This thread is for those of us who are enrolled in a CNA course right now, and/OR will be certified between March and April. Here is where we rant, network, and/or brag about the way our course (s) are going, our experiences finding a job after our course/internship is completed, and what our plans are for the future (Nursing school, etc.).
We started this topic in another thread, lets keep this going! :heartbeat
Here is a little YouTube humor for all of us potential CNA's. A typical day in the life of a Certified Nursing Assistant:
Yeah I'm from NYC and almost went to MI as well! But, decided to go to Allen School instead since its right in Queens :redbeathe What can I say, its too cold for me to travel on the train/bus late at night etc. Its a good program so far. But gosh, I really need to work on that trio skill the teacher gave us: Peri care/Catheter/and Bed Pan. The skills aren't hard its all the precautions you have to take for infection control, patient privacy/comfortability etc. that get confusing. :angryfire
I need to go study!!!
Please tell me how the MI program goes for you when it starts. When you start your program in March, i'll be finishing mines: God-willing. :up:
Hi again.. Im actually getting quite nervous about this whole CNA thing.. Moreso about the clinicals.. With my luck I will probably get the old lady whos been in a coma for 3 years and decides to wake up when I walk into the room LOL.. Or the one who spits or curses for that matter..
Tomorrow is my FINAL!!! We did a pre-test today and I got an 87. Some I missed because I didn't read the question right so I will have to watch that tomorrow.
I think my class might be set up differently from others. Tomorrow is Day 10 of 18. We've had class every day. We take our final tomorrow and then go to the lab. We will do skills lab for 4 1/2 days. Then clinicals for 3 days.
What book are you guys using for your class? My instructor is quite irritating. We are using Nursing Asst Care by Alvare, Dugan, and Fuzy. But he gives us assessments and things from Mosby. So things that aren't in our book were on the pre-test today. It makes me wonder why we buy our book if it isn't good enough to prepare us for the state exam.
I also love how he shows us videos and then tells us that state requires we do it a different way and he'll show us that later. Um, why show us a video that doesn't go along with what our state requires? Oh well, such is life, just a few more weeks and I'll be certified.
I started my class Feb 9th. It's 4 weeks long so I should be done with the course March 9th. :) It runs from 8 AM - 2:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
So far I am enjoying the course. My instructors are awesome and they seem like they actually give a damn about their students. I had a difficult time getting into the course to due lack of funding and resistance from family but they took the extra time to help me out. My theory instructor has a 100% pass rate so I think I will learn a lot from her.
Tomorrow will only be my 3rd day but I'm already a bit nervous.. I LOVE the theory part of the course (I loved the theory part of the nursing courses I took also) and I catch on easily, but I am worried about mastering the skills and performing well in clinical. I have low self-esteem and barely a shred of confidence so I worry about being good.. I worry about making mistakes and being good at what I do. I worry about not catching onto the physical skills as fast as others, especially when I am practicing them in front of an audience..
My class is really small.. about 6 people.. I feel a little weird being the youngest and the only one without children. I love the small class size but I get nervous practicing skills in front of the class because I hate having an audience/being the center of attention.
I'm very grateful for the chance to take this course because working as a CNA for a while will help me decide if I want to finish off my BSN (I'm two pre-reqs short of clinicals!) and stay in the field of health care. Sometimes I think it's right for me; I've shown such an interest in it for my entire life even though I'm young. I just worry about working in LTC and dealing with very, very difficult Alzheimer's and dementia residents. I have no experience with it and I don't know how good I will be at it. I have an idea of what to expect but I know that school doesn't fully prepare you to handle such tricky and stressful situations.
I'm nervous but maybe I just need a little more experience to help boost my confidence. But despite my apprehension I'm looking forward to seeing what this course has to offer and what I can learn from working as a CNA.
I'm in the same boat as you!! I'm the youngest in my class& without kids too. Also I wanted to see if I like the healthcare field so I took a semester off to take this class. So far I'm doing great but I haven't started clinicals yet. Hopefully they'll go smoothly too :) Don't worry, just hang in there & you'll be fine !
Specializes in 6 yrs LTC, 1 yr MedSurg, Wound Care.
Comfortably Numb - My confidence level is down low too. I haven't had a real job since I was in high school waiting tables and that was 6 or 7 years ago! Makes me sound old doesn't it! I'm only 25.
I don't want to work in LTC so if I can avoid it I will. Actually, I don't plan on applying at any nursing homes at all unless I absolutely have to. Hospitals will be my first choice, there are 4 here I think. Option 2 is home health. That is what my grandma does and she said a lot of her patients get around just fine-not all, but most. I will really have to give some bad impressions to make it to my C list. I'm pretty likable though (even though that sounds vain, it's true! :) ) so hopefully I'll do well.
