Not so sure anymore, does it get better?

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Hey Guys,

I'm not sure if I want to do this anymore....I'm currently a resident assistant for a very poorly managed company and it has completly turned me off of even wanting to be a nurse now. As part of the nursing program its required I get my CNA, which I'm trying to get a real CNA position with a better company. I've wanted to be a nurse off and on for a few years now (I'm 26) I kept exploring other subjects but always came back to nursing. I don't feel I have passion for nothing else, I love science, people, technology, I love discovering and questioning, I love learning and nursing seems to encompass everything I enjoy but I hear so many horror stories of being and nurse. The negatives seem to greatly outweight the positives of being a nurse and it so discouraging to me. And my job is not helping in any way.

As a resident assistant with his CNA, I do not do CNA work, my hours worked do not count towards the CNA registry so if I stay here I still have to pick up another job anyways as a CNA to stay active and current. I work the overnight so my night constists of cleaning like, nitty gritty down and dirty housekeeping because we don't have housekeeping in our department, which to me is ridiculous, I was hired to care for people not scrub floorboards and toilets, forgive me if you don't agree but I am frustrated because I was never told I would be doing this it was not part of the job description, I am required to fill in for dietary as well when needed, I am scheduled weekends, doubles, never guarunteed set days off and coming from customer servie/IT with set schedules and days off to me this is foreign, is this common in healthcare? I just feel like I am being grossly taken advantage of and I work with multiple people with **** poor attitudes, this 1 job has turned me so far off working in healthcare I am not sure if I even want to pursue being a nurse anymore. They say first impressions are everything and my first impression work in healthcare related field as just competely blown me away. The benefits are horrible and there is not even a shift differintial for working overnight I am paid a set pay whether I work days, evenings, overnights, doesn't matter no shift pay.

Help advice?

(sorry for the typos I'm on my phone)

Also I'm not comfortable in LTC and wondering what else I could do with my CNA while in school I only have the basic at the moment so I am not yet able to work in a hospital until I have the advanced CNA even then I hear its almost impossible to get into a hospital anyways. I'll do LTC work and it pays the bills and I still care for and show compassion but its not my first choice. I'm just not sure and you guys are really my only source to turn too when it comes to advice. I have gone home literally in tears because of the BS I have to put up with and I'm so disappointed with myself I thought nursing/healthcare was my calling and now I just don't know just over this one job....I know nothing is perfect and life sometimes just down right sucks and some people are just downright dumb and hard to work with but please tell me I'm not over reacting? I'm trying to get into homehealth care as an aid and have applied at some other places but I'm just not sure anymore like I said I'm competely turned off of being a nurse from this job.

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I wouldn't give up so fast if I were you. You have the passion and trust me you don't want to walk away from your dream and then later regret it. Find you another job and see if you feel the same way. It may just be that particular job.

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Specializes in Emergency.

You have identified that your company is not well run. Don't base a decision on where you are now. Find a different job, if you can (I know its tough) and try that out.

I was in a similar situation as you are now. I worked as a CNA on a Med/surg floor at a local hospital. I disliked it. I finally one day told the house supervisor, "If this is what nursing is, I just don't want to do it." She helped me to transfer to the Emergency Department...which became my home for 15 years, as an aide and then a Nurse.

There is so much to do in nursing...you can't hang it up from one bad experience, especially because you recognize that things at the company where you are, are not how they should be....

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Here is my piece of advice:) - ok you clearly have a passion for caring for people and nursing. So why give up on that dream no matter how hard it is. Sure, things are going to be stressful; trust me, I am a second semester nursing student and it has been hell. I have learned how to fail and fail until I finally can bring myself to understand that this program is hard, extremely hard. But it is something I have dreamed about, so I am not giving up just because it is hard.

You have already figured out a couple things- 1) you have figured out that the place you work at now is terrible, and 2) that you don't want to do LTC. I know only one person out of 90 in our program that wants to work in LTC. Not many ppl do and I understand why after doing my rotation at a LTC.

The positives of being a nurse- the smile on the faces of your patients when you do something for them that makes them feel better, the feeling of walking away from working hard and doing your best. I could go on and on, but try to look at the positive and see if it is right for you. :)

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Bad day? If your heart is in it, you'll find a way. Keep looking for something else. Your current situation appears less than stellar and you're obviously unhappy. Time to put those words in action and change what you can.

Good luck.

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This job has just been getting worse and worse because of "low census" they are cutting people left and right, reducing hours and expecting twice as much work, I'm not even coded in their system as a C.N.A., I'm more of a universal worker and trying to find a C.N.A. job in home health or other contract work because I know it pays more.

I'm determined to find a real C.N.A. job just LTC is not for me and I know that is were most C.N.A's are employed. But everyone wants experience and I don't have it because technically I am not a C.N.A. I don't do any C.N.A. work expect help one resident into her bed, this job just has me so discouraged, but I'm not giving up I finally got a call back for a senior community as a C.N.A. working 7 am to 7 pm shift with a yearly schedule a friend of mine works there PRN.

I hope its better somewhere else because if I run into this bad of company again, oh and ItalianBellaGirl I'm following your blog.. good job!!!!! And thank you all for your support it really means a lot because I have been so down about this one job lately.

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aww thanks!!:) yay! that means a lot! :)

and listen, I also think you need to get out of the current CNA job. That seems like a terrible position and just one of the many reasons why I am scared of working in a LTC. Just hang in there! and remember that you can do anything put your mind too!:)

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@italianbellagirl

i loved your blog too. :)

i'm wishing the both of you the best of luck.

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