Med-Surg CNAs

[amanda1229]

Hello all, I've got some questions today.

I'm a CNA and nursing student, and my goal is to eventually be a L&D nurse. I've been working for about five months in LTC, and I only worked there so I could actually take the exam and get my certification, since all the test covers is LTC practices. I hear everywhere that Med-Surg experience helps a lot, so I figured I would apply for CNA positions in L&D or Med-Surg units at the local hospitals.

What do the CNAs at your Med-Surg units do? Is it really different from LTC? I don't live near any rural hospitals, so if your answer covers one of those, it probably won't pertain to me. I really like the hospital setting, and working in a hospital has always made me really excited (even though I've never been an employee, I've been a hospital volunteer for so long and still get excited walking through those hallways!). Plus, if I do in end up in L&D, from what I hear Med-Surg experience is a big plus. What kind of patients do you see in Med-Surg? What is the work like? Is it a really busy day? Did you like your job as a Med-Surg CNA?

Thanks. :)

[IfGodSaysYes]

Well, I started of as a CNA in Med-surg working nights and yes! it was busy. I did V/S; mostly q4, I&O, DC Foley, Blood sugars, Empty NG tube, Turn pt q2 e.t.c. I never worked in LTC so I can't tell you the difference btwn the two. I had a all types of pts from those who just had surgries to geriatrics who had hip Fx from nursing home. I did like it, but my favorite floors were mother-baby and observation. I hope this helps.

[MedicalLPN, LPN]

As a CNA I worked in LTC, assisted living, and ultimately on a Medical unit at a hospital which I stayed at as an LPN. The difference is night and day. In LTC I would have anywhere from 20-30 total care patients to take care of, in acute care I had a maximum of 24 pts not all of which were total care and even if I was the only CNA the nurses would help out tremendously with ADL's and such. In the hospital as a CNA I did blood sugars, ADL's, VS, insert and DC foleys, basic wound care, assist the nurses with procedures such as NG tube insertion, the list goes on and on, it was great experience while I was in nursing school. The types of patients you will get in Med-surg can be endless because Medical Surgical nursing covers a little bit of everything. What I say most often on my unit is, pneumonia, UTI's, CHF, chemo and oncology pts, cardiac pts, alcohol detox, dehydration, TIA/CVA, bowel obst, pancreatitis, end of life care pts, outpatient blood transfusions, psychiatric pts needing medical clearence, MRSA, MRSA, and more MRSA, brittle diabetics, etc. We don't see too many surgical patients because my hospital has a seperate unit for surgical pts, but we take their over flow and we get things like, post lap choles, total knees and hips, things like that. There's always a lot to learn, best of luck to you!