since I am taking my class right now, but from the experience of being forty and having an extremely assertive personality. Don't allow yourself to burn out before you even start! Fight for the help you need! Good luck!

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dont feel bad. this was me when i started. and depending on the work load, work will be torture the whole time youre there. i just quit my cna job after being there 6-7 months because the environment was hostile, people refused the hard assignments so id always get them, people were treated like cattle, not taken care of, too much work load, and just overall a horrible place, it was my first cna job and the first day i was there i didnt think id last, 7 months later im throwing in the towel.

this job was torture, most LTC facilities are, i hear. i got pain under 10 dollars an hr to be tortured. i cannot deal with it anymore. the place is hell and residents are not treated well AT ALL!!!!!

dont torture yourself, it will only make you mad, depressed, sad, frustrated, bitter, and you will lose your compassion. i quit before i stopped totally caring about the people i was trying to help. a lot of people dont, and thats how they are able to treat the residents like rag dolls. i dont want to get to that point, i got in this to help people, not hurt them and neglect them. so...i am so outta there.

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Specializes in public health.
people were treated like cattle.

I totally understand what you mean by that! God, I swear sometimes I felt like I was a farm worker, getting my people up, dressed, to the dining hall, feed them, lay them down. I know I was be so upset if I was asked "are you done with your lunch" like every 5 minutes.

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I am a CNA student doing clinicals at a nursing home, and I feel the same way. My second day here, and I know I could never work in such an environment. It's chaos, really. They are consistently understaffed, the residents & CNAs are rushed through every task. The shower room/bathroom floor is always sticky & reeking of urine. A lot of things do not get disinfected after each use, supplies are scattered all over, literally. Several residents care instructions are not being followed, resulting in bed sores and depression.

I've fed, changed, and bathed countless people in the past 2 days, and I think hardly anything was recorded or charted from my input.

I am glad I'm lucky enough to see all this before accepting a job offer from them. I truly hope the majority of LTC facilities are not like this, but I get the feeling a lot of them are.

When I seek employment as a CNA, it will be in a private home, hospital, or doctor's office. I can't handle the heartbreak of geriatrics. :(

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