Don't know how to cope with it all.........

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:crying2: Yep, Friday left me CRYING my eyes out! :bluecry1: I am NOT sure what it was. Maybe it was my body trying to adjust to those three 12 hour days I just worked. Or maybe it was because I didn't get enough sleep. I had a REALLY BAD DAY Friday! First of all the CNA who is training me gave me a list of three patients.. so I went to do vitals on them.. as I was getting a bag of ice, she was me and said, "You get ice when you get done will all of your vitals." I said "I know, I am done". She gave me a weird look and I showed her the list and she said, that was the list for the Student Nurses! Boy I felt stupid. So I went and got the vitals of the 11 pts we had! Already running behind. Then passed trays. And for the passed few days I have been doing 42 trays by myself. That will wear you out. But I do into a patients room and set it up.. it does take longer, but want the patient to feel comfy while they are eating. Well I was TAKING TO LONG!! Felt sick after that! So I went and got me a cup of coffee, I NEVER drink coffee! I felt a bit better, so I got to stand back and WATCH the CNA who is training me do everything. She was REALLY fast about everything. I did however give two baths by myself, but they took about 20 minutes, don't know if it was good or bad. I was VERY overwhelmed. Don't know if I can do all of this. Most of the time we have almost 20 patients, and I have to get vitals done in a hour, pass trays (they say should take no more than 10-15 minutes), and give baths to my 20 patients give or take. The other CNA who does the other side of the floor also has 20pts too. But I have to help her pass trays when I get done. Then on top of ALL that, I still have to fill gloves, empty sharps containers, answer call lights, help the nurses, check fridges, do ice, clean pts rooms, clean utility rooms, and try to breath. I am not sure if I can handle all this... if you have any suggestions, PLEASE SHARE! I love my patients, but the work load is overwhelming. HELLPPP!

I assure you, its totally normal to be slow in the beginning. We have groups that we get and everytime I get a new group its like I'm new all over again. You will get used to the flow and the residents and find a way that works for you. Don't feel bad if in the beginning you may feel stupid, slow, or put down by your co workers. You have to stay strong and just know that everyday your learning something new that will make you better day by day. Its a slow process, but you will get it eventually.Stop beating yourself up about it.

Now I must say, 20 residents is INSANE! Especially for a new person. I couldn't do that myself without going nuts. It might not be your "newness", but rather the sheer volume of things you are expected to do. You even have to clean the residents and utility rooms. Jesus, at my facility we have housekeeping doing that. We also only get about 9 residents in a day shift. That place sounds dreadful and I hope it doesn't turn you away from being a CNA. But you are totally being overworked. There might be better places for you. Good luck.:heartbeat

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Specializes in LTC.

^She works in a hospital.

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Specializes in med/surg, psych, public health.

MossyOakGirl, are you working 3 straight 12's?

I did that for quite awhile, but found out stretching days in between made a difference for me.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

MizFradd, yes, they are making me work Three STRAIGHT 12 hr shifts. It is taking a toll on me physically and Mentally. It also takes a touch over an hour to get there too! So I am wore out ALL the WAY AROUND! But this is for orientation! I start back tomorrow! Kinda embarrassed about going back also, because of the mistakes I made Friday! But my husband told me to go in there with my head held high!! I just hope everything goes better!

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Specializes in LTC.

Don't be so embarrassed. All new people make mistakes. I have a question- what do you do with your 20 people? Are they independent? Do they need assistance to go to the bathroom, or are you just going around checking urinals and commodes? How many showers do you have a night? Do you have to do anything with the people who aren't taking a shower, or do they get ready for bed independently? I'm just wondering, because in long term care 20 residents is a nightmare but if all your patients can transfer and ambulate independently and do all of their own self care then 20 will keep you busy but it's doable.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

FuzzyWuzzy, the 20 patients are mostly independent. Some rooms maybe empty being a hospital (but flu season is making all the rooms full. I work on the Pulmonary floor of the hospital.) but we have four to five patients that are total baths and need to be turned q2h. The rest I assist with baths. I do help with taking them to bathrooms if needed and also getting to the bedside commode or bed pan. Some patients do refuse the baths, but I do change the linens on their bed. With all this, doing vitals, check fridge temps, making sure everything in fridge is in date, cleaning up rooms, sharps container removal, refill gloves, doing trays three times a day (42 beds total), help feeding if needed, get ice, help patients get comfy in bed, answer call lights, and charting (still don't think that is all..lol) seems very overwhelming to me. But I am hoping to get use to it all!!

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I am right there with you. I took a job as CNA in a LTC to get experience on time management and see what the CNAs go thru. I get my LPN in January, but didnt want to be one of those nurses that didnt have a clue. In my school they are always talking about "those CNAs". Okay, I go to school Mon to Friday from 6:30a to 3:00p, then to work at a hospital from 3:30p to 9:00p as a paper pusher, then on the weekends 7a to 3p as a CNA. Its killing me.

I am SOOOO SLOW. I have been in orientation as a CNA for the last 6 weekends. They made me watch and gofer the first 4 weekends, and now they are giving me assistments. The other CNAs talk about how slow I am, it takes me about 45 mins to wash up a heavy immobile resident. About 25 to 30 if the patient can move side to side. My back is aching when I get home. Not from improper body mech, but from not using thoses muscles only on weekends. My wrist is bothering all the time.

