Need some encouragement because I don't think I'm cut out for this (sort of long)

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Specializes in 12 years exp in corporate healthcare.

Hi everybody,

I just feel like balling :cry:. I hope this all make sense as I'm pretty upset, can't type and my thoughts are off. I have tough skin but OMG!!!...It was my first night on my own from 3-11pm as a CNA through a staffing agency this past Saturday and when I first came in, I was a 1/2 hour early so I was able to have first pick on a nice group. I have no experience clincally but I've been in the healthcare field for 7 years (work full-time in the hospital as a medical biller). I'm very kind-hearted, easy to get along with a positive attitude. The teamleader was pretty nice (male in his early 20's)..he assisted me on picking the group and told me that those patients are easy. Then he disappeared. So I grabbed my cart and off I went. To make a long story short, I followed all of the caregiver instructions on one of the patients they needed total assistance. I had to put clean briefs on him before putting him to bed and an LPN came rushing in asking me what was I doing??...I said "Putting on his pajamas with clean pull-ups after assisting with his tolieting"..then she said, "Well that's incorrect, you put him on pull-ups when he needs to wears briefs!"...I didn't say anything and just showed her where it says "pull-ups"..then she goes "Well I'm telling the charge nurse because thats not right" and stormed off (seems like a drama queen). I just felt overwhelmed and slow in giving care to the patients. I really didn't get help at all..I also felt like I was a thorn in asking questions all night long to the other CNA's and the LPN. After a while, they were trying to avoid me.

Then at the end of the night, the 3rd shift charge nurse asked me "How long have you experience as a CNA?"...I told her I had none..then goes to "Well nothing bad was said about you but that agency is telling us most CNA's have at least 6 months experience and then when they get here its a different story"..I'm thinking to myself that this is my last night working here then becuase somebody probably went back and told that I wasn't doing a good job eventhough I made sure if anything, the patients were safe and tried to answer all call lights. When it was time to go, another CNA (she was kind of helpful too but had a snake side it seemed like) and the teamleader was talking and I had asked who was that nurse that approached me. They told me she was a charge nurse on another unit. So I asked the teamleader if he thinks that because I have no experience, does he think the nurse will call the staffing agency and say I'm not needed anymore?..and he just shrugged his shoulders (no help!!!)...so then the CNa asked was this my only job, told her no that I worked for the hospital full-time and this was CNA job was just for every other weekend, the whole until heard me and looked soooo funny and gave me the cold-shoulder and couldn't look at me anymore to talk..when they said something, totally ignored me...I wasn't trying to show out, she asked and I told her. It's just amazing how people treat you and can't believe how snotty, arogant, and cold-hearted people can be. May I also add back-stabbing?!?!?!...Should I hang in there and just try to gain experience because I'm going to practical nursing school next year but I feel soooo lost! please help!!....I'm I over-exagerrating this?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I wouldnt worry about. You did what you were supposed to do and you asked questions when you needed help. I would find a better facility to work for. Getting a job in LTC should not be hard. Keep your head up!!! ;)

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Specializes in 12 years exp in corporate healthcare.

Thank you...it seems like especially the LPN just found everything to nag about..made it hard for me...

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Yea that's ridiculous. I'm sorry your experience was bad. Are you going to look for employment elsewhere?

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I have been a CNA for about 2 1/2 years...and trust me-we all went through it! everyone has to start somewhere. Hang in there because you will very quickly learn the ropes. It sucks being the new person at all jobs but especially nursing type jobs. They are often not too pleasant and like drama. They just seem like not very nice people- but most nursing homes are like that in my opinion-but not ALL. Basically they sound like very impatient people which is bad because CNA's and nurses need to be the most patient of people. Don't let it get to you...Shrug it off- keep showing up and learning. You will get the hang of it soon enough trust me. Hang in there hunny.

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Im new to this site- can anyone tell me how to create a new post?

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Believe me when I say that ALL of us have been there. My first few months as a CNA were the worst months ever (that's supposed to be encouraging, by the way). It gets better, though. One day, you wake up and realize that you *can* do it, and you get really good at it.

About the crazy brief girl -- yes, she was probably frustrated with you, but she probably wasn't as mad and freaked out as you think she was. I know that I can get that way sometimes, and seem really short with new CNAs. Don't take it personally. I know it's hard. She may have been going to the charge nurse to make sure the paperwork and care instructions were correct or update them. Sometimes those sheets they give you are wrong -- people that are listed as wearing pull-ups are really incontinent and vice versa. She was probably wanting to avoid a whole bed change (which she quite possibly would have to help with because you have no experience so far). Veteran CNAs (and nurses!) in long-term care get frustrated with new hires, because we literally have so many people that come-and-go. Sometimes we train several people every week. We just get exhausted from having to "hold people hands" all the time. Please, don't take it personally. Our frustration is geared more towards the situation, rather than the person, even though it may not always seem that way. I always do my best to be patient with new CNAs and to teach them what they need to know, but we all have our own bad days sometimes. :)

As for the girl that gave you the cold shoulder, she may have felt that you were bragging about your hospital job. To her, it may have seemed like you were saying, "I work in a hospital, which is so much better, and I don't HAVE to work here if I don't want to." People often take things differently than we mean them (and you'll get especially used to that in LTC :)). Some LTC CNAs are unable to get into hospital jobs, no matter how hard they try, and they can be especially sensitive about the situation.

