Is the medical field right for me?

juliaann · May 26, 2010

Exactly. I work at OSU Medical Center, and we've got several CNA openings, if those others don't work out. It's not the largest or fanciest hospital in Tulsa, but I work with awesome people and in a positive environment, which makes a huge difference (to me, anyway). Good luck!

swayman2202 · May 26, 2010

Thanks I didn't think about applying there at all thanks for all the help

Jivane · May 26, 2010

I can kind of see where you're coming from. I work in an assisted living/home health (we're in a bit of a grey area) and it is very taxing work.. Although I am positive being a nurse is what I want to do, sometimes I shudder at the thought of going to work.

Personally, I think it's because of the type of work I'm doing now. I work with the mentally disabled adults population. It's not where my passion Is, and I don't care for it. However, I do think it's very important to start somewhere--and dammit, where better to start than wiping butts and passing meds!

I think that once you get in to an area closer to your preferred field, things will get better. But, if you cannot make it through the intro stages (bathing, wiping butts, tedious medications) then maybe Nursing isn't where you want to focus.

westmidwest · May 26, 2010

I worked as a PCT on a high acuity floor and the workload was absolutely insane. I hated going to work, some/a lot of the staff were mean, it was stressful, never a break, etc. However, I loved taking care of people, I loved the interpersonal connection, I did not mind the incontinence because you were helping people that could not help themselves. Nevertheless I dreaded going to work and took every cancel.

If you hate your job but love taking care of pt, nursing is much better than being a PCT. But if you just don't enjoy taking care of sick people then get out.

swayman2202 · May 26, 2010

I love helping people, but I really think I like the exciting stuff and the adrenaline rush i can get,

which at the VA happened only twice the entire time i worked there, once we had a patient choke

that was really exciting, the second while I was giving a pateint a shower (even though i told the nurse something

was wrong with him, cause he was a nasty grayish color and was really out of it) the nurse told me to do the shower anyway sayin it would "refresh" him, he had a heart attack in the middle and died right there in the shower.

But, I don't mind the rounds and the incont. stuff. BUT, i worked with a lazy staff and we were all pretty young (im 19) the oldest one there that was a CNA was a senior aide she was in her 40's everyone else was in early 20's but they called in a regular basis usually eveyr weekend and monday they worked cause the had parties to attend.

Which doubled our already overwhelmed workload. and would split us up. (we were required to address each patient n a group of at least 2, d/t it being a higher functioning alzhiemer/psych unit, where we frequently got beat up and the worst that happened is this LARGE man threw an aide through a glass door) So per a grp of 2 were had approx 26 patients.

The feedings were brutal. we only ever had 4 aides on shift unless our supervisiors were nice and sent down an extra one which rarely happened. So to feed approx 52 patients in an hour was near impossible. Very few could feed themselves and it took a good 45 mins just to get them all to tables because we would put one at a table go get another and the one we just put ther was already gone. So this process took a long time. The showers would not have been terrible had everyone done their share. (there are 26 pts on each side of unit, day shift did one side showers and evenings did other side showers) so 26 pts were getting showers and they had to be all done before supper time. shift started at 3 dinner was at 5. 30 mins were taken to stock carts and give report before showers would begin so that leaves approx 1:30 mins for showers. (half of the patients would be whirlpools which typically take longer than the standard shower) so between four aides 2 would do whirlpools 2 would do showers that means that it should have been about 7 or so pts per aide. BUT half the aides would start playing games like oh i needs a smoke break, or im getting to hot, or i have to go to the bathroom or this taht or the other. so in turn that would leave someone else taking at least 1 if not more of their patients.

Wow this has turned into a HUGE rant! sorry. This just really bothers me, maybe its just the work load i didn't like. and the lazy co-workers.