My Commentary on myself, a CNA

[CNAEdd29]

This was my article i made, excatly a year and a half ago. I'm back, and decided to to a commentary on myself :) So, read and tell me what you think.

Btw, old article is in this link-https://allnurses.com/cna-ma-nursing/the-truth-of-856685.html

So, this is where reality hits. This is where all those signs and posters of people smiling and enjoying there jobs are nothing but a big scam.

(While it is for the most part, there are people out there who actually love being a CNA. So yeah, most are there for publicity, but only a few of those people inside the posters really love what they do.)

This is the truth and a fact. Being a Nursing Assistant is one of the worst and lowest degrading jobs of all time. In fact, it almost beats working at burger king and McDonalds.

(Wrong. I will admit it. It's a better job than any restaurant jobs. In fact, it's better than any minimum wage job. The big differences between those two jobs is that being a CNA pays more because we are certified, and the job has more value than standing around and taking people's orders. You actually help a human being when they need help. I never realized that until close to the time I left my job.)

The thing is, unlike those jobs, people actually GO to school and PAY actually money and TAKE A STATE TEST. That's what I've realized these past nine months working as a cna.But no one cares, as i've learned. Now, i don't want to share story after story about this job since i have a ton of them, but i want to share the outcome. Maybe some short stories but that's it.

(This is when I transitioned to day shifts. I really didn't like nights and I thought days would treat me better. It was worse. The most important thing is that EVERYONE is there and watches you like a hawk, and they will get you for anything. I thought I was gonna love the attention of seeing my boss. I actually DID! I was SOOO wrong!)

I work at a hospital. I will say this. The only reason why working at a hospital is a good place is mainly the environment. It's cleaner, wider, and feels more safe. But if your a cna, the outcome will ALWAYSbe the same. We are nothing but low-life scum doing the dirty work. We are the eyes of everyone basically. Everyone watches us and if we screw up, we are the ones who pay.

(That is true, to me. But I know now that there are other places where people are more comfortable at. Some people prefer nursing homes, others prefer home health. It's just how is. And yes, I did mean that low-life scum comment. But as I learned throughout the course of working as a CNA, everyone has a part in dirty work. Some are worse off than CNAs. There are transporters, who have to be responsible to transfer the patient from one place to another, with our help, or course lol. We help transfer to and from the bed to the wheelchair or bed, and that's it. They are liable for the patient's life from now until they come back on the floor. And there's environmental staff, which has to deal with cleaning. Yes, we change diapers and beds, but once we tie up the linens and throw it in the carts, it's their job now. They have to open the bags and wash everything. And yes, even the smelly poo and urine and feces lol. I've already said something about the eyes of everyone comment, so that done.)

Where i work is like a nursing home. I'm literaly saying this. I work at a rehab center. and yes you know what that means. Maxs and totals. people who cant walk and we have to be the one's who do everything. most of the time therapy is there during the weekdays, but the weekends, we have to do ALL of the ADLS and weigh them. oh yeah, and FALLS. cant get enough of that! Some nurses are wiling to help, but you can't trust them. Yes, iv'e said it. There are some nurses who i can't work or trust with because they have a attitude. For example, just the other day right before shift was done, the jerk of a nurse said i had to feed him. as if i didn't have enough to do. I had to weigh one more patient, and get the rooms ready. so, i decided to feed the patient, but when i went inside, i smelled something bad, and he wet himself. God i hate incontinent patients... anyway i pressed the call light and ask the nurse to help me because the patient was confused and tried to get out of bed a lot. you know what she said? she said "oh you can change him by yourself", and walked out of the room. Believe me, i wished i would've gave her a piece of my mind. so i had to change the patient all by myself. but i knew things like this was going to happen. there's nurses you cant seem to associate and work with, and in this job you'll have to deal with it...

