I start my CNA classes in a month and I'm so excited! I'm curious and love hearing about others experiences as a CNA. I've seen other threads, thought I'd make a more recent one if anyone who hasn't would like to share! Some of the questions I have are:
What shift do you work?
Where do you work? (LTC, assisted living, hospital, etc.)
How do you like it?
And if you wouldn't mind just sharing your daily routine as a CNA (I'm curious to know how certain shifts differ from others) and anything else you'd like to add!
Thank you all for all this information. I am going into college this fall and I am wondering what I should do for a career. The human body fascinates me so I was thinking of becoming a CNA. From everyone's comments, it seems that it will be a hard career, but I think it will be fun. Does anyone have any tips on how to survive the schooling?
Good luck!! I thought my cna class was very fun. I've been a can since I was 18, I am now almost 22. My favorite place I worked was a skilled nursing facility. Each shift has different routines.
Currently I work home health full time. 11-7 four nights a week and 8-4 everyother weekend.
Also with my agency I am the substitute transportation aide! Lol my schedule works around school and being a single dad! Love working in healthcare still after almost four years!!
Where do you work? (LTC, assisted living, hospital, etc.)
2. Long-term care/nursing home.
How do you like it?
3. At first I struggled a bit because I was a brand new CNA and had no idea what to expect. I was trained on days for a couple weeks and it was a lot of running around and having to keep up with 6-8 residents. When I shifted over to nights, the running around wasn't as frequent, but we have less number of workers. 1 nurse and 2 aides. When it does get busy, it's not easy to answer call lights in a timely manner and make sure residents aren't falling off beds. There are nights where some are just awake and can't seem to relax. I do like the shift though all in all. It's a different kind of workload but it's rewarding.
And if you wouldn't mind justsharing your daily routine as a CNA (I'm curious to know how certain shifts differ from others) and anything else you'd like to add!
4. When I come in for a shift on nights, we first get report, then we check bed alarms to make sure they are functioning right and plugged in. After that, the 2 aides split up to do their side duties, one stocks a cart for our rounds so that we can bring it along with us as we check each patient. The other aide fills new water pitchers and dates them for the new day, once they are filled, the aide passes them to each room, depending on who is regular waters, thickened liquids, and aspiration precautions. Once those are done, we have a "slow" period where we don't really do anything but answer call-lights and bed alarms if they go off. We then do first set of rounds at 2:30am, and it takes about an hour sometimes. Then we have another "slow" period between 3:30-4:30 where we just answer call lights, etc. Then if it is a weeknight, we wash wheelchairs, and the number of chairs being washed depends on how many residents are getting showered that day. Not everyone uses a wheelchair. Then we start our 2nd/last rounds at 5:30am, it takes an hour, because we also get more call lights at this time, too. Finally, once 6:30 hits, the aides get up 2 residents each, washed and fully dressed. This lasts usually until it's time to leave. Sometimes we'll be 5-10 minutes over, because of how the last rounds are and if there are any distractions along the way.
i have worked in ltc before but now i work in a large hospital.
i come on to the floor, which varies every day, and i print out my list of patients, and then i get report. after that, i get the vitals machine and such, and go from room to room, doing vitals on the computer, and meeting everyone. after that, i get ice pitchers and pass ice. then i sit down and hang out for a couple of hours, and then i do the blood sugars...then i sit down for a while and hang out some more..now after that, i go and pick up dinner trays, and empty the trash cans in the room if necessary..then i do blood sugars again, and after that i pull all the dirty linen and trash and tidy up the rooms, and then i give report to the new aide coming on. i generally have 8 people, ive never had more than 10.
when i worked in ltc...it was quite a bit different. kudos for those who stick with that long term, but my advice to you is to work in a hospital if you can..my back is shot from the extreme conditions of nursing home work. i dont think i could ever do it again, because they want so much from so few people, it seems.
tedsmith575
2 Posts
Thank you all for all this information. I am going into college this fall and I am wondering what I should do for a career. The human body fascinates me so I was thinking of becoming a CNA. From everyone's comments, it seems that it will be a hard career, but I think it will be fun. Does anyone have any tips on how to survive the schooling?