Keep working hard. Being a new CNA is tough, but all of this experience you are getting (how to take care of patients AND how to deal with coworkers) will be quite valuable once you enter nursing school.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I know how you feel. When I was a new CNA I took FOREVER and always asked for help because I didn't know what I was doing. A lot of people called me "lazy" and told other people I was lazy. I am a sensitive person so that really hurt. At the end of my two years though, I'd say I was a damn good CNA. I was quick and always helpful. Turn over is so high in a two year period that most people I worked with as a new CNA had moved on from that nursing home as well. As long as you can go home at night and lay your head down knowing you put everything you have into your job, thats all that matters. I am going to be working as a LPN soon and am worried I will be slow and ask for too much help and be called "lazy" again. But oh well! I will do the best I can and at the end of the day that is all that matters!!!

Edit: Also, stand up for yourself.. not in a rude manner of course. I was 17 when I was a new CNA so everyone around me was close to my parents age so when someone would be blatantly rude to me I would just nod like a child. If someone is clearly being rude just give them a simple "Hey.. I'm new here and need a little help, I am more than willing to help you with anything you need too"

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Specializes in 12 years exp in corporate healthcare.
Yea that's ridiculous. I'm sorry your experience was bad. Are you going to look for employment elsewhere?

Yes..I'm looking elsewhere for employment but I will need to stay here until something else comes along...Thanks for your advice!!!!

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Specializes in 12 years exp in corporate healthcare.
I have been a CNA for about 2 1/2 years...and trust me-we all went through it! everyone has to start somewhere. Hang in there because you will very quickly learn the ropes. It sucks being the new person at all jobs but especially nursing type jobs. They are often not too pleasant and like drama. They just seem like not very nice people- but most nursing homes are like that in my opinion-but not ALL. Basically they sound like very impatient people which is bad because CNA's and nurses need to be the most patient of people. Don't let it get to you...Shrug it off- keep showing up and learning. You will get the hang of it soon enough trust me. Hang in there hunny.

I'm sooo trying to hang in there...Maybe I need to grow even tougher skin!...just because I'm very patient dosen't mean everyone else has the same patience as myself. This is hard emotionally..thank u sooo much!!!

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Specializes in 12 years exp in corporate healthcare.
Believe me when I say that ALL of us have been there. My first few months as a CNA were the worst months ever (that's supposed to be encouraging, by the way). It gets better, though. One day, you wake up and realize that you *can* do it, and you get really good at it.

About the crazy brief girl -- yes, she was probably frustrated with you, but she probably wasn't as mad and freaked out as you think she was. I know that I can get that way sometimes, and seem really short with new CNAs. Don't take it personally. I know it's hard. She may have been going to the charge nurse to make sure the paperwork and care instructions were correct or update them. Sometimes those sheets they give you are wrong -- people that are listed as wearing pull-ups are really incontinent and vice versa. She was probably wanting to avoid a whole bed change (which she quite possibly would have to help with because you have no experience so far). Veteran CNAs (and nurses!) in long-term care get frustrated with new hires, because we literally have so many people that come-and-go. Sometimes we train several people every week. We just get exhausted from having to "hold people hands" all the time. Please, don't take it personally. Our frustration is geared more towards the situation, rather than the person, even though it may not always seem that way. I always do my best to be patient with new CNAs and to teach them what they need to know, but we all have our own bad days sometimes. :)

As for the girl that gave you the cold shoulder, she may have felt that you were bragging about your hospital job. To her, it may have seemed like you were saying, "I work in a hospital, which is so much better, and I don't HAVE to work here if I don't want to." People often take things differently than we mean them (and you'll get especially used to that in LTC :)). Some LTC CNAs are unable to get into hospital jobs, no matter how hard they try, and they can be especially sensitive about the situation.

Keep working hard. Being a new CNA is tough, but all of this experience you are getting (how to take care of patients AND how to deal with coworkers) will be quite valuable once you enter nursing school.

What you said makes TOTAL since and I have the bigger picture! :up:...I can't wait until I become a "seasoned" CNA because I just don't want to be treated the way I was Saturday...lol!..and you are right telling me to not take things personally...I now understand that they also have other patients to take care of. It just seems like it was full of unecessary drama and it was just nutz!!...and yeah about me having a hospital job...that makes sense to but I'm blessed to have a job already and I hate it!...I'm getting this CNA experience so I can get out of this environment and go elsewhere..I would rather keep my sanity ya know?!?!...thanks a bunch!!!!

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Specializes in 12 years exp in corporate healthcare.
I know how you feel. When I was a new CNA I took FOREVER and always asked for help because I didn't know what I was doing. A lot of people called me "lazy" and told other people I was lazy. I am a sensitive person so that really hurt. At the end of my two years though, I'd say I was a damn good CNA. I was quick and always helpful. Turn over is so high in a two year period that most people I worked with as a new CNA had moved on from that nursing home as well. As long as you can go home at night and lay your head down knowing you put everything you have into your job, thats all that matters. I am going to be working as a LPN soon and am worried I will be slow and ask for too much help and be called "lazy" again. But oh well! I will do the best I can and at the end of the day that is all that matters!!!

Edit: Also, stand up for yourself.. not in a rude manner of course. I was 17 when I was a new CNA so everyone around me was close to be my parents age so when someone would be blatantly rude to me I would just nod like a child. If someone is clearly being rude just give them a simple "Hey.. I'm new here and need a little help, I am more than willing to help you with anything you need too"

Congrats on becoming a LPN! :yeah:...thanks for the encouragement. I'm just overwhelmed and can't wait to get a solid routine so I won't ask for help thats all....and see people was calling you lazy. I know in every workplace you have backstabbers but I heard its even worse in LTC....I'm really going to give this some thought about going into this field. Thanks!!!!!!

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