I dont feel like Im succeeding!

[PrettyNerd, CNA, LPN, LVN]

Ok to be honest, I'm annoying myself and I'm sure I'm annoying everyone else here with my posts about my crappy job and how I cant find anything better...well I'm just starting to give up. I don't know how many times I've come here to vent about the place I work at that makes me feel miserable, I've already applied to other nursing homes...nothing! I applied at a local hospital...haven't heard back, its been a month. I spoke to my nursing counselor at school and she suggested looking for doctor offices and applying for medical assistant positions as a CNA but I honestly don't know which clinics/doctor offices to go to. I've been feeling stuck at this place for a really long time, I just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of it. I've always pictured myself being successful (not like I become a rich doctor or anything, just accomplishing even small goals) but I haven't felt like I've accomplished anything being there...I'm not even using my CNA license! All I do is housekeeping, change depends, and showers..thats it! No vitals, no clinical skills whatsoever! I want to do what I paid money do go to class and LEARN how to do a lot more than what I'm doing now. I feel like getting my CNA was a waste because I haven't done anything with it, even though I've tried applying at other facilities.

Anyway, I feel like if I don't find anything soon I am just going to quit and work somewhere else, like in a different field. I just don't know where I'm going in life anymore, I don't seem to be making any progress, this place makes me feel unhappy, miserable, dumb..etc..nothing is happening. I see people getting better jobs FASTER and I feel a lot more qualified and even graduated from college but no one want to hire me....DONE!

Sorry, just venting.

[betm, CNA]

Housekeeping (i.e. keeping our residents' rooms nice for them and their overwhelmed families), changing depends (i.e. preventing discomfort and infection and maintaining sanitation), and doing showers (see: changing depends) is CNA work and it is part of what we went to class to learn. Those ARE the clinical skills being applied to the real-world job. I have never worked at a facility where I was allowed/asked/expected to do vitals, even though I am able to do it, and that is okay. The nurses or med techs do the vitals. That just means I will be doing the vitals later, when I'm an RN. We are not RNs or med techs, we're aides. Plus, I don't have time to do vitals when I have twenty call lights going off and cares to do.

To be honest, your post makes it sound like you think the CNA work is beneath you. If that's how you feel, maybe you should consider a different line of work after all. This frustration will not go away if you just change work environments--it will be the same problem in a different setting. There are going to be skills you learn in nursing school (if you do go, I can't tell from your post) that are never, or rarely, applied outside of school/clinicals, too. Are you planning on going for your RN? If so, are you going to be this frustrated when you're a fully licensed nurse and haven't done any caths, you "just" give meds and take vitals? School just prepares us for every skill we may use, but it doesn't guarantee we'll use all of those skills in our jobs.

That is not exclusive to nursing, either. You said you've graduated from college. What is your degree in? Maybe pursue utilizing that degree, since you went to class and paid to learn those skills.

[jeaniekadinee]

It sounds like you want to use more skills. Are you in a rural area or a bigger town/city? Maybe try a state job. I'm in North Carolina and some of the hospitals and even prisons have CNA openings. Plus, state jobs have pretty decent benefits. Hope this helps.

[armywife808]

Bring some donuts or bagels to celebrate the last week or day or of class. Food will smoothe things over

[strawberryluv, BSN, RN]

I've had that feeling with my various dead-end jobs but my current CNA job hasn't made

me feel that way. Its made me feel more..fulfilling. If you are not getting the satisfaction that

you need then get out. Its just going to make you bitter and resentful to stay not to mention extremely

unhealthy for your mental health. I know...I've been there. Work until you find something better,

don't quit just yet because you don't want to NOT have income and to have to explain an employment gap to HR.

I hope you find your niche. :/

[slilly]

If you feel like this then maybe CNA work isn't for you, I mean after I got my CNA1 I set myself up a goal of getting my CNA2 and I did and it makes me happy being able to enjoy my patients at work and getting to put foleys in and impaction removals. I mean at my job doing vitals is something we have to do since we work 12 hr shifts, and yes there are days when I get told off by somebody that I am an ass for not letting there mother when she is dying have food because I know that if I put food in her mouth and choke her then I am held responsible for that. Try looking for a job at hospitals or hospice facilities that do patient care there, you have to be patient and keep your confidence. I know I had some crappy jobs before I got the one I have at hospice and yes I would go through working at assisted living even if its just for the residents that make me smile every day, but it gave me the work experience I needed and helped me realize that sooner or later I will go back for nursing because my passion is in that, I am not happy talking on the phone with insurance companies or anything like that, I love interacting with patients and getting the hugs and feeling rewarded. I love that at the end of the day i can say I made a difference in my patients life and their families life.

[Missingyou, CNA]

Try applying to be a dialysis tech. There's a real challenge for you!!!! Most places will provide paid training.

Google hemodialysis tech and check it out. I believe there is even some posts here about it.