Common Misconceptions of myself as a Nurse Aides/Medication Aides

[miabia, BSN, RN]

(Apologies in advance for spelling and grammar I'm on my laptop nursing my child)

Depending on the person I'm speaking to about my line of work, when I tell someone, "I'm a CNA/MA" the range of responses varies. I usually get a disappointed, "oh" or an enthustiatic "OH!". I often hear how some one respects me because they, "just couldnt 'wipe butt'" or have issues dealing with vomit. I've decided to tell you some misconceptions I have to deal with on a daily basis.

We'll start out with the most evident. The peri-cares. Or the "down and dirties". For me peri-cares are probably the most personal aspect of my job. Not only am I expected to do it properly but I am expected to maintain a persons dignity. I treat all of my patients with the same tender care that I would give to my own family regardless of who they are. In fact, I had an elderly patient that was thankful because many just assumed that because she was a play boy bunny in the 1960's in a Chicago playboy club that she cared less about dignity than a "nun" to use her words specifically. For me dealing with human waste whether it be urine or feces is what it is. Do some of them make me crinkle my nose? Absolutely, but in all honesty that is only a very small portion of what I do.

I can not handle vomit. Just the sound of gagging alone makes me feel like my stomach is clawing up my throat to escape. The fact is when a person is vomiting all feelings of illness subside and you immediately think, "Get them on their side make sure their air way stays clear and get someones attention to help you!". Never once have I thrown up because of someone elses vomit at work. Now, I just wish the same would happen when my other son's friends ate a heavy meal during 105 degree tempature and then decided jumping on the tramploine was a fantastic idea. Yes I cared about the poor child but my own body had to deal with ...you get the idea.

I work full time night shift. Ah yes the "They don't do anything" crew. I'm actually so annoyed with that statement let me tell you my night for some validation. At 10pm I walk in clock in and get rounds. We immediately start stocking rooms and changing 30 people while the med nurse counts meds and the professional starts assessments. By 11pm we start wheelchair cleaning (with toothbrushes!) doing laundry, answering call lights, (one night one man had over 80 calls alone), folding laundry, turning, changing, Breaks, Behaviors, behavior charting, ADL charting, Hospice care (Skilled LTC), Vital Signs, Trash, Vacuuming, Mopping, and in the morning out of 30 patients we have 19 up, 6 of the 11 left are independent and day shift has 4 aides 2 professional and 1 med nurse to get 5 people up (only 1 hoyer) in an hour and a half. I am not complaining, I am proud of the things we accomplish every single night when we do this. Plus I've lost 30 lbs due to the activity so I'm definitely no complaining there.

I think one of the most common misconceptions that I get about being a great CNA/MA is that I'm a nurse. I am not. (Yes I read an article by another aide and I agree). I have worked with what I would presume is some of the best nurses in the industry. I have also worked with the one that I believed was the spawn of satan himself but that's a different topic. (Note I said ONE out of how many nurses?) Anywho where was I? Oh yes, Being a great CNA/MA is something I take immense pride in. I walk away from any job I do and I'm satisfied that I've done my best to accomplish the goal. But the fact is, I am still a CNA/MA. I don't hold the responsibilies that the Charge nurses or professional's have to uphold. I watched tearfully as my Charge nurse had to call a family member of a patient to tell her he had died unexpectedly at 50 years old. I have seen the professional be berated by family members and doctors because of ...well no real reason at all other than to have someone to blame. Because the professionals are just that, professionals, they are the scape goats that shield us from unending blame. A med aide may make a mistake on a pill but its the professional that will be blamed for it because (s)he was in charge of the floor and should have double checked the MA.

That is just a few misconceptions of being a CNA/MA that I can think of. What comes to mind when you (professional or certified) think of CNA/MA's?

And CNA/MA's...do me a favor. Do not refer to yourself as "JUST a CNA/MA". Be proud of what you are but do not be confused about what you are either.

[Cali_Nurse_209]

Great post. I'm a CNA also starting nursing school next month and I can relate to a lot of what you said. I started out in LTC now I work in a psych facilitiy. I also work the night shift and it annoys me when people bring up the fact that night shift has it "easy." If they only knew. I love my job and enjoy being a CNA. I feel it'll help me become a great nurse when I graduate nursing school.

