How to Survive the First Week

Butterfliesnroses · Apr 6, 2010

I wouldn't worry about getting fired. They will give you time to get used to the job! I worked for 3 months before I could perform at a reasonable pace. Don't act afraid because the pt's can feel it! I think that the CNAs that concentrate on their job and don't make it a race to get done are good CNAs. You'll need to be able to multitask and decide which tasks take precedence over others, but that will come with experience. Just give yourself time before you call in quits. Go in with a good attitude as well and not an attitude of getting fired.

CoffeemateCNA · Apr 6, 2010

Don't worry about getting fired for being slow. I have NEVER seen anyone fired for that -- it was always for more critical issues.

It's not always good to be a tortoise OR a hare. Hares tend to do their work so quickly that they take no time to interact with their residents and often leave tasks undone or do a poor job. Tortoises want to do a perfect job and spend far too much time with just a few residents, and then they don't have time to care for their other residents (so someone else ends up having to step in.)

Strive to be a cat or a dog. You don't have to be the fastest aide in the world, but don't dawdle either. You have to strike a balance between doing good care but doing it in timely manner so that you can get to everyone else.

I'll stop with the animal analogies for now. :)

NM nurse to be · Apr 6, 2010

Fran, you sound EXACTLY like me :) Right down to the shy. When I started this, it was a total act on my part to get through my day while I learned the PT skills I needed. Now I get compliments on being friendly and having a nice way with PTs :) I don't go for much socializing/goofing off. I'm much better now but when I started, I was SOOOO slow. I knew it and know it frustrated some of the other staff. But it was a learning process. I've seen staff fired for many reasons, slow is not one of them.

Yes you don't want to be so meticulous that you don't get anything else done but speed will come with time. For now, do the best you can, ask questions as you need to. And don't be afraid to take time and do it right :) You'll get there. Good luck!

Poi Dog · Apr 6, 2010

Do not allow yourself to be broken or influenced by your coworkers negativity.

Don't get caught in the "gossip".

Remind yourself that the residents NEED you and that even though it may seem like a thankless job, you will be able to sleep at night. Knowing you touched someone's life is powerful. :redbeathe

Be an observer. You will quickly figure which of your coworkers are good and which you should run for the hills from. :chair:

Come here to vent and get advice. There are awesome posters here who have gotten me through hard times.

Good luck. You will be fine.

-M

JDZ344 · Apr 6, 2010

I think you will do fine! It's good that you're not into standing around chatting. Just take it slow, learn the right ways to do things, and forget about speed at first; that comes later on.

justme01 · Apr 6, 2010

Alot of posters say they were fired for being too slow. Maybe that is their way of saving facing instead of admitting that they were bad workers?

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2010

I haven't seen anyone say they were fired for being too slow. I've seen numerous posts from those who have had co-workers complain about them being too slow. If you are worried about not being fast enough though I would recommend doing second shift. First shift does have a much faster pace & it's not for everyone.

eveningsky339, LPN · Apr 7, 2010

I start my first CNA job in two weeks and I am terrified of getting fired. I have never been fired from any job and have always been told I am a valuable employee. I am hard working, dependable, and easy going. I show up early and stay late. No one has to go behind me because I hold high standards for myself and take pride in my work. I have a positive caring attitude that cannot be taught.
However, it is very hard for me to learn a new job. I am anxious and shy. I am clumsy when I am nervous. I do not catch on quickly. I have to focus and work hard. I concentrate on the task at hand and do not waste time on unnecessary socializing with coworkers. I know that I work slower than other people so I compensate by not goofing off. I keep my nose to the grindstone. Picture the tortoise and the hare.
Do you think that I will make it or will I get fired before I have a chance to catch on?

Essentially the same situation that I am currently in...

As far as surviving, the first week generally stinks. Nursing homes (is that where you are working?) are built on a daily routine, and being new to that routine can really make you feel slow, inefficient and left out. Keep your chin up and tough it out!

Constantly listen and ask for hints to be faster. "Shortcuts" are especially important (as long as they don't reduce the quality of care). Talk to your co-workers about their first experience working. Avoid gossip, back-stabbing, and shift wars.

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Apr 7, 2010

You sound exactly like me!

It's really hard at first, and it definitely takes a while before you're able to meet your own standards. I was so self-conscious about being judged by my coworkers I was perpetually distracted. I also lived in fear of being fired. But like others have said, no one gets fired for being slow. People get fired for outright abuse or for not showing up to work too many times. I think you're onto something when you suggest that people use slowness as an excuse. My friend says she got fired for being slow, and really, she was a danger to the patients- always forgetting to give people their call bells, to turn on alarms, never paying attention when walking someone, etc. As long as you make sure that these things are secure before walking out of a room you should be fine. Keep a little list and remind yourself to lower the bed to the floor, tie up the call bell, turn on alarms and floor mats, and fix the side rails according to policy/care plan.

The speed comes in time. When I first started I washed people up, threw a johnny on them, and put them in bed. Didn't brush teeth or reposition them. My trainer never "taught" me to do that and I was so frazzled I didn't even think of it for a while. Eventually you'll build up a routine where you can wash someone on the toilet, get them back in the wheelchair and park them at the sink to brush their own teeth while you move on to someone else, who maybe is a 2-assist so you figure you can get help putting them in bed, then wash them up while they sit on the bedpan. Then you don't have to get someone to help you transfer them to the commode and then again to the bed. Then maybe there's someone else you can pop into bed after supper and wash them later. It's these little things that enable you to get it all done, but you have to do the assignment a few times before you realize what works. In the beginning it's about appearances. Be fast enough to keep up and no one will know that you're skipping things. Then your coworkers will respect you enough to help you when you ask, and you can actually get your assignment done. Dawdle on one person for too long and they'll get annoyed with you and not want to help. It takes a while to get a feel for the workers too. Some will always help when asked, others won't unless they like you. When I first started there was only person who wasn't intimidating and b*tchy. So I asked her for help all the time. Later I realized that she's the slowest CNA ever and if I asked somebody else for help I probably would have gotten done faster.

Well that was a lot of spilling but hopefully you get the picture.