I really need every helpful feedback on this issue. I'm so confused and troubled.
I've been dreaming and thinking about being an RN for a long time. I even got hired last month as a PCA. Yesterday was the first day I shadowed a PCA, and, it was a nightmare. Before I start working as a PCA, I was thinking that I'm going to learn many clinical skills like: EKG, IVs, Phlebotomy,...etc.. But what I saw yesterday was the most disgusting thing that ever happened to me. Bedbaths, wiping butts, basic care..etc..
I work in a Medical Renal unit, and almost all patients are very old, unable to move or speak, and severly obese and smelly. I was about to throw up many times, and I can't get rid of the smell even after 36 hours.
I don't want to sound selfish here, but guys, being a CNA is a very hard job and not everybody can do it.
I went to medical school in my home country for many years, and I was not disgusted by the dead bodies, by dealing with patients for taking medical histories, recording signs and symptoms, or even in the surgery room, where there was a lot of blood.
I was truly hoping to be a nurse anesthetist. But after what happened yesterday at my job, I'm starting to believe that I can't be a nurse ever. I don't think I mind doing basic personal care once in a while, but I can't imagine doing it for living.
I know many nurses in the outpatient clinics that don't have to do that kind of annoying stuff. Can't I just work in an outpatient facility where I don't have to deal with patients that are staying for a long time?
I now feel so sad that my dream of becoming a nurse is going away.
How did you get over your initial phase of disgust with being a PCA?
This was only my first day. I'm seriously thinking about talking to my manager to see if i can transfer into a different department/ job in the hospital, or even quit the job and look for something else.
Will I get used to wiping butts or not? I'm not sure, but i feel that i can't even do it.
Thanks
I commend you for your honesty. I am not sure I am in any position to give advice, seeing as how I am a first-semester nursing student. But I will tell you my thoughts:
I have a CNA license that I don't use, because it was a requirement for my program, and I am so glad I had to go through that training. I sincerely hope I never forget how difficult a CNA's job is. A good CNA is worth his or her weight in gold. My class was taught by a wonderful RN who passed on a lot of her wisdom. She talked to us about how nursing is caring for the whole person, not just being concerned with the illness and treatments themselves. She said that, as unpleasant as some of the aspects of the job can be, you need to become familiar with all of them so you'll know if something is going wrong: you can often tell by the smell that the patient has C-diff, for example. You are the one ultimately responsible for your patients. If they are cleaned in a haphazard manner and develop a pressure sore, it is your responsibility. Something seemingly menial like cleaning an incontinent patient can and does affect their entire quality of life -- their lives could even be in jeopardy if the task is not attended to carefully.
No one likes cleaning poop. I mean, really. But I can only think of how horrifying it would be if it were me in that bed, lying in my own excrement, being handed off to anyone and everyone and seeing disgust in their faces. For the sake of my patients, I will make myself get as used to it as I possibly can. For me, and possibly for you, that will mean doing it as much as I can while I am school and not trying to avoid it.
Lastly, my wonderful RN instructor gave us a piece of advice: she told us to never be that nurse, who is just too good to clean someone's worst mess. I hope I can do it.
I had no problem with the disgust of the total care of the patients. I just couldn't handle the treatment of being a PCA. Many times I would have to totally care for the patient alone. Some RN's can be very demanding. My patients even pick-up on some of this behavior. I had one in tears. The job of a CNA is disgusting @ times but the patient has to be taken care of. I took care of my mother the last months of her life. I treat every patient with dignity and respect. I try to give them a feeling that they are not only a patient, but a human being. I can't advocate for my patient because I am just a CNA. I want to futher my education, so I will get the opportunity to be able to do this. I don't go to work everyday for the money:twocents:. I go to work to make a difference. Nursing is hard work. I continue to go to school. Believe me I am not in this for the money. I might not be a PCA much longer. I have a full schedule of classes this Fall. I have to make some big choices in the next couple of weeks. I do have a family and what makes it harder is that I am a single parent. I was thinking maybe working on campus or something. Well please don't give up your dreams. Every profession has it rought spots. Carla
You should give it some time and if you are still unhappy then you can explore different avenues. Thats the great thing about nursing, you have limitless options. I don't particulary like my field; surgical medical oncology but I am a recent grad and I need experience. I feel this is a great place to learn and get a foot in the door. A senoir told me the other day out unit was the "armpit of the hospital", but if I could handle this unit I could handle anything! I love a good challenge! Once I am confident in myself as a nurse I will most likely specialize or go on to do my masters. I felt like quitting the first day of nursing school because of a bad experience with a preceptor but I hung in there and things got A LOT better. Same thing with work ... I was miserable but I hung in there because I don't like to give up so easily and now I am glad I didn't give up because I have so much potential to be a great nurse someday. Try to stick with it a little longer and if you are still unhappy then try something else, just dont be so discouraged so easily. There is more to nursing than changing diapers and giving baths, I know its hard to believe sometimes but its true!
In reality, it will depend on where you work how much of the hands on personal care you will be responsible for. Personally, I think CNA experience is the best way to get a feel for what nursing will be like, they bust their butts, but you learn time management skills, bedside manner, and the practical things that you don't learn in nursing school, like proper lifting technique and bathing (in school you spend a day or two in lab doing this and that's it). You will never work as hard again, and you will appreciate your CNAs emensely if you have to walk in their shoes for a while.
