New CNA First Job Nightmare

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hi Everyone! I am in desperate need of your advice because I am at a dead end. I was recently certified as a CNA and just started my first job about a month ago at a long term facility. Since the very first day I have hated it to the point were it is affecting my mental health. I cry everyday before work and have severe panic attacks as well. I am depressed everyday that I don't work, and only get about an hours worth of sleep every night because I can't stop thinking about work. It's not the work aspect of the job that I can't handle, I love that! It's the people I work and the company I work for. No one helps each other, and don't have a schedule after a whole month of working there! I also am a petite person and I have trouble transferring most residents without help, so I feel like I am a burden to the others around me. Also there is one resident who just hates me and makes me feel useless. Should I just avoid working as a CNA all together? What do you guys think?

Sorry for the rant, but I didn't know who else I should ask. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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I feel your pain! I've been a CNA for several years now, and can still remember my first few months on the job.

If you love your work, but cannot deal with your coworkers, don't let them get the best of you! Petite people can lift too, using proper body mechanics. Residents have their own issues as to why they may be treating you like that. They don't like change, and probably were used to someone else taking care of them before you came into the picture. I am not saying it's ok, but elderly people do not deal with change so well, and tend to take it out on the new caregiver. Give them time to warm up to you. You will get to know their routine.

As for coworkers, you just have to learn coping skills tailored to their meanness. I had bullies too at my first job, and basically how I dealt with it was learning to be more prepared when I asked for help. Assess the situation, and don't end up caught where you need help in a pinch if you can at all avoid it. Before you ask for a help with a transfer, unless you were caught off guard, make sure they know ahead of time. They have their own routine too with their own Residents and (even though this isn't your fault) it probably is tough for them getting used to working with a new person. Especially someone who needs additional help because of less experience. And if that all doesn't work, stick it out until you can find a better job, which is what I ended up doing.

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Wow sounds like you know what I am going through i_love_patient_care! thanks! I am currently searching for a new job, but I don't know if there would be a better option for me job wise? Or if I should just do something completely different. I have always like to give everyone a heads up to when I need help with a transfer, but they always get mad at me :(. Also that resident that gives me trouble doesn't want me near her and when I try to trade rooms with someone else they get mad at me again! Would home health be a better option?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Float Pool, MICU, CTICU.

I had the same experience when I worked in LTC. Will forever love my resident, but hated the lack of teamwork among the staff and upper management negativity. I currently work in a hospital enviroment and LOVE it. Granted, some days are better than others, but my worst days are not as bad as the days I work in LTC.

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LifesAJourney is right, the hospital was a way better environment to work in. If you can find a job in home health, it probably wouldn't be as bad as working where you are now. I would recommend trying it out first before you quit. In home health there is no one there at all to help you transfer the patient. They don't always have a fully adjustable hospital bed. These were my main complaints in home health. I've also posted on another thread that a lot of times the family members expect more from you cleaning wise than what is your job. I'm not sure how it is in other places, but for me it was supposed to be "light housekeeping", and that boundary was never clear. I even tried clarifying that during my interview when I was hired with a company, and they still didn't honor that when a family member expected more. As far as working in facilities, it didn't take me very long to get to a point to where I knew what I was doing, and could work anywhere with very little instruction or help (unless there was a very heavy or contracted patient).

Oh, and for the cranky Residents who won't let you in their room, just keep telling the Nurse at each instance. He/She needs to know about that and they will figure out a plan of action. I had Residents yell at me for all kinds of stuff when I was new. It's like they smell fear, and can tell you are a little iffy on some stuff still. The same people just a few weeks to months later were some of my funnest/coolest Residents to take care of.

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Since you are new, I would give it some time. You have to get to know all your co-workers (who you can approach and who you should avoid) and you also have to get to know each of your residents. It takes time. You should call up your dr to see if they can give you some medication temp until you can feel comfortable in your new job. After a year then reevaluate if CNA is for you. I think you will see it wasn't as bad as you felt it was in the beginning. Good luck.

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Thanks everyone I will see how it goes!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

i think u should just try to win their love and they might hate u depending if they have some kind of disease...remember wen a confused patients cuzes u or says ugly things..remember its the disease not the actual person :) congrats n continue to be a great CNA

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Specializes in None yet..

Hope things are getting better for you, even if only slowly. I_love_patient_care gave you great advice. Keep your eyes on the prize, know that you will be moving on to better things and focus on doing the best you can, then letting the chips fall where they may. Keep a current resume and never stop looking for other jobs.

If it helps at all, I have been looking for a CNA job since December 2013 without any success. I'm willing to work PT or FT, or per diem or on call, any day and any time. I would rearrange my entire life around that first job if necessary. But... No response from any application. I've started looking into home health care through agencies and there are so many potential problems in that work with the potential for working out of scope and injury from poor equipment and the isolation of working alone and.... I'm not sure it's a smart idea to do that as a first job.

Maybe try to concentrate on how lucky you are to have that first job. Do NOT attempt to move patients if it puts them or you at risk. Solving those situations is why your supervisor gets paid the big bucks. :) You can give up on them liking you (but stay open to that changing as they see you are competent and professional and not a doormat), just don't give up on yourself and getting what you need from that precious first job.

Also, it's too hard to go through tough times totally alone. Do you have any kind of support in your life? Can you find a way to make some?

Wishing you all the luck and courage in the world and hope you can keep your goals in mind. Long-term care residents need your love of your work. Even the grumpy, angry ones. (Not all the signs and symptoms we encounter are pleasant but we can deal.)

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Specializes in Long term care.

I agree, hang in there! A month really isn't that much time for getting into the swing of things at any LTC, especially for a brand new CNA.

Another thought: There are assisted living homes. Depending on the facility, they can be alot easier with fewer residents to care for. Some places that have "dementia units" will be a bit more like working in a nursing home but often without the use of mechanical lifts!

I think it's worth the look into for you.

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