Health Care Aide Clinicals

[Future_nurse91]

Hello. Not sure if this is the right place to post but I've have tried searching but couldn't find anything. I had a frustrating time at clinicals.

Today at clinicals I'm at a new ltc facility and my instructor said to shadow the staff, so I went on to wake up the residents; the staff were somewhat unfriendly and quite rude. I told her I was new and have limited experience. The HCA I was shadowing didn't even show me where things were and just threw me in there and had this high expectation. At breakfast time she wanted me to multitask feeding 2 residents, I told her wouldn't that be a risk for a chocking hazard and she didn't even want to hear me. She asked me how old I was and why I want to be a nurse and I told her, she said I'm young to be a nurse and suggested doing something else.

I had a somewhat simalar experience in my old facility and honestly im starting to have second thoughts,,, has anything gone through this? And any tips to survive clinicals?

[loriangel14, RN]

yep my clinical experience after doing my PSW course was pretty much the same. You just got thrown in at the deep end it was sink or swim. We all pretty soon got the hang of things though. Stuff seems strange at first but you soon find your feet.

Feeding 2 patients at once would not be a choking hazard.

[Fiona59]

LTC is hard work. Corners are cut because there just isn't the funding to staff it. And let's face it, it's a thankless job. Management expect more and more. Patients are demanding. The families are worse, driven by guilt and expect you have only one patient/resident, their family member.

And remember this, those aides you are shadowing aren't paid to have you there, yet they are expected to pass on their knowledge to unlimited number of students who go their facility each year. Students who make it clear that LTC aiding is just a stepping stone to elsewhere. These aides are often there until retirement or a permanent injury occurs.

[Mewsin]

Aide work is really sink or swim. I said to my preceptor this month that I made it as a CCA at *** I'll make it anywhere. He laughed because we both worked at that same facility and he knew what it was like.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Such a shame, I work LTC and we have a program support for things like this, students or new staff are placed with experience staff who have been through a mentor program. Guess we see things differently than other places

[Future_nurse91]

Thank you everyone for your input -:) I did alright today, but like the others said it was sink and swim but I'm starting to get the hang of things. Are hospitals just as difficult as ltc facilities?

[Future_nurse91]

I wanna work at your facility jk, but I'll still give LTC a chance

[Fiona59]

Hospitals hire far fewer NAs than LTC even with AHS and it's workplace transformation projects.

Aides always get the heavy, repetitive nursing chores. There is a basic orientation to units but the reality is when you are hired you are expected to know what you are doing. Orientation is only really meant to show you the routine of the unit, paperwork, where the supplies are. It's not a time to learn your skills, have them witnessed and demonstrate your ability but not for your buddy to show you how.

[tincan]

Feeding two (or more!) patients at the same time would not be a choking hazard. When there are multiple patients and only two people around to feed them, that's pretty much what you have to do if you want your patients to still be able to eat lukewarm food instead of ice cold food. (and to go on your own dinner break on time)

It's easier once you got the hang of it... like how fast the patient eats, what his or her habit is like, and what's the best way to feed them (spoon? fork? which food first?)... that's what I got thrown into as a RN in an ALC ward. I have utmost respect for the care aides who are still working hard there. Without them I wouldn't have survived the three months I worked there. I utilize my care aides as one of my most important resources, and I always ask them for their help or opinion in how to best do something for the patients.