(Before I left, it really was like a nursing home. It was so crazy that one day was nothing but diaper day. Most of the patients, in my opinion really didn't need rehab. The thing is that the floor needed patients, or it would shut down with people not working. No one wants that lol. So, they take whatever they can and we work with it J. And yeah, during the week days therapy did most of the work. Sometimes we would and I would despise it, but it wasn't that bad when I got the hang of it. But, on a weekend, It was on a early Saturday and Sunday morning and I had to do ALL my patients. Getting them up, bathing and washing them, and getting them ready for therapy. In all honesty, I really didn't expect it and really dispisied it lol. Even after getting the hang of it, it was still a lot to do. It kinda felt shallow, on a weekend working really hard. And yes, weighing them. It's a challenge not only to get them up, but to weigh them. Sometimes I got everyone, sometimes I didn't. If I couldn't get to them, then I would have to do them on Sunday. They tried to make it easier, but it still wasn't enough lol. But hey, I got the job done and went home. Now, it is also true that there's people you just can't work with. Some people have these alter egos thinking that they don't have to help, and they can't . I learned this after a while. If you can do tasks by yourself, then do it. Don't waste time relying on people who you know won't do anything. And I honestly don't mind. I feel when I do my job on my own, I do the work. I'm not saying it's wrong to ask for help, but it's who you ask for help, and if there willing. And if they are, then you know you can trust them and build not only teamwork, but a friendship bond. Oh, eventually that nurse came around when I started to work with her more, and she wasn't a bad person. Sometimes you have to give it time to build that bond. For the incontinent part, NO NO NO NO lololol. Some of the comments I had was that I hate the patient overall. Let me just say this. Sometimes it get's annoying when you have to clean up over and over and over again. Some people are used to it, but I'm not. It's kinda like that Again”? feeling. But I still do my job and move on. I never dislike a patient, unless they scream and say personal things about me J.)

Another thing on my floor which is completely bull, is that our boss wants us to comply with so many things and to go above and beyond for our patients. the whole nursing staff has to be responsible for it. We(the cnas) have to pass out the trays to the patients. yes, we have to. as if we have nothing else to do. and if we don't we get in trouble. We also have to put on ted hose on all the patients for therapy.. but here's my problem with it.... usually therapy gives the baths in the morning.... so why cant they be responsible for putting it on?? i mean there getting the patient ready, so i think it's only fair that WHOEVER is getting the patient ready, they are the ones who are responsible for putting them. on.. again... were busy, do you think were going to have time to follow the petty rules? i swear, there just doing that to **** us off. the boss also wants us to work as a team, but you know they say that and you know the outcome lol.

(As I learned throughout leaving my job and working at another job not related to nursing, bosses have to be bosses. There paid to boss. That's it. And sometimes I take it personally. Hey, who wouldn't? They point their fingers and tell us what to do. But, we gotta do what we gotta do. Even if that means we have to kiss there boots, we do it. If not, then we would be out of a job. Yeah, I still stand on the ted hoses comment, but I'm working nights again, so that's not my problem anymore J.)

Oh, another bogus thing on our floor, floating. You see, our floor is fully staffed with nurses and cnas. you think that's a good thing right? WRONG. if were not needed, then they send us to other floors that's just as bad as our floor, making it 10 times worse for us. Sometimes we get lucky, but most of the times we go to crappy floors where we get 10-20 patients. on those floors, we have to do vitals every four hours, and depending on the blood sugars you have to do, you gotta do them. and if there's no other floors to go, they cancel people who actually need to pay for bills, families, schooling, etc... some teamwork right? I used to work night before days, and we had to do all that, PLUS weigh every single patient we had. Did the nurses help? NO!! they didn't do squat. They were sitting and chatting while WE have to do everything else.... they talk about team work there, but it's the complete opposite! All they care about is themselves and making money!

(Ah, the floating to other floors. I did hate it at first, but then I realized that everywhere is the same. No matter what floor type it is. Even if we get lucky, anything can happen. I had to be a sitter once to a guy who went crazy because of some meds. Even though I didn't work, it was still hard as he was spitting and peeing on the floor. And the vitals and blood sugars weren't so bad when I got the routine of it. That's what's it about. Routine. About the patient part. And yes, I know most work places do this. The leave a CAN all to themselves to a whole floor. It happened to me twice, and it wasn't a pleasnt experience. Honestly, I've managed because of the grace of God. I would've walked out if it wasn't for him. But now that I'm going back, I learned that I have to stand up not just for myself, but the patients as well. It's too dangerous . We just don't have time to get to know the patient, we are just in a rush. Plus, if a patient falls and I'm in another room, everyone will put the blame on me, mostly. So, now if that happens to me again, I will ask for another CNA, and if they can't do that, I will do what I have to do. But MARK MY WORDS. If I get blamed in any way, or the finger points right to me, I will do what I have to to make sure everyone is accountable. EVERYONE. I've already explained teamwork so I don't have to go there.)

