New job and nervous as all you know what...

tlc2u · Oct 24, 2011

You say you are afraid you may be late getting folks to dinner I am guessing you are working rehab or Assisted Living. Just remember you won't be all alone. Hopefully you will have a nurse who knows the residents well.

Before tuesday write down specifics of anything you can remember from your 3 days of training. Any client you can remember and what they needed or didn't need. writing things down helps remember them.

Ask the nurse for verbal guidance or ask if they have written guides for the CNA. Ask the nurse for any tips that will help make the shift flow smoothly.

At our facility someone has written out a list of some helps for the CNA.

Things like:

Who gets pushed to dinner in a wheelchair.

Who gets showers on 2nd shift and what day their shower is.

Who needs their bed covers turned back.

Who needs ted hose taken off and washed.

Who needs help getting ready for bed. etc.

If you are working assisted living some of the clients can tell you how to help them or what help they need.

If you find yourself asking some of the same questions over and over or constantly forgetting where something is or that a particular client wants ted hose off at 730 or to be put to bed at 9 then make notes and organize them later in a helpful order.

Let your nurse know what you need help with or what questions you have and ask your nurse what you can do that would be helpful to the nurse. You are there to work as a team. Do remember that the nurse does have her own work to do and at times may appear too busy but you won't get help or an answer to a question if you don't ask.

Best of Luck

P.S. I started a post wanting to know what the ALF nurse can do to help the CNA, I hope you will add to your post here and let us know how your first days, weeks, go and what the nurse could do or have done to help you. I'd love to hear your feedback.

Getreal2011 · Nov 29, 2011

Well, that was short lived.

I learned some things though. I had to resign, first because my studies began to suffer. I had to ask for an extension on a paper and fell behind quick on other stuff. School is something I take seriously. Sacrifice now for a better future.

Second, I injured my back and I just couldn't do the lifting and pulling. I also, felt like I could take better care of those folks if I had more time. I had about 15 people and the hall I trained on was NOT the hall they placed me on my first week alone. The nurse on duty even asked, why I was placed on a hall where I needed even further training. That hall was some kind of specialty hall with suites and stuff. :uhoh3:

A lot of the girls didn't use the lifts. The main reason, because by the time they would locate a lift and get the person in it...a half hour would pass.

Two things that kinda of got on my nerve some:

1) There was one night when I got all my vitals done except one temp. I had been searching for one of the thermometers for over an hour. Could not find one! So, I went to the other hall and asked if I could borrow one real quick, because I had to take a temp on the shared hall. The response I received was so nasty, I could do nothing but stand there in utter amazement. I'm not asking to borrow it to play with it, sell, trade in, or anything other stupid thing. I'm trying to do a job and help take care of someone. I just looked and said, "ummm okay, thanks?" and kept it moving. :eek:

2) The other thing is, I think CNAs should know if a resident has a contagious disease like staff. There were several people I was assigned to take care of that had contagious situations. If it were not for the other CNAs I would have never known.

I've been sick ever since... :down:

I guess it was a learning experience.

hsienko · Nov 29, 2011

hate to say it, but if you can't manage to borrow a thermometer for a few moments, your future in health care in the supervisory role may be less than ideal. Take this opportunity to reflect on why you failed in a paid role, and how you could have better responded. If you can't hack being at the bottom of the pole, how can you sympathize with your cohort (pre-license) while advocating and providing exceptional care for your patients? We all go home having days we feel like utter brown-exudate from the rear, the difference is some of us want to be change makers, at least for the 8, 12, or 13 and 3 quarters hours we're there.

Had to edit this, staph, or staphlococci, is only contagious if you utterly fail to observe universal precautions or go licking wounds. Your role in knowing the patient's disease state is yes, and i agree with you somewhat here, advantageous to you in providing safe care. However, if the care you provide is likely to be compromised by you worried about the disease process for a contact-spread disease, then you're definately in the wrong field. I'ld definately sympathize if someone was droplet or airborne precaution and you were sent in blindly, or contact and you not having the opportunity or access to a PF gown, however, you need to constantly be aware of your own body location lest you unplug a vent or rip out an iv for a contact/universal precaution patient.

Sorry to come down so hard on you, but during schooling my views have changed a lot as I've continued to grow. I now understand the logic behind nurses that I once felt the exact same way as you.

Getreal2011 · Nov 29, 2011

Actually, I didn't say that I never got a thermometer. - R.I.F.

I am resourceful, not to mention my previous jobs were in management...so, relax a little. I was new, just learning the ropes, and was not going to make waves with someone who obviously was having a bad day. Sometimes you need to observe, watch and observe. I did not fail in the role, the role was not for me at that time. In case you did not understand the first post, I resigned because I had other priorities (not to mention the physical strain was a little much for me to handle). There is a difference. My priorities remain - finish school (2nd degree) and not with a C average (I maintain an "A" avg.).

No one said, that I was NOT a change maker. My whole life right now is about change. However, you need to use wisdom in all that you do, and life is a learning experience. Everything isn't for everyone. That's why every nurse doesn't work at a nursing home, and every nurse doesn't work with kids, and every nurse doesn't work in oncology. It's about finding out what suits you and what you have the knack for...this includes determining what is NOT for you.

I'm glad you edited "staff" with the right word. Unlike you, I am not here to act like I know it all or discourage anyone else. Not to mention, I'm under the weather and home in bed. MY statement remains, I still believe CNAs should know what they are dealing with. Two girls said they got sick from working there.

Thanks for your comment...I guess.

Getreal2011 · Nov 29, 2011

BTW - Didn't have to correct this, but I will being that we're helping each other out.

"definately" should be "definitely"

tomc5555 · Nov 30, 2011

You're right school is the priority. Good luck and put this experience behind you.