I became a CNA in order to get into nursing school.
But, while I was a CNA, I took my duty to the patient very seriously.
Honestly, I feel like as a CNA, the very personal duties you are entrusted to are sacred, in a way.
Being a was a CNA gave me the foundation for my practice as an RN.
Think about it; if you had someone changing your brief every 2 hours, do you think you could tell if that person resented every moment, or if they regarded the task as a very intimate part of your care that needs to be treated with appropriate reverence, or if they resented what they "had to do"?
If you are a career CNA, THANK YOU!!!!! You do such an intimate and integral part of the patient care that should be treated with appropriate reverence.
If you are using CNA as a stepping stone to get into nursing school, there is nothing wrong with that, but please be cognizant that this is the foundation for all of your future interactions with your patients and clients. Think about what it would be like to be the person in that bed, having a complete stranger cleaning the fecal matter out of your lady parts, and how you would want them to behave. Be humble, respectful, gentle, and communicate even with the nonverbal. Say things like "I'm sorry, this washcloth is rough, but it's all we have. I'll be as gentle as I can.", and then BE GENTLE, whether the person is able to respond or not.
To every career CNA out there, thank you so much for your devotion to the dignity of each human being that you are entrusted to care for, and to each aspiring nurse working as a CNA, please do not let all of these lessons be wasted. Do not let yourself into the trap of thinking "Oh, once I'm an RN, I won't ever have to _________.). Be humble. Be compassionate. Give of yourself. Put your own mom or grandma in that bed.
And, as for the question of the original OP, I will be honest and say that while I found my work as a CNA to be extremely meaningful and to serve as a foundation for the future, there were times where I got tired of the drudgery. You know, that patient that needed their water pitcher moved 1/4" to the right (oh no, it was fine it was where it was), or the head of the bed up...no down...no up...no down....LOL. That stuff never goes away.
I love my residents, I love most of my work, I like most of the nurses I work under. I don't love working with many of my fellow CNAs, and I don't like how the rules are only enforced on whomever is convenient. That's why I'm trying to get out of LTC.
This thread has me so happy! I am at the VERY beginning stages of everything nursing. I just started my very semester for my pre requisites for the nursing program. I'm doing a CNA course next semester and then applying to the nursing program in 2015. I'm hoping to work as a CNA for at least a year. I am a very gentle, caring person. I couldn't be rude to a stranger if they were yelling in my face. I just don't even know how. This thread has made me eager to become a CNA when I was just hesitating because so many people complain about it.
mstearns09
184 Posts
I love my residents, I love most of my work, I like most of the nurses I work under. I don't love working with many of my fellow CNAs, and I don't like how the rules are only enforced on whomever is convenient. That's why I'm trying to get out of LTC.