Does anyone here actually like being a CNA?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Even though it's hard work does anyone here actually like working as a CNA?

Sounds soo much like my position right now. We get soo many no call no shows at our facility. It's rough cause it strains the staff. Have to run to different houses taking care of unfamiliar patients and having to scramble to get them their meds, toileting and etc. it is hard work and often very thankless. At the end of the day though I realize that patients actually need your help and that is very satisfying. Some of them really enjoy seeing you which is actually really cool. It's a great job but it will challenge you mentally and physically to keep on coming to work. Especially if you have those really needy and rude patients (those can be the fun ones). Best of luck.

Haha no kidding - I love my work, but sometimes its the staff that makes it so unbearable. Give me difficult pts all day and I won't bat an eye; but if we get 2 no shows on a 5 CNA team (with no cover!) and I'm going to be a sad panda.

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Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Telemetry RN.
Haha no kidding - I love my work, but sometimes its the staff that makes it so unbearable. Give me difficult pts all day and I won't bat an eye; but if we get 2 no shows on a 5 CNA team (with no cover!) and I'm going to be a sad panda.

I know! And seriously you gotta have good staff to work with! (Truly the hardest to find the dedicated ones). When someone no calls no shows oh man you just tacked on 5-10 more patients on top of my 15 patients back at another house! It's rough. Haha. No rest for the weary I guess. Most people who do CNA work don't give a damn about patients. It's pretty sad because they realize you gotta work to make these patients trust you. Most people can't do that on top of their 50 things they have to get done that day. Sure people get burned out but that when I just truly find a way to enjoy the work in the most crappy of days. You just gotta get pumped for the shift cause it's another 10-14 hours. Gotta make the best of it.

My advice is to just stay away from the negative CNA's they won't lift a finger to help you. That's the hardest part about the job.

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Specializes in SRNA.

I'm a scope kind of guy. I need to be able to do things; injections, blood draw, push meds, hang blood, specimen collection, run labs, assist with surgical procedures, remove stitches, the whole shabang....so no I did not enjoy being a nursing assistant because it was VERY limited.

However, I did enjoy the patients.

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I have been a CNA for seven years. I have only worked in the hospital setting, so I cannot give you insight on other types of facilities. I currently work in more of a unit clerk role. I loved the patient care aspect of being a CNA. I worked on a hard floor where I was able to see a lot, which was great experience. That being said the pay starting of is really low, I couldn't have lived on it. I am married and thankful my check was mostly for health insurance. The patient load is heavy on most units. God forbid some one calls in, you could end up with 20 patients. I knew wonderful CNA's who were also passionate about their work, but there were so many who were jaded and just mean. Would I recommend getting a CNA for experience yes. I would not recommend working full time if you are starting nursing school soon.

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I worked as a CNA in a nursing home when I was in college to help pay for my housing. The place was horribly under-staffed, and I came home aching everywhere and smelling of feces every shift. It was a truly miserable, but humbling experience that made me all the more motivated to finish nursing school. It sucked but I'm glad I did it.

Edit: I was also a home health care aide at the time- now that was a great job. I helped a lot of disabled people do their ADL's and had one woman who I just had to take out on the town for 6 hours on Sundays. Only downside was one time a dementia patient tried to shank me with a butter knife, but it did prepare me well for psych, lol!

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@NurseNinja Did you ever work at a hospital?

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Like many of the posters here, I also like being a CNA. However, I do work in a hospital where one no-call no-show can get you immediately terminated. Most everyone helps each other out and there is a positive culture. I don't know how you guys do LTC, where there are so many patients needing help with ADLs and transfers. I highly respect LTC aides but could probably never do it myself.

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Like many of the posters here, I also like being a CNA. However, I do work in a hospital where one no-call no-show can get you immediately terminated. Most everyone helps each other out and there is a positive culture. I don't know how you guys do LTC, where there are so many patients needing help with ADLs and transfers. I highly respect LTC aides but could probably never do it myself.

The above poster mentioned they would smell of feces going home after work. Did this happen to you as well? I would only work as a CNA in a hospital. I've heard a lot of bad things about working in nursing homes and other facilities.

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I currently work as a CNA at a LTC facility and I agree with most of the posters. CNA work does not bother me the issue is working with other CNAs or nurses that do not care about their job, it makes my job harder and less enjoyable. Also I do not get paid very much and I cannot live on a CNA wage here in southern California.

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Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Telemetry RN.
I currently work as a CNA at a LTC facility and I agree with most of the posters. CNA work does not bother me the issue is working with other CNAs or nurses that do not care about their job, it makes my job harder and less enjoyable. Also I do not get paid very much and I cannot live on a CNA wage here in southern California.

Agree 100%! It's very challenging to work with CNA's who don't love the job. It definitely makes your job much harder. Gotta have the right mindset to care for geriatric patients. Not only that but it takes skill and patience to help them.

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I liked being a CNA more than I like being an RN.

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I am currently a CNA in a hospital while in nursing school. I like it sometimes but it is also very humiliating especially when nurses treat me unfairly. When they are doing nothing and tells u to do a million things, when they cross their legs at the nursing station and tell u to go get blood sugar when u just came out from giving a bath. Drowning with ten or more patients yet they wait on u to get through so u can go get blood from the lab. Wheeling discharged patients down back to back and someone is on the light waiting for bedpan. Lazy nurses make my job hard but good nurses makes me want to come to work everyday. I hate how everybody looks down on CNAs. No,I will not want to be a CNA forever. Cant wait to graduate next year and show my fellow nurses how to treat CNAs .

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