I have lost all hope and passion.

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I've been CNA-ing for 2 weeks now. They put me on full-time for orientation purposes. It's burnt me out. I haven't cried so much in my life. This job has gotten me depressed. CNA-ing literally destroyed my drive, passion and excitement for nursing. Now, I don't think nursing is for me. I had a breakdown yesterday and the nurses and cna were so kind to me and supporting me and encouraging me. The staff isn't the problem, it's just the job in general. Another nurse, not from my workplace, said if I can't handle this then how will nursing me. That really crushed me. I don't know. I'm so lost now. I've lost drive to do my best in my pre-requ classes. Is nursing really this difficult? If I can't handle CNA work, then I can't handle nursing?

Don't give up! I felt the same way after the first month as a CNA. I also wondered if nursing was really for me. It is hard getting used to the workload, to the physical exhaustion, to the severity of the sickness, dementia, and heartache you deal with on a personal level every day. It is not like the "real world", and yet if you give yourself enough time, you will gain confidence. You will start to get a routine together. You will have patients who thank you with tears in their eyes because they know you care about them and you are a light to them during a really rough time for them. I try to remember, even if my day is going horribly, I still get to clock out and go home healthy - they don't, and so even if I feel pulled in 10 different directions during my shift, I try to find a few moments in there where I feel like I really provided excellent care, and then I can go home feeling good. I started out on night shift for 3 months and it was horrible and I felt like I was losing my mind from exhaustion and sleep deprivation. I switched to day shift and it got much better, but the stress level is still very high. I've been a CNA for a year and a half now, and although it is very stressful some days, I feel that over time it has confirmed for me that nursing is my calling. So try to stick it out for a while longer - don't give up too soon before you really figure out if nursing is for you. Watch the nurses you work with, the good ones. Develop a mentoring relationship with one of them. Ask them if you can take them to lunch and ask them about their career. They will love it, you'll get some good advice and some clarity. Good luck!

Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

I see a lot of "don't give up s"... Maybe this experience is a blessing. I know more than a few nurses that discovered after they spent $$$ to get a nursing degree only to find the job is nothing they would ever want to do. Just because someone doesn't have the aptitude to be a nurse, dosen't mean they can't find a career choice that is better suited to thier desires. The time to find this out is BEFORE you spend 4-5 years getting a degree in something you will hate. This is a chance to evaluate what you want in a career and re-evaluate your options. Better now than spend the next 10 years paying off student loans working a job you hate but can't quit because you are trapped by debt in nursing.

It seems like the nurses where I work (LTC) have pretty much the same workload as the CNA's, but their work is more with administering medications and breathing treatments, invasive procedures (inserting catheters, enemas and suppositories, giving injections etc), and paperwork/documentation. They have more patients to care for than the CNA's but they are not responsible for the heavy labor (bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting. It's still hard stressful work, but being a licensed nurse is still a lot less physically taxing than being a CNA. If the physical demand is what is discouraging to you, perhaps you can take heart that you will only need to endure it until you become an RN or LPN.

Hang in there! With time yous hould feel better. I was really discouraged my first 3 months on the job, but the more I do it, the more I like it.

I had a rough first three months with 10-18 patients at times because the unit was short. I stayed there because gas prices were going up...and the hospiatl was about 2 blocks way from my house. The pay was good, but I hated the job.

I forced myself to stay mostly because I didn't want to commute to anotther job...and I'm glad I stayed. I now see that I'm closer to nursing school and got faster at doing my CNA job.

Its only been 2 weeks. Give it a little time. The first few weeks are always the hardest.

Keep your chin held high. YOU are doing something great!

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