Help!!! new cna and lost!!

Editorial Team / Admin · Dec 25, 2014

Oh my, I do remember struggling with the same, when I first started in healthcare.

If you read through only a few of the threads in the First Year After Nursing Licensure, here First Year After Nursing Licensure, you will see we ALL go through what you are now, whether CNA or LVN or RN.

Time management and organizational skills in the healthcare area are acquired with time and exposure.

Please don't berate yourself but instead give yourself credit each day for something you do well that day, or something new you did.

That something will be added to your skills orificenal.

I remember being intimidated by giving bedbaths.

The bedbath loomed as a huge mountain to climb, and I shrank from it each time -- it was just a lot to remember and do, and seemed to take forever!

One day I organized a bedbath and timed myself.

It took 15 minutes.

Only 15 minutes.

Well, I recall telling myself. I can do this!

It will get better.

Good luck!

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Dec 25, 2014

I'll tell you my "little secret". I earned my CNA while taking prereqs for the RN program.

I just couldn't handle the problems in SNFs... One of them being lacking time to be able to professionally and ethically deal with the high number of Pts who reqd lots of assistance. I felt the Pts were being ignored. I never worked more than a few weeks at a few SNFs.

I know it can be done, I just couldn't.

I ended up working as a 1:1 CNA in acute care. I did float work in the same hospital for almost 2 yrs through my prereqs and LVN school.

I was still able to become a very competent nurse. I give accolades to every CNA out there who treats Pts with dignity in spite of high ratios.

FutureRN-GA · Dec 25, 2014

Well in long term care time management really means what can I omit/half-a**. Which is why I only worked in LTC for about 2yrs. The first chance I got to be done with them I took it. I hated not being able to give the care that you learned in school....So really you just needs to learn how to do rush jobs and safely work around some duties. Its sad but most that are being truthful will tell you the dame thing unless they got lucky and worked in a well staffed and well managed facility.

walkinon · Dec 26, 2014

I am a CNA .. and I will say when I first started my first job - I was not prepared ! But within a few weeks I had learned my way around. I was still super slow though.. that lasted a few months.. So maybe if you have not been there long just hold out as there is learning curve and you are still new !!

anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP · Dec 26, 2014

Your first weeks or months will be awkward and clumsy. All of us are. Life doesn't exactly prepare us for giving other people showers and getting up close and personal with strangers private parts.

You get used to it. You learn how to do it and how to do it efficiently with EXPERIENCE. There isn't much for you to do but give it time.

If you have someone close to you, though, you could practice rolling them and doing linen changes. Maybe even do a "practice" bed bath (just to go over the motions...and with them fully clothed if you aren't THAT close). I actually think I did practice changing an occupied bed with my roommate.

Again time is the answer to most of our problems when it comes to being nervous in a new job. Good luck