I need some advice

What shift is it that you are working with 20 residents? If people are quitting left and right, enough to leave them short staffed, it is probably because the are overworking their employees. What you can do really depends on the shift you are working but regardless there should be some team work.

Are you hiding out in patient rooms? ~sorry, had to ask.

Tell your DON that a little more training would be helpful...though it seems unlikely that you will get any.

There are REALLY good nursing homes to work at and some are not so good. Sounds like you work at a not so good one. You will probably do much better, and be much more appreciated at another facility.

I'll bet this place won't fire you because they seem desperate for help. They will just work you to the bone until you hate your job.

I think it's time for another CNA position in another facility. There is always another place. Home care, assisted living....lots of other LTC/rehab facilities. Find a better fit for you.

I work am and pm shift noc there is always one cna and one nurse for all patients

I just realized you are asking for tips to help you improve your skills!

I do think you would be better off in another facility, however, to help you improve your skills in this and in another facility:

Load your pockets with everything you use: Ointments, gloves, baggies, denture tablets, toothettes, etc. It will save you time rummaging through draws looking for them later.

Pick and choose your battles. The honest truth is the patient with a family member in the room will get the help requested before anyone else because the family members will complain about your work performance if they have to wait more than 5 minutes...they don't care that you have 19 other residents with lights on waiting for care. ...Take care of them first and complaints to your DON will decrease. ..it's the unspoken hard truth about being a CNA!

When you need help with a mechanical lift, get that person ready, top dressed, hoyer pad under them and hoyer in the room before you go get help.

Never stand still! When you're waiting for help with a transfer etc, find something else to do, set the next resident up (get brief and trash bags out, top (un)dress them, get wash cloths ready..chart....). Use EVERY single second.

Never make a trip down the hall for one thing. Try to combine your trips. Going to look for help with a transfer,,? grab trash bags to drop on your way and grab that ice water that a resident asked for 10 minutes ago. It takes practice, but out of necessity, you'll get the hang of it.

Truthfully, I don't bring bags of dirty laundry and briefs down the hall to the dirty utility room after every single resident. I put the bags in their closet or just under their beds and collect 3 or 4 rooms at a time afterwards....and I also pick up my hallmates trash as I walk by if I can handle it.

...have to do a bed bath?? just armpits and groin get done....it HAS to be that way when you have 19 other resident's to be toileted, changed, repositioned, fed...

Keep YOURSELF hydrated! Have an endless supply of water to gulp down before your shift/on your breaks/ and whenever possible. It's amazing how much energy you will have if you drink plenty of water...yes, you will need "tinkle" breaks but the energy gained will be worth the 1 minute it takes to go to the bathroom. :)

It is true what "they" say: there is the way you learned in CNA class and then there is real life. Just remember to NEVER put a resident's or your own safety at risk. There are no short cuts on safety and cleanliness.

YOU GOT THIS!

No I'm not hiding out in patient rooms there is a lot of work for me to do when I am the only cna on am and pm shift and it's hard when I have four or five call lights going off all at once and I'm by myself also I don't get help I'm always shown how to do a two person transfer all by myself and I'm have been shown how to move residents up in bed by myself so if it seems like I'm hiding out in patient rooms then it's not intentional it's because I don't have help

No I'm not hiding out in patient rooms there is a lot of work for me to do when I am the only cna on am and pm shift and it's hard when I have four or five call lights going off all at once and I'm by myself also I don't get help I'm always shown how to do a two person transfer all by myself and I'm have been shown how to move residents up in bed by myself so if it seems like I'm hiding out in patient rooms then it's not intentional it's because I don't have help

If you are being shown how to do a two person transfer by yourself, then you definitely need to find another job! Either way, you are being put in a very bad situation. Something is going to happen and it's going to come down on YOU.

I don't know what state you are in, but where I live the max number of resident's that one CNA can be assigned in a SNF is 15.

This doesn't sound like a place that I'd want to be in...either working or living!

Seriously, you are MUCH better off leaving as quickly as you can. You aren't getting the support you need and in fact, it seems they are blaming you for THEIR short comings...bad news all around.

my advice find a new job. 20 residence is unreasonable unless your working nights. But having 2 nurses and 20 residence is enough to make anyone stressed much less if your new. LTC jobs are out there find a better one. I have had days with 15 or 16, but it is a day. Not a normal section, and I had students under me. We have been very very short lately in my 100 bed facility and I still only get 14 on a bad day. ONCE I had 16 in the last year.

Maybe you could pick up speed, maybe there is more to learn...but your new and it comes with time. It shouldn't come with desperation.

Sounds like a ****** place to work, usually the DON wants to help new employees get better so they stay.... You really just need to find a good routine that works for you.