CNA=Poop cleaner?!

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I told a neighbor I was thinking of maybe doing a CNA course in a few weeks, and they told me "why would you want to clean poop off people for a living? That's all they do, you know, right?" This was from a nurse! That kind of made me wonder if this is really something I should bother even pursuing. I get that it's part of the job, but I didn't realize it's the MAIN part. Is this true?

ETA: No, i'm not afraid to clean poop, I've cleaned tons in my 11 years as a mom, I have no issues with it. I just don't want it to be the only part of my job as a CNA, which this nurse told me it will be. I want to know if she's just trying to talk me out of a CNA course. She thinks I should just go right into nursing, which isn't in the cards with my young family right now. BTDT.

Even when I worked LTC, my job was so much more than toileting, peri care, and feeding. These people still had so much to share, give, and receive. You have to look beyond the basics of this job and to the heart of what matters.

I taught in public education for ten years, and it sucked my soul dry. My mental health declined and I nearly ended up having a nervous breakdown. I went out on a limb to get my CNA endorsement, risking the stability of our finances, and the structure of our family. It was the best risk I have ever taken. I have grown more as a person for doing this job in that first year of LTC than I ever gained in the classroom.

Many ancient and native cultures revere their elder members, but our modern society has forsaken the richness and beauty of aging for the desperation of remaining youthful.

The best way to look at this job is to look at it as if you are caring for your own parent(s) or grandparent(s).

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Well she obviously thinks she is above all that but I highly recommend the class..I am a CNA and I plan on being a nurse. It definitely ticks me off when they say why do you want to be a butt wiper. Some day they may need theirs wiped. They definitely don't get the picture.

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Specializes in hospice.
The best way to look at this job is to look at it as if you are caring for your own parent(s) or grandparent(s).

Yes. :yes:

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It just occurred to me, who is to clean the poopy mess if not the CNA? Somebody has to help the patient/resident. It's a poopy job, but somebody has to do it.

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Specializes in Occupational Health; Adult ICU.

Toileting can be a big part of an LNA's job, depending on where one works it might be 10% or 30% of time involvement.

Let's face it, the LNA is the lowest-skilled "skilled" job. It pays poorly, is often unappreciated by just about everyone, RN's, management, and sometimes families and patients. It's not an easy job, it's difficult and given enough time, depending upon where one works probably 50+% will develop permanent back problems. Some people though do LNA work for their lives and seem to do well, but most don't. Some leave, some move up (LPN/RN) and some get hurt and disappear.

I do NOT recommend LNA as a life job. I DO recommend LNA as a 1-3 year job as part of a pathway to more lucrative things like being an RN. I do recommend it because the LNA develops "hands." By "hands" I mean that the LNA learns how to handle a patient which includes bathing, toileting, and all things social. This is a huge aspect of nursing and the LNA who transitions to an RN will find clinical a lot easier than those who have not ambulated/bathed/cared/toileted many patients.

As was posted earlier by someone in this thread, some schools are now requiring LNA as an entry requirement for an RN degree. Just yesterday when I was comparing three local RN community colleges (Greenfield, MA; Brattleboro, VT; and Claremont, NH) I was surprised and pleased that Claremont's program now requires LNA experience.

I tried to become LNA at the start of my career in 2001 and was repeatedly refused. "You won't be happy here," was what I heard. Well, in part, that was true and it must be tedious to get good LNA's to have them leave as RN's (though that does not need to be the case for you could try to keep them). But at any rate eventually I just went and got my ADN (RN) without doing the LNA. But I've worked long enough now and have managed/worked with/etc. enough LNA's to realize that my life as an RN student would have been much easier had I done 1 years work as an LNA.

Just my two cents, hope it helps and good luck.

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Its part of the job in most cases, although how much varies depending on where you work. JUst keep in mind if you want to be an RN that Nurses have to do it too. For some people that alone defines the job. I know Paramedics that used to refer to Nurses as overpaid butt wipers.

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Specializes in CVOR, CVICU/CTICU, CCRN-CMC-CSC.

CNA also = life saver. Don't let your neighbor underplay the importance of CNAs. At my current hospital, we are very appreciative of our aides. Sure, cleaning patients up is part of the job, but I do it almost as frequently now as an RN as I did as a CNA. Our aides are BLS certified, so they are very helpful in a code. I agree with the PP that stated they wouldn't do it for life, but it was a great experience and prepared me well for my job as an RN.

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Specializes in Informatics / Trauma / Hospice / Immunology.

Getting your foot in the door as a CNA is huge in helping you get that difficult first LVN or RN job. That said, most patients don't defecate on themselves. My floor CNAs spend far more time taking vitals, admitting patients to the floor and just generally helping to just get patients comfortable and settled. As an RN, it is just as much my job to clean up poop or scoop poop into a sample container. It's not a big part of the job but it happens. I was never a CNA and I'm far worse and repositioning patients, cleaning them, bathing them, and changing beds than they are. It is valuable work. Don't listen to your negative neighbor. She is ridiculously exaggerating. Volunteer first if you want to see CNA's in action first.

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True story... RN also = Poop cleaner.

RN=Poop reach up in there and grab it'er.

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WOW,

I am doing the complete opposite. I am now a CNA, but I am in school to be an Early Childhood Educator.

Being a CNA has caused me anxiety and a nervous breakdown.

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Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.

When I worked as a CNA last year while taking my nursing classes, I worked the night shift. Now I would jokingly refer to myself as a professional butt cleaner. Well, it was night shift in a LTC.

No CNA's do a lot more than take care of code brown's. Vitals, ambulating, feeding, bathing and being the one to pretty much answer the call lights and to help them with whatever need they have. There is repositioning those on bed rest to prevent skin breakdown. Sometimes the CNA is the first to know of an issue and alerts the nurse. It wold be a long reply to try and to list everything a CNA does.

As a nurse, I appreciate my CNAs. When showering residents, they are suppose to let me know of any skin issues. I also learn how well my residents eat from them. The aids bring me information or requests for needs the resident has. Sometimes, I instruct them in what they can do and sometimes I must take care of the issue. CNAs area vital link in the chain of care.

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its part of the job, but not a big part of it. i think its more of a part when you work in the nursing home setting, but its still not the main part. and i disagree with it not being a "career" of sorts. there are cna's at my hospital that are in their 70s who love their job, and are proud of what they do.

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