New CNA and completely overwhelmed and upset;debating nursing

[Thatgirlaura]

Hi, I recently received my CNA certification and this last Friday was my 3rd day on the floor as a CNA at a nursing home I've recently been hired at. I received training for 6 days where I shadowed other CNA's. I had been doing okay, not the greatest but didn't mess up too bad until this last Friday. Up until then for my first two days on the floor I had about 4 rooms, two to a room which was 8 people. But on Friday I was assigned to 8 rooms which is 16 people, and it was a different group of patients than I had been with the last two days. I had a hard time from the beginning of the day and after breakfast, I spent a lot of time changing people so I didn't get the breakfast trays picked up in time and got yelled at by the cafeteria lady (Which I now learned to change after the trays are picked up), and it didn't help that the other CNA was in the cafeteria and I was attending to her people two which was double the people. So after breakfast I was still changing people for what seemed like forever but I think it was taking me a while and I was doing it slow. At this point I am very overwhelmed and really struggling but the other CNA or nurse doesn't have time to help me. So I wing a lot of rooms and do the best I could changing the people and changing them and stuff. I didn't even have time to do the showers before lunch came. Got lunch done and winged it some more, at this point I am behind on showers and getting yelled at because people were supposed to get up at certain times and I didn't know. So close to the end of the shift I guess they bring a CNA from the other side to help me get caught up. He helps for about an hour and then leaves. Still, even with his help I was behind and trying to get people taken care of so right before logging and leaving (I was already late) the CNA coming in for the next shift starts going off at me for leaving people "soaking wet". I knew that I probably did nut didn't even do rounds on Friday because everyone was telling me with their call lights that they needed to be changed. So I had to stay an hour after I was supposed to leave changing people that weren't even that wet in my opinion. (I had to change someone that went to the bathroom after I was supposed to clock out). I left crying with so many people mad at me. And to make things 10,000 times worse after I got off (late) I get a call from HR telling me that one of my patients got a bruise while she was in my care because when I changed her I must have left the catheter under her leg instead of over(I didn't even realize it) and gave her a huge bruise so before I go back to work Monday I have to see her for an accident report. I remember asking for help several times with the lady and no one was available to but it was still my fault, I should have known that. I cried all day and felt like a complete failure. And I feel like everyone hates me at this point. So now I don't want to even go back but I cant quit, because I really need this job. But its making me wonder if I can really do nursing. I am about to transfer into RN school and I'm thinking if I cant do this how on earth am I going to be a nurse. I don't know what to do to help me get through and get comfortable in this job, I feel so un confident. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, Thank you guys!

[ACNP2017]

Well, you're new. You only shadowed for 6 days - you are not going to know everything and you are not going to have great time management skills right away. Take incidences like the foley cath brusing and ask for additional education and guidance. Show the DON that you are interested in improving. They knew when they hired you this was your first CNA job.

Please don't let other staff members bully you. Nicely but sternly make the cafeteria lady aware you are new and improving - thank her for the suggestions and just leave it at that. Same goes with the relieving CNA - don't let him/her bully you into making you feel inferior and guilting you into staying to help after the shift.

I don't know you personally, but try to be confident in yourself. You don't have to be cocky about things - acknowledge things you don't know. You just need to know where and how to find the answer.

Ive met new grads who come in sheepishly shy, quiet, and reserved. They became prime targets for the bullies. Honestly, those are the one who seem to quit. Last week I gave report to a newer (approx 1 yr) male RN ..I stayed a lil after to tidy up things. The floor RN came down to retrieve her patient - they were both inside room X giving bedside report and I hear "why didn't the er Dr doing anything about this ....why hasn't that been done, have you even attempted to call the admitting doctor?" - I wasn't even a part of it but It got my blood boiling - I went into the room and asked the floor nurse to come with me to the conference room. I let her know it was unacceptable behavior to interrogate a fellow nurse in front of the patient and family. She ended up apologizing to our male RN and the pt and family. All the while the male RN stays in the room in attempt to comfort and answer questions from the pt and family.

The newer RN in question is the nicest, helpful, quietest, and non confrontation guy in our department. It made me livid to see another RN tear him to pieces. He later thanked me. He was "I was just shocked, I wasn't sure how to even respond to her especially in front of the patient".

Kinda off topic but please don't let others walk on you. Be polite but consistent - stand up for yourself.