Dear new CNA's

omg 15-20 residents?

I'm a new CNA, my first real shift is tomorrow, 10 residents. And I thought that was a lot!!

I like your advice though! I've been nothing but polite with my fellow CNAs, and actually everyone! I say please and thank you, and greet everyone I see, and I'm always looking to see if I can assist. :)

The most residents I ever had was 21. 4 aides for a 90 resident facility! Went through a period where everyone was calling off. Got a lot of overtime! But it's worth it. Good luck tomorrow and best wishes!

Ah, yes. Those "new CNA" posts can be spotted a mile away.

"I am so offended! The seasoned CNAs at my clinical/new job DON'T fart roses all day before riding unicorns off into the sunset! They have the nerve to complain about some of the residents! Don't they know they could be complaining about someone's grandparent? Well, I know that *I* will NEVER experience negative feelings about my job! I am too caring and professional for that."

"I am so offended! The seasoned CNAs at my clinical/new job are too mean to hold my hand through every single step of my day! They run around like they're too busy to even care about lil old me (and they're so mean and lazy, they don't go by the book for everything). Obviously they've forgotten what it's like to be a new CNA. Waah!"

"I can't find a job. I made a resume, but I only listed 73 out of the 75 skills in the CNA book. Thing is, I had experience feeding a stroke patient with left-sided weakness at my clinical, but I never fed anyone with right-sided weakness! Am I getting blacklisted because of this?"

"I really want to work at XYZ Hospital... what's that? No, I haven't applied to any nursing homes... well, that's not really my style. I don't want to spend 40 hours a week dumping bedpans; plus, I think I'm just too caring and sensitive to work at a nursing home. I am just SO caring that they depress me, ya know? So anyway, has anyone ever worked at XYZ Hospital before and can put in a good word for me? [12 minutes later]: Anybody out there? Hmmph, no one can be bothered to answer? Well, then! This place isn't very helpful!"

Oh and you have to love the threads where a nurse complains abut CNAs and the CNA student says, "Well I'd never do that" and launches into an explanation on why it's so vitally important to, you know, do your job. And then they explain it... "As a CNA I know I am there to assist the nurse, and if I don't accurately and promptly record and report every single tidbit of information, no matter how minor, then I am not being her eyes and ears and therefore have no business being a CNA." I always think, just wait till Captain Obvious over here starts badgering the nurse every time someone farts or sneezes and we'll see how fast she gets shut down.

YES YES YES! I laughed SO hard! We think alike

What about the ones who ask about the state test? Does it have 50 questions? Are they multiple choice? How many can I miss? What if they give me a skill and I forget how to do it? What if i only have 5 minutes to do my skills and i spend it all on handwashing?

And: "Do I actually have to TOUCH A member/lady parts?!?! AND CLEAN IT?!?!?! GROSS!" I don't know about y'all but I don't wipe my own butt so I don't see why I should have to do it for anyone....

And to add one more: I saw someone nervously ask if they had to shave a resident's pubic hair. I could not stop laughing because I got the picture of them pulling out the bikini wax

"I'm only a CNA so I can go straight on to CRNA or NP. Is it possible to do CNA to RN? I can't seem to find any programs so I want other people to do it for me. Oh, and does anybody know if NICUs hire CNAs? Working the floor would be too depressing."

"And does anyone have any tips they'd like to share for new CNAs? I searched but can't find anything? By the way I'm 18 and I'm in nursing school. Well, really I'm only taking math but it's all the same really."

Fuzzy, have I ever told you that I love you? Because I do.

"I just started my new job today and my preceptor threw a dirty sheet on the floor! I am so appalled, I can't believe anyone would do such a thing. I am applying at the other facility in town tomorrow. No one THERE would have such disregard for infection control!"

"Another aide was feeding a resident at dinner and had the nerve to give her a second bite before she'd had 5 minutes to contemplate the price of tea in china! HOW CAN YOU BE SO COLD AND RUSHED?"

"I have worked at my facility for two days. Every resident here has told me that i"m the only good one and the only person who has ever spoken to them. EVER. I think I'm just too compassionate for this."

I'm glad you are all having fun..lol...:lvan:

To be fair, I was appalled at first, too. Though, not at the linens on the floor, thing. My thought always was "...it's a floor. Who gives a crap? Are you putting your shoes on your residents' faces or something??"

TBH, I avoid throwing things on the floor, not for infection control reasons, but rather because after bending over to change 50,000 residents, I don't feel like bending over again to pick them up.

And, new CNAs...if your trainer sucks (not "omg she dropped a towel on the FLOOR" sucks, but truly SUCKS), TALK TO YOUR DON. If the aides are truly picking on you, TALK TO YOUR DON. If the evil nurses at your facility are selling the souls of poor aides on the black market, TALK TO YOUR DON. You get the drift. Nothing can be fixed if no one knows it's broken.

TALK TO YOUR DON.

This brings back memories of talking to the DON during my early days as a CNA in a nursing home. She would give me a blank stare.

That was before I discovered the DON's office door at that facility is revolving. The owners of that facility basically used the DON position as a scapegoat for issues caused by their criminal short staffing and would regularly terminate the DON and get another one. The ADON was smart enough to not want the position, but during a survey held between DONs they got her too. Fired.

My advice to new CNAs: Tough it out. This is your job; this is your practice and how you do it is up to you. I don't care if your coworkers are nasty, lazy, abusive, mean, whatever. What will bother nasty coworkers the most is if you are excellent at your job. They truly, truly hate that. And your RNs and patients will love you for it.

Best of both worlds! Sure, you won't make many friends there, but the ones you do will be awesome and who the heck cares if the sleds don't like you?

After some time, you will gain experience and a hospital will hire you. Or you will find you like your LTC facility and stay there.

I now work as a CNA on a hospital Med Surg floor. It's still hard work, but it is like Club Med compared to the nursing home!

Good luck!