[sweetlilguppy]

I LOVE :heartbeat this post! I for one am soo very thankful for aides...whether it's an RA, a CNA, or an MA. I worked a few years in the field as a med tech and an RA before finally deciding I wanted to pursue my career in nursing. Some of the greatest lessons I've learned throughout my journey to becoming a nurse I've learned from the aides I've worked along. One of the many things I admire about the instructors I've had along the way is that from the beginning they've recognized and relayed to the ones who've never been an aide how important aides are. Aides are a nurses eyes and ears, they generally spend much more time with the patient than the nurse is able to so they are sometimes more apt to know when "something" isn't right with the patient. I will always hold my aides in a high regard and I'll make sure they're aware of it. So, as you said it's not "just an aide" it's a position you hold to assist the nurse who in turn assists a doctor. Every aspect of care is important. :) Sorry to ramble, just had to reply and say thanks for the post!

[cherryames1949]

You are a true professional! When you do a good job you make it look easy. You speak with passion about your patients and your commitment to give them the best care possible. The health care facility could not run without you and your fellow CMAs. Thank you for taking the time (while nursing your baby) to remind us that every member of the health care team is important!?

[proud nurse, BSN, RN]

I've been a nurse for over 11 years and I have yet to work with any aide that is remotely as competent and a pleasure to work with as you seem to be. I don't know if people just get tired of doing the work they do, feel unappreciated, or are just there for a paycheck. But, I applaude you for taking such pride in your work and that's very nice to hear.

[DarkBluePhoenix]

Great post. I'm a CNA also starting nursing school next month and I can relate to a lot of what you said. I started out in LTC now I work in a psych facilitiy. I also work the night shift and it annoys me when people bring up the fact that night shift has it ”easy.” If they only knew. I love my job and enjoy being a CNA. I feel it'll help me become a great nurse when I graduate nursing school.

I agree with you! I, too, am a CNA and my first job is at a hospital and I love it. And I work 12 hour nights and they are not as easy as the day shifters think they are (I know they have hectic days and I give them props for working them because I know I could never do it) Since I am starting a BSN program this September, I think it will definitely help in the clinical portion of things. I have an idea of how things work and that is always a benefit to be prepared! I will continue working in school and not only is my foot in the door but I think, overall, it will help me become an even better nurse!

[Elladora]

You sound like a truly amazing person. I wish I worked with CNAs/DCPs that were as caring and professional as you!

[itk3838]

Please don't think of yourself as the bottom of the chain - you are very vital point in Nursing. It's all started from Florence Nightingale and they don't have "professionals" - LVN's, RN's ... etc, those days. [h=2]"She became famous as ‘The Lady with the Lamp’. The wounded along the four miles of beds loved to see her, because she so obviously cared what was happening, and fought for better conditions for them. One soldier wrote home that the men kissed her shadow on the wall when she passed.Conditions in this so-called hospital in Scutari, Turkey, were appalling. No operating tables. No medical supplies. No furniture. The lack of beds, for example, meant that the best the wounded soldiers could hope for was to be laid on the floor wrapped in a blanket. Rats ran among the dying. On occasion, even dead bodies were forgotten about and left to rot. There had been no washing of linen – and every shirt was crawling with vermin. Florence ordered boilers – and boilers were installed. Florence was able to demonstrate that for every soldier killed in battle in the Crimean War, seven died of infections and preventable disease. Better food, cleanliness and good sanitation could prevent disease and death."[/h]

You are humbly reminded all of us what Nursing is all about it! Thank you for all your work CNA's!!! We truly love you and patients are kissing your shadow!

[bubblejet50]

I started out as a CNA, now a RN, and I have to say the worst thing a nurse can do is **** off their CNA/MA. It will cause them to not communicate and not want to do anything extra so when the nurse is swamped and can't find an aide they have to do more work on top of the endless pile they have already. I worked for a year in a LTC as a LPN on the med cart. That was by far the most thankless job. I was to help the CNA's when we were short, help the charge nurse with their duties if they were behind and pass meds to 50 residents in a two hour window. I could not thank the CNA's enough for helping out with residents with behaviors or helping with a request when they were not busy. I could not do my job efficiently without CNA's. When I was a CNA I had some really good nurses and some bad ones but I try to remember what caused me to think they were bad and good and try to be a better nurse now. I personally do not think that any LTC facility would be able to function without the CNA's. They are the eyes and ears of the nurse. As a charge nurse (I would pick up shifts when I was a LPN) I would be assigned 30 residents and I would not see most of them on a normal shift between charting, talking to doctors, and treatments so I would depend on the CNA's to let me know if something didn't seem normal with a resident. :) I am a nurse who does appreciate CNA/MA's. Keep up the good work.

[yolandaoz]

Great post *_*' (tears in my heart) I could not do the job as a CNA/MA as a lifetime, you know what you are capable of doing. GOD bless you. I'm currently a RNstudent and made that comment from what I have seen, patients are being treated as thought they are on an assembly line. They are always short staff, 7:1 CNA ratio, the nurses are always busy, and always saying to go get the "aide" "it's the aide's job" again my comment is only from my experience.