New CNA feeling Overwhelmed and incompetent

hookyarnandblanket · Jun 20, 2016

You're still new enough that you are still developing a routine. It comes with practice and experience.

It may be helpful for you to write down the routines which are confusing and study them on your meal breaks and keep them in your locker.

Without knowing your shift, it's difficult for me to make many suggestions beyond the basics such as keeping a roll of trash bags in your pocket, along with gloves, a pen, a piece of paper, and a gait belt if assigned to you. I know many places have individual gait belt for each patient.

Keep working hard and celebrate the successful days.

BmoreOrioles · Jun 20, 2016

I remember my first year being a GNA. It was tough, but I did it for 8 years before becoming a nurse. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS OR HELP. (All caps to emphasize my point.) Also, don't worry too much about those old people with routines...if they get angry, just say nicely "I'm sorry Mrs. H, I'm here to help you. Can you tell me what you need done so I be helpful?" Also, make lists at the beginning of your shift, make a list of your assigned residents and what they will need during your shift. I hope this helps...don't give up! The first year is the hardest but you can do it. :)

A_dgonzalez · Jun 21, 2016

Thanks for responding ! I work the 7-3 shift (:

hookyarnandblanket · Jun 21, 2016

7-3 is an extremely difficult shift to learn as a brand new CNA. I've watched several at my hospital struggle with managing all that is required during our shift. One moved on, and two never caught on for reasons not related to not being able to do the work.

The best approach is to create a game plan with your coworkers. I work with 2 other CNAs on the floor so we go over who gets tub baths, who gets partials, who needs to be up first, etc. We then plan out who is taking what patient to the tub first and coordinate amongst us how we think the day will go.

If I have a full list of baths, I go to each room and put all the things I will need for their bath in one place that is inconspicuous but easily accessable so that when it's my turn, I have everything ready to go.

We work together to get patients up for breakfast and lunch, and we work together to get them back to their rooms and laid down after lunch. We help one another with linen changes, transfers, and toileting patients.

Everyone has felt incompetent when first starting. Sometimes you just have to fake it until you make it.

darobow · Jun 21, 2016

I was extremely inexperienced myself when I started my first job at a nursing home something that helped was working evening shift.

Something to remember is to take it slow. Think up a temporary work routine with your coworkers (for example see if they will agree to look after residents with special needs (catheter bags, Gastronomy tubes, etc) while you learn how to manage residents with mobility skills and learn their ADLs and figure out who has a catheter and who doesn't etc. (maybe offer to pick up an extra shift since they'd be looking after the nasty stuff while you learn the basics) I dunno just an opinion. Night shift is also a possibility when there is nothing going on perhaps your charge nurse could tell you about the residents or (if protocol allows) read their charts there is usually some nugget of information in there that can help with how you approach those in your care.

ZoeFrecn · Jun 21, 2016

Don't feel that way. CNA school just teaches you the basics. It takes time and experience in order to be efficient at your job. That doesn't necessarily mean you're not cut out to be a CNA. When I first started I had residents who had set routines but once I learnt that it became much better. For the first few weeks I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

What worked for me is that I asked some of the other CNA's for advice and write down a rough schedule. I.e When times I should do my baths, start getting people ready etc. I also went and had a quick chat with my more picky/difficult residents and stated that I'm new to the facility and that I'm going to do my best to learn their routines and preferences and to be patient with me.

Hang in there! It will get better.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2016

Oh my goodness, it took me a good month to feel like I had my routine down, and I worked 3-11 to start. 7-3 is very fast paced, with getting all of the residents up for breakfast, plus lunch and baths and all the other q 2 hr stuff. 3-11 was so much easier because we arrived well before suppertime, do some showers and ambulating, feed the one meal we were there for, and HS cares could be spread out (we'd get the akinetic/nonverbal residents into bed after supper, get the confused ones into bed when it was dark, get the ones who could verbalize preferences into bed per their preferences.) (Holy run on sentence. Sorry!!) In the midst of that we'd pass out HS snacks to those who wanted them, and then around 2130 start our final rounds to turn/reposition/incontinence care.

On night shift we did two rounds at 0000 and 0400, do the delicate laundry in the floor laundry room, and get 3 residents up for breakfast.

If you can, I'd definitely see if you can work an off-shift at least for a while.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2016

And regarding residents getting angry with you, try not to take it personally. I can almost guarantee you that either 1) they are clinging to the one bit of control they still have over their lives and it's not about you, or 2) they've always been an ugly person and it's not about you. (mostly NOT the case, but occasionally). If they're in some stage of cognitive decline, it may be 3) they can't express themselves as delicately as they used to and it's not about you.

BmoreOrioles had some great suggestions. Assure them that you want to help them and are listening to their wishes. If the resident is alert and oriented, you could also ask permission to take notes to help you remember (leaving off any PHI of course.) Lots of times if someone knows s/he is being listened to, and knows the staff is committed to working with them as opposed to doing stuff to them, they relax a bit.

Hhcna · Jun 23, 2016

We all have felt that way a few times while being a cna. It can be very overwhelming and sometimes it takes us a while to find our footing. It has finally taken me 8 months to feel confident in my work and even some days I question if I'm in the right field. Though one of my defining moments that gives me confidence is I was with a patient who was bed bound due to a stroke and a recent ankle break, when I left to take abother case he was walking around the house pretty well and had lost some weight. It was an impowering feeling knowing I was helping him achieve this optimal health. You will find your own rhythm good god its taken me 8 months to do it and even still I have days where all I can do is chart it and leave it. One step one day one patient at a time.

A_dgonzalez · Jun 24, 2016

Thanks for your responses ! It made me feel a lot better. I can't do other shifts because I got to school at night. I'm a nursing major. My dream has always been to be a school nurse â˜º

Zyprexa_Ho · Jun 27, 2016

It's going to take more than a couple weeks to get to know the residents' routines, etc. That being said, 7-3 is the most challenging shift to work. It's go go go pretty much the whole day. I've worked 3-11 for six years and I absolutely will only work this shift because it at least calms down around 8 or 9pm.