CNAs/PCTs: How many patients in your care?

[mallycakes]

I am new to the healthcare field. I work in SC on third shift as a CNA in a LTC facility. I have only been at my job for about 3 weeks now, and I am just curious. How many patients do you have in your care on average? When we are short staffed (95% of the time), I have 30 people to care for. That doesn't sound like a lot on paper, but really when it comes to making rounds q2h (brief changes mostly), getting some of them up, showers, passing out ice/water cups to everyone, dealing w/the few sundowners/wanderers that we have (meaning keeping them out of other residents' rooms, keeping them away from the nursing station/supplies, etc.) answering call lights, charting, etc. I really don't feel like I can properly care for 30 people. Other CNAs tell me I "have to learn to cut corners" but I don't feel comfortable doing that just because "everyone has to do it to get their job done". I feel like my residents suffer because I can't be in 10 places at once, and they don't get the care they deserve.

My real question is, does 30 patients seem like a lot to you? 99% of these residents are TOTAL care, and as a new CNA I am still slower at some tasks that are already very time consuming. I've been looking on this site for other posts like this but I find others have patient loads of 15, 20, or 24 and they consider this to be too much.

*P.S.: Some "background" info on the facility I work for: We don't use a staffing agency so we are always understaffed. I found out when I was hired that this facility doesn't even drug test new hires--their turnover rate is so high that they are unable to afford drug testing for new hires only to have them quit 3 days later. I already know I work in a pretty crap facility, but I am wondering if this is going to be the 'norm' at other facilities as well. I planned on being a CNA or PCT during nursing school, but if this is how other facilities are then I am really rethinking my plan....Thanks in advance for any advice. :)

[%D#2]

I am a nurse now but was a CNA and pct for years. In the LTC I had 8 memory care patients. In the hospital I had 32 patients. No doubt it was hard and I am a team player with my CNAs now. We do a lot of care together.

Cutting corners.. Depends on which corners you cut lol.

[%D#2]

Ps. Try to stick it out for AT LEAST 6 months. Will not look good on a resume if you are a new nurse who worked at multiple facilities as a CNA. That being said though, I do think it's too much and unfortunately it's like this in a lot of places. So I feel your pain and concern. You'll get faster with things as you go. Do you guys buddy up at all? When I am passing meds to total care patients I bring the tech in with me and we do care together