My first time going to another floor, some people told me that it's going to be tough and probably fail miserably. when i mean people i mean the cnas. So when i went to that floor that night, i had 15 patients and i never worked so hard before in my life. i was behind, tired and wanted to go home. but i had to stick with it. After like 3 times going to other floors, i finally as getting the hang of it, but sill hated it. and since were working for the whole hospital, if we get in trouble, we answer to the floor's manager and our boss. Really. One night i went to another floor and it wasn't a bad night. Then the next day i show up to work, my boss tells me that i got written up in a incident report. Why? I didn't chart one simple thing in my vitals. i did everything else, but because of that i got in trouble. then the next day, she told me they did a report on me 9 times... NINE TIMES!!!!!! ALL BECAUSE OF ONE SIMPLE MISTAKE? and the funny thing is, it was my first time going to that floor and no one told me anything about that. that's nursing for you guys.. looking our for yourselves. I could share more about that, but think I've said enough.

(Yeah, It was tough for me. But like I said before, it takes time and practice until you get in routine. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be fine. Oh, I also don't mind going to other floors because sometimes it's good to get a break from one floor. There are great chances I would be working in floors that I never worked at. Oh, that floor that wrote me up nine times…. -_-. I got past that, and I would give it another chance. But if they do it again, and I've done everything I could, I'm gonna fight back. Sometimes we have to stand up for ourselves when things don't make sense.)

Now about the nurses, some i can work with and some i cant. in fact there's only a few nurses im actually friends with because we can work together as a team.. but i feel even sometimes they don't want to help me because they feel it's my job.. yes, to the nurses out there don't deny it. If you don't want to help don't bother . i am friends with some people too, but i don't get too attached to them. maybe only about a couple of people i can trust, but that's it. im just saying not ALL nurses are bad.

(All I can say about this………… it is what it is J)

in closing, i really hate this job with a passion. Yes i still want to help others, but how can i do it by being overworked and unappreciated. Some people might say,"Oh your a caregiver, and your doing it because you care".. let me say this... shut up. Listen, when i was starting, i used to think the same thing, but after all this time, and a recent back injury, i think otherwise.. i gotta look out for myself, and my future... right now, it's in the storms that im trying to get out of. but i cant, because i have nothing else. this is ALL i have. and im not gonna keep being miserable for the rest of my career. i shouldn't be doing that. every time i come there, all i think about is going home. i feel angry and upset, and stress starts to come out and i really don't need that stress. In fact, sometimes i plan to call off.. just so i cant be at that hell hole. and to be honest, im tired of feeling sorry for patients.. why, because im not doing anything with my life right now. im stuck with little money, and if i have to go back to school, i have to pay for it with my own money. i want to be at a job where people actually respect and understand how and why your job is important. you know that nursing assistants only get one day of recognition, and everyone else gets a week? HELLO? WE ACTUALLY WENT TO SCHOOL, WE PAID ACTUAL MONEY FOR CLASSES,AND WE ACTUALLY TOOK A STATE TEST!! AND YES, WE STUDIED AND PRACTICED ON SKILLS LIKE YOU GUYS DO TOO! what do you think we are, janitors, transporters? if you treat us as that, there as might as well be no such thing as a nursing assistant. believe it, i said it. the nurses should be the ones who need to do everything, since they sit around and talk after passing meds. Honestly, I've told some people time and time again that i wanted to quit, but i can't. mainly because of school. But i only have to save for a few more paychecks, and im turning in my two weeks. Until then, i try to stay positive, but the outcome is always the same. After next year, im going to be a emt-b, to see where that goes, becuase i feel we get a little more respect on what we do, more than cnas. i just can't wait to get out of this job.