Anyway, Im sure everything will turn out fine. If your heart has been telling you all this time that nursing is what you are supposed to do, then other people will see that. Just study hard and do the best you can, I know you will, and the things that are supposed to happen WILLl. I've learned from experience that just because something didn't go the way you planned it, doesn't mean it's bad. That just isn't how it's supposed to happen for you.
Everyone is saying that their classes are 6 - 9 people, our is starting to get to that number. People in the class are dropping like flies!!! LOL! We started off with 22 last Tuesday and yesterday there was only 11! Stinks to be the other half of the class because we had a 66 question test. I think I did pretty well, we get our tests back tomorrow so I will have to log in and give you an update.
We get to work in the lab tomorrow and have a clinical Friday. When is everyone else's clinicals? Anyone from Texas by chance?
I just completed my CNA class, and I take my state test the end of this month. I am so nervous!
And everyone worrying about clinicals - don't sweat it. The first day is the hardest, but after that it gets easier every day as you get to know the residents and become more comfortable with the procedures. I had 7 days of clinicals over a 3 week period, and i learned alot!
I took my final and got a 98!!! I got a 100 on my COPD presentation that I did so my average for the class is a 99.
We started skills lab today, I love my lab partners. We get along great and it makes the time go by so quickly. I picked up the skills alot quicker than I thought I would.
Specializes in 6 yrs LTC, 1 yr MedSurg, Wound Care.
Wow, dee, congratulations!! That's an awesome score!
The clinicals for my class will be the last week (week 4) of the class. Every week the class is M-Th for 4 hours, but clinicals will be for a full 8! Since I chose evening, I won't finish until 11pm! That sucks because I have to get up in the morning and get my 5yo ready for school. I think part of our clinicals are at a nursing home and the other part is at a hospital. Where will you all have yours?
Anyone have shoes yet? My husband is a printer, is around chemicals and slippery surfaces, and orders from a website called Shoes for Crews. They are EXCELLENT for non-slip! I will be ordering the Candy. They come in about 3 days. When I told him that I needed to get new shoes for working he said I absolutely had to order from them. They aren't too expensive and will last.
We will do our 3 days of clinicals at a nursing home. The class I'm taking seems to be oriented to nursing homes more than hospitals, even though most in the class want to work in a hospital.
I bought a pair of shoes from Target for $20. They will get the job done for the class. I'm not sure if/when I'll work as a CNA, it all depends on whether or not I can find a schedule that works for me.
Classes are still going well for me. Just wanted to drop in to give this link. I find her skill videos to be very helpful for the clinical part of BOARDS. Tomorrow I'm going to watch these all day since there is no class [well, not ALL day, LOL]
We will do our 3 days of clinicals at a nursing home. The class I'm taking seems to be oriented to nursing homes more than hospitals, even though most in the class want to work in a hospital.
I bought a pair of shoes from Target for $20. They will get the job done for the class. I'm not sure if/when I'll work as a CNA, it all depends on whether or not I can find a schedule that works for me.
Same here We're gonna do a week and a half in a local nursing home but only a couple of people in the class want to work in nursing homes as a GNA (well actually they currently work in NH so they're doing the class to become certified).
Comfortably Numb - My confidence level is down low too. I haven't had a real job since I was in high school waiting tables and that was 6 or 7 years ago! Makes me sound old doesn't it! I'm only 25.
I don't want to work in LTC so if I can avoid it I will. Actually, I don't plan on applying at any nursing homes at all unless I absolutely have to. Hospitals will be my first choice, there are 4 here I think. Option 2 is home health. That is what my grandma does and she said a lot of her patients get around just fine-not all, but most. I will really have to give some bad impressions to make it to my C list. I'm pretty likable though (even though that sounds vain, it's true! :) ) so hopefully I'll do well.
Anyway, Im sure everything will turn out fine. If your heart has been telling you all this time that nursing is what you are supposed to do, then other people will see that. Just study hard and do the best you can, I know you will, and the things that are supposed to happen WILLl. I've learned from experience that just because something didn't go the way you planned it, doesn't mean it's bad. That just isn't how it's supposed to happen for you.
Good luck!
I don't wanna work in a LTC either but most of the hospital openings I see are asking for at the minimum of 1yr experience. I'll have to get my start somewhere though! Maybe LTC's wont be so bad.
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I need to be studying right now!
We're gonna do a week and a half in a local nursing home but only a couple of people in the class want to work in nursing homes as a GNA (well actually they currently work in NH so they're doing the class to become certified).
evie119
62 Posts
Hi again.. Im actually getting quite nervous about this whole CNA thing.. Moreso about the clinicals.. With my luck I will probably get the old lady whos been in a coma for 3 years and decides to wake up when I walk into the room LOL.. Or the one who spits or curses for that matter..