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Discussion

First day was tough:(

Hi everyone!

I am a nursing student and today was my first day as a CNA in LTC, but it didn't went really well. I got on the floor and asked a very sweet nurse for some advice about my patients. She answered my question very well and even gave me the order in which I should bath my residents.

I washed and dressed my first client and everything went really well! The breakfast came up so I helped one of my other clients to eat his breakfast. As soon as I got to my second patient it got bad. She was hemiplegic and very difficult to handle alone (but I was supposed to wash her alone). I mobilized her on her side (still in the bed) to change her brief that was dirty and she told me my hand was hurting her so I put her on her back and tried again another way, but it still hurted. She started to tell me how incompetent I was and that she wanted one of the girls that have been here for a long time. So I got helped and we got the lady up in her chair with the hoist after 30mins (she was difficult + we had a loooot of problems during the procedure). WELL, it was bad but what's one bad bath, right? I enter in the room of my next patient and he seems really sweet, but as soon as I try to wash him, he becomes agressive and doesn't want me to touch him (staff told me he was considered an " easy " client).

Even if I was calm and tried to negotiate with him, I had to get help in order to get him washed up and dressed, but I felt really incompetent :(

The only positive thing about my day is that my last patient was considered very difficult to handle during bath time a nurse even told me that we may wash him with 2 other people this afternoon if I wasn't able to do it alone this morning, but I did and it went really well! I was kinda proud :)

Overall, the staff was really comprehensive and nice, but I feel like I was sooooooooooooo slow all day and that I asked for too much help. Normally bath are supposed to be over by 11am, but I finished at 12am (with A LOT of help), when the lunch arrived. The nurse told me the guy I'm covering for normally finishes his bath at 12 too... but I think it's only to make me feel better.

Anyway I just had to vent, thanks to anyone who took the time to read about my first day.

Was your first day as a CNA tough? How long did it take you to become comfortable with the job? Do you have any advice?

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    Hello :D

    My first day was in a hospital.

    CNA that was supposed to orient me called in sick and they didn't replace her.

    So there I was, 1:14 which is actually better than that unit usually gets.

    Couple grad nurses showed me some basics and gave me easy one assist A&O showers to do.

    It helped that the nurses on that unit are expected to do 1-3 showers each in am shift as well as bells and other CNA duties....

    Did i mention.. i wasn't certified back then and have never had any training other than manual handling and infection control?

    My second shift was independent as one buddy shift (with no buddy) was considered enough training was on oncology. With some very frustrated ca pts at me being slow and incompetent. And then it all got better. i enrolled into a proper training course through the hospital and got good :D

    I'm sure u did well for your first time; its probably difficult for the residents to get used to a new person, it will get better :D

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    OP from the sounds of it you did really well. I am guessing that this is your first time providing patient care outside of nursing school? It takes time to get a routine down and day shift can be a very difficult shift to try to learn on when you are new. A few things I would suggest after having worked as a CNA for 8 years is when you first get in the floor and get your assignment get information about your people. Who requires what type of assistance for bed mobility, what is their transfer status, are they incontinent, are they a fall risk, and anyone who has dementia. This information will help you in being able to plan your day some and know which residents you will need to see first along with any that you will need to get help with. For any of your patients with dementia make sure when you first approach them do so calmly. Even though you might have a dozen different things that you need to get done take time with them and don't rush. They will pick up on that which can add to their agitation and make things worse.

    When end asking for help from others working on the floor with you, make sure that the supplies you need are already there. If you need assistance with a transfer make sure the equipment is already in the room and the resident is ready to transfer. When I worked as an aide one of the most frustrating things was when someone would ask me for assistance with a transfer and I would come in to find that they still needed to get the resident dressed.

    If you work with the same residents on a consistent basis, things will get easier with time. You will know what works with certain people and you will get better at managing your time. Also try not to take what some people may say to heart. There are some residents who do not handle change very well and will give new staff members a hard time. I had one lady who was like that, it took some time for her to get use to me but after she did we had no problems.

    It took me a few months to really feel comfortable with the job, working with the same group of people helps. Eventually you will get your routine down and speed will come with experience.

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    • Author

    Thanks for taking time to answer!!

    Actually the lady of the bath that didn't go really well really likes me now and I consider her an easy patient! :) I'm already faster and the nurse in charge told me today she only had good comments (except that I'll need to be faster but that will come with time) about me so it's a big stress off my shoulders!:)

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