(In closing, I feel very ashamed for saying most of these things, and felt that I needed to do a commentary on myself from that other person I was over a year ago. I've learned so much and grown not at as CNA but as a person. I learned that being a caregiver who cares and who does there best is what matters in the job. Yeah, there are bosses and rules, and yes, sometimes it can get in the way in our minds. But it's what you make it. It's what you decide what to do and how to handle it. You could be someone who cares, or someone who doesn't. You could be that hope, even if it was for one person or you could be that disaster. Respect, you have to earn that yourself. I did in the end, but I had to work and earn it. It took discipline, patience, and time, but it all paid off. And listen, everyone has an important job. No matter what the ranking is. Everyone has a part in healthcare no matter how big or small it is. That's what I learned and took with me when I left. Now that I'm back, I'm ready to face it again. Why, because of my experiences that made me grow into the person I am now, and maybe more to come. Oh, and school right now is not on the agenda as I have to think about what I need to do in my next step in my life. Until then, being a CNA again is all that I can be. I will admit, their's things about the job that I love and hate, but I have to stick it through. And with God's help, he will carry me through. I am sorry for the post I made, and apologize to the CNAs and Nurses who actually care and love there jobs. I hope in time, one day I can become that person, as well.)

[Missingyou, CNA]

It sounds to me that you have in fact grown since your first post...and believe it or not, you will continue to grow as a CNA.

~ I cared for many dying resident's. Only a few expressed how they appreciated the care we provided. One particular resident I had for only 2 weeks suffered during her last 2 weeks and when she died her daughter told me how greatful she was for even the smallest of things we did for her.

....you are correct....the job is all in how you look at it. You can think of it as a thankless, dirty, unrespected job, or you can look at the fact that you are helping someone (who you don't even know!) at a time when they are most vulnerable. A nurse may have more education and "responsibility", but it takes real compassion and a person with a full heart to be able to be a CNA and love what they do!

[CNAEdd29]

At Least someone else comment, please? Thank you :)

[chr9is]

You seem mad.

[emmphy]

"Everyone watches us and if we screw up, we are the ones who pay."

No, if the baths don't get done, if the ADLs don't get done, it falls upon the nurses. Ultimately they're responsible for your shortcomings or mistakes. They delegate those tasks, but it is their responsibility.

"All they care about is themselves and making money"

LOL. I can assure you that they nurses aren't making a truly enviable amount of money.

No matter where you go in health care (or life), people will be angry with you. If you were the most respected doctor in the hospital, a family member of a patient would still belittle you - IF you allow them to do so. My advice is that you need to go to work, do your job, and come home. You're bringing work home with you! Did you realize that your post was five entire pages, single spaced, with one inch margins in a word processor. You are a grunt worker, a peon. It's what happens, sadly, even though you're an incredibly important part of the health care team. The people with, likely, more credentials and schooling delegate to you because they have more important things to do than clean up a room. It's the way it is. Sometimes, the nurses go overboard with delegation and you can try to respectfully stand up to them. Or, if you need this job to ensure you don't starve, then probably just do what you can and move on. If they're writing you up for things that are beyond your control, it sounds like it's the hosipital's problem, and then it might be time to find another job.

You can't bring home your job like this. 

[CNAEdd29]

:).... you do realize that this was OVER a year ago and things changed since. I already explained that. But I can see that you obviously didn't read my commentary through and just the article. What a drag :)

[CNAEdd29]

What? my old article? Yes I was but things change and people grow and learn from it.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

At Least someone else comment, please? Thank you :)

Many of the factors listed in your post are a few of the reasons I decided to never work as a CNA. The work is physically brutal and doesn't get as much respect as it deserves. However, I'd like to thank you for hanging in there.

[CNAEdd29]

Thank you. Especially coming from someone who has something to do with rehab and knows what it's like, I really appreciate it :)

[CNAEdd29]

Judging from a comment from a "Nurse" and more to come, people, just read everything. Not just my old blog, but my commentary as well. I felt since I'll be going back to being a CNA soon, I felt I needed to reflect from the things I said, and then admitting I was wrong for saying those things. A lot of people wouldn't do such a thing, but I did. You don't think I know what I'm getting myself into? I do! And this time I'll know it'll be different because of what I've been through and it will make me a stronger person. Do I plan on being a CNA forever? No! But, as most people say, sometimes you gotta grow up and deal with it. And that's what I'm doing.

[VikkiRN2B]

The material here was interesting, but it was very hard to follow. I'd say this is more of a rant than an article...

[CNAEdd29]

Did you "read the commentary" as well? Geez -_-