All those things they teach you in school.... lotion down your patient, give foot massages, back rubs, soak feet, always keep the patient covered are not realistic. There is NO way to do all of that in 20 minutes, which what my CNA trainer told me I had for each patient. And the LPNs are the rudest. When I walk on the floor I speak, good morning, they look at you as if your are an alien!! they do not speak to the CNAs at all. You do not know why your patient is on precautions... and sometimes it hard to remember your role as a CNA vs a Student Nurse.

Yesterday when the lights were going off, and I was STILL cleaning my patient, I went in the hallway to dispose of the dirty linen to find a LPN sitting there trying to get your picture just right on her cell phone. WHAT?? in the hospital where I do clinicals EVERYONE checks on the lights, even housekeeping... if only to tell someone what is needed. As I was washing between the patients toes, and LARGE flakes of smelly skin, was coming out, I thought who cleaned this patient last? Did cleaning between the toes become a time consumer? I am sorry to say I will be on your pet peeve list because of my slowest.

The slowest CNA on the floor called me slow when he called me over to help him. I made him stop to let the patient catch his breath before moving him back to the bed to be changed. (he fell some sort of way in the bathroom and made a mess) The patient is on oxygen and was gasping for air. If we waited a minute and did it in steps it was easier for the patient AND our backs. Finally we got him to the bed. I wanted to put his bed up a little and put the oxygen back on him, because with out it he grasped worst. The CNA just wanted to change him and get out of there. I said, lets give him a minute, clean up the bathroom mess, then lower the bed to change him so he can get some air. The CNA turned to me and told me thats why I am slow. But the changing went faster because the patient was no longer grasping and helped with turning and lifting. I am the WORST CNA ever, and I fear will never get fast.

Regi:banghead:

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Specializes in LTC.

The slowest CNA on the floor called me slow when he called me over to help him. I made him stop to let the patient catch his breath before moving him back to the bed to be changed. (he fell some sort of way in the bathroom and made a mess) The patient is on oxygen and was gasping for air. If we waited a minute and did it in steps it was easier for the patient AND our backs. Finally we got him to the bed. I wanted to put his bed up a little and put the oxygen back on him, because with out it he grasped worst. The CNA just wanted to change him and get out of there. I said, lets give him a minute, clean up the bathroom mess, then lower the bed to change him so he can get some air. The CNA turned to me and told me thats why I am slow. But the changing went faster because the patient was no longer grasping and helped with turning and lifting. I am the WORST CNA ever, and I fear will never get fast.

Um, I think that's just common sense, not slowness!

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Wow, I would have loved to have more than 2 shifts training (I'm in a nursing home - LTC).

I am totally with you too. I'm slow because I don't whizz through everything, especially with the really frail ones because they get so overwhelmed.

BUT, I thought I would be the slowest one forever - and I may be - but I am still getting faster. Like another poster suggested, once you get to know your way around, you'll naturally and easily bunch tasks and areas to cut down on at least some of the time consuming 'wandering'. And yes I know noone wanders, but I used to fly from one end of the wing to the other because I followed the exact order on the duty list instead of realising the order was not always particulalry important!

More importantly, I find that getting to know my residents helped a great deal, which is not useful in a hospital setting but worked wonders for me. Although a negative about that is they want to chat more because they know me!

Hope everything picks up for you - let us know how your three day set went.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

OMG.. I am SO SORE!! I couldn't work the three days last week. My Daughter got sick and had to be rushed to the ER. So I stayed home with her. But I did work the past two days! Yesterday was the worst. Only because I got my 7am vitals done and then passed trays, feed my two feeders and my trainer said, "They are sending me home, I am sick, going to the Dr." SSSOOOOO, I did it all by myself yesterday! I had 15 patients to bath. So needless to say, I got busy right away. Didn't have but a ten minute lunch..lol.. I was running behind BAD! I got THREE baths in from 9:30 to 11am.. See how SLOW I am. Then it was time for 11am vitals. Then Passed trays, then feed the feeders, then did more baths... OMG. I rushed myself and pushed myself TO HARD! But I got em all done. Now I feel it in my back, my legs, my arms... BUT I didn't need any help actually. Didn't get my charting done til it was time to head home! I was so exhausted, I picked up some McDs and went home, took a shower and went to bed hurting. I get the next three days off.. So I am doing just that.. NO HOUSE WORK TODAY and NO COOKING TODAY!! Relaxing for a day. Then I have to be back up there Sat-Tues to work straight 12hr shifts!! OMG!! I am scared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I just read FuzzyWuzzy's response. This sounds like the job I am looking for when I get licensed! I just finished my second week of CNA class w/the Red Cross. Getting there!!! :yeah:

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Specializes in LTC.

I think 20 pts per aide is too much. I am a nurse and I have 30 total on 2 combined units. My aides usually have about 12 each. I cant believe that where you work aides actually do anything with sharps containers? Id love it if my aides would do that. I think that you are going to have to figure out a routine that works for you. Your trainer has a routine all her own that fits her. Is this the only floor you have worked? Or will be working? Maybe its time to try a different unit there. And as far as doing ice and vitals...I wouldnt think it would really matter in which order you do it as long as you get it done timely. and in theory it would be nice if each pt got a bed bath on their non shower days but the truth of it is...thats not done most of the time due to such a high load on the aides and nurses. Just hang in there and figure out what will work for you. It will take time. It took me a year before I really got the hang of cna work when I first started out. Other aides routines didnt work for me.

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