I'm a new CNA and I'm super worried

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Hi everyone! Long time lurker, first time poster.

I just started my second job as a CNA. My first was a short gig with a home health care agency, in which I had one pediatric client. That was two years ago and I have been mostly staying home with my kids since then. I was just hired at a rehabilitation inpatient hospital. This place has a great local reputation and I am proud to say I work there. I have two concerns, though:

1. I seem to just not "get it." My first day went great and my preceptor said so. The second and third days I had a different preceptor from day 1 and I swear it was like she just didn't want me around. On the third day she gave me two of her patients, and told me that the second one's therapist would take her her breakfast tray - that turned out to be wrong. Everything went wrong after that, too! Nothing big, just little annoying things. But I can't chart yet - my true orientation (a two day class) starts Wednesday. So now, I've been sitting when I feel like I should be learning! And tonight when I left, there was no one to give report to. And the nurse seemed annoyed when I told her the highlights.

2. This is not long-term care, but I guess medium term care? Anyway, over the last 5 years of getting ready for nursing school, I knew I never wanted to go into long-term care. I don't know what specialty I will go into after nursing school, but I've always leaned more toward clinic work and public health, or at the other extreme, possibly ER work. But at no point in time did I picture myself working at a facility such as this. I took the job because it is a respected workplace in my community. My concern is that because I don't "get it" I still won't "get it" in other specialties. Does that make sense? Like, I'm trying I guess to calm myself down by saying, hey this is just one step along the way. But maybe I just suck at this? I feel like I can transfer to and from wheelchair, take vitals, assist in eating, and change a soiled brief competently (but with extreme awkwardness in some cases), but I am not part of my team and THAT is bothering me.

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Specializes in Long term care.

Typical and normal feeling for any new cna in any type of long term or other care facility.

You will feel overwhelmed, exhausted and completely out of groove for a few weeks, but it does get better.

You CAN do this! It takes time to get into the groove of things and every cna and nurse that you work with knows it.

Hang in there. You will be fine.

The nurse may seem annoyed when you tried to give her details when there was no one else to report to because generally nurses really don't want to know all the details. They simply want to know when there is a change in behavior or other sort of medical concern....NOT when you last changed so and so, or whatever else.

It's NOT you. It's the new job. You WILL get it. Don't be so hard on yourself.

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It's way too soon to say you don't "get it!!!" I'm only 4 weeks into this whole CNA thing, so I do understand where your coming from. Let me tell you, I went home and had a meltdown after my first day of orientation because despite having an awesome preceptor, I felt hopelessly incompetent. 4 weeks later, and I'm functioning just fine on my own.

You have to accept that it will take time. Just wait until you've had the same assignment a second time and have gotten to know some of your residents. You'll be amazed at how much easier it gets... You might even have fun!

Good luck!

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Thank you for the encouragement!! I'll keep at it and keep you posted.

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