I started out as a CNA and really hated it at first. I was uncomfortable and my back was sore for days b/c the facility did not have good lifting equipment. I ended up sticking it out and staying with it and I have no idea what was the turning point for me. Now as a nurse I can appreciate what CNA's do and can help them if they need help. I worked in the OR for 6 months and I can tell you that there was only 1 person that was incontinent during surgery b/c of his cancer. Maybe this is a possiblity for you. There are some areas of nursing where you don't have to wipe bums. Not everybody fits the image of "the ideal nurse"....I know some nurses in the OR that picked the career for convenience and still don't know if they like it out of all careers. Nobody tells you this right off b/c it makes them look bad. Try to find out why you like this in the first place. There are other areas besides the ICU to get training to be a CRNA.
Applicants are required to have a minimum of one year's experience as a registered nurse in a critical care area (specifically ICU, CCU, SICU, MICU, NICU) prior to applying to the program. The Perianesthetic Care Unit (PACU) and the Emergency (ER) will be considered on a case by case basis.
I was a CNA before I became an RN. I think the experience was very helpful. Some nursing programs REQUIRE that you be a CNA before starting their nursing program. Most nursing programs have students do CNA work at the beginning of the prgram, so you really can't get away from it. Being a CNA is a very tough job, and can get pretty gross at times. But, just because your are an RN, don't think you will get away from that stuff, I think if you really don't think you can handle being a CNA, you should consider a different career.
If you are not able to get use to cleaning up foul body fluids and stool then I'm not sure if nursing is for you. CNAs, PCAs, and Student Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, not nurses. I have been in registration, a secretary, a student nurse, and now an RN. Nurses have to do a lot of fast thinking, but not as much of the actual work, unless you work in an ICU that does not have techs. As an RN I try to help my techs as much as possible, but I'm new and still trying to figure out all the paper work, orders, talking to doctors, and medicines, so more often that I would like the techs are left to do their own work.
I am an RN in an ICU and I did work a short stint as a CNA while in nursing school and it was AWFUL!!!! I quite after like a month, there was just no way I could do that type of work anymore. CNAs work HARD, I love and admire them but it is not for everyone. CNA work is very different than RN work. CNAs are very underpaid.
I work in a pediatric ICU and I love it! Yes, we do total care but cleaning the butt of a toddler or baby or even a teenager is nothing like that of an adult. Have you thought about working in a PICU? PICU is the most varied of any ICUs because we get all ages from 0 to 21 years old. I don't know any nurse or CNA that likes dealing with poop, but it's part of the job. I think though as a CNA you just see more of it because CNAs do a lot of the "dirty work"--I remember when I was a CNA I would just go from room to room all night wiping butts and changing sheets and doing vitals.
You do not have to be a CNA to be an RN (unless your school requires it), what I learned from my CNA work was nothing I didn't learn in the first semester of nursing school.
There are areas of nursing where you don't really deal with the poop though on a daily basis....OR, NICU (small poop), clinics, outpatient surgery, etc. Lots of opportunities for nurses out there! Don't let your job scare you off, maybe that type of nursing is just not for you and thats ok.
I commend you for your honesty and I do not think you should give up on your dream just yet. I don't think you have to be a CNA before being a nurse, but it might give you an advantage as you will develop time management skills, people skills, and just get used to how hospital nursing works. Perhaps your right, maybe this is just not the area of the hospital for you? Maybe the OR, radiology, outpatient, or peds, nursery, or OB(littler poops) I worked as a PCT on an OB floor during school and I really enjoyed it- wasn't too dirty either.
I mean hey, CNA work is not for everyone- its hard, backbreaking,and often dirty- as are many areas of nursing. You also must realize that 90% of nursing school is geared toward adult hospital nursing- this will include bathing and cleaning those same folks you are currently having issues with. Once you complete school, you will choose the area that best interests you.
Sir you and I sound like equals. I remember disliking the "results of metabolism" as a PCA while working in nursing school. I didn't fret too much because I was told that when it comes to the floor, the PCA gets the tough part physically and the RN gets the tough part mentally (for the most part). I kept telling myself that it would get better once I became a RN but it never does. Sure, you're more comfortable when you get your own routine and you'll learn so much being at the bedside, but the job description itself never changes. I have the same feelings as you do about nursing, and I do feel better, I feel like I've accomplished something when pts go from laying on their death bed to walking out of the hospital. With your pt population I suspect that may happen rarely, so maybe a change of venue might help. But if you find yourself really not liking nursing then save yourself and get out while it's still early, life is too short spend your days off work hating what you do on work:D
If you think about it, the only people whose butts you are wiping are people who are physically incapable of doing it themselves. Those pt's don't want you wiping their asses any more than you do. It's a dirty job, but if keeping your pt's clean and comfortable can help them feel better and recover, it's worth it. Being a nurse includes doing some of the grossest stuff you can imagine. It's done out of necessity, not for the hell of it.
DroogieRN
304 Posts
I commend you for your honesty. I am not sure I am in any position to give advice, seeing as how I am a first-semester nursing student. But I will tell you my thoughts:
I have a CNA license that I don't use, because it was a requirement for my program, and I am so glad I had to go through that training. I sincerely hope I never forget how difficult a CNA's job is. A good CNA is worth his or her weight in gold. My class was taught by a wonderful RN who passed on a lot of her wisdom. She talked to us about how nursing is caring for the whole person, not just being concerned with the illness and treatments themselves. She said that, as unpleasant as some of the aspects of the job can be, you need to become familiar with all of them so you'll know if something is going wrong: you can often tell by the smell that the patient has C-diff, for example. You are the one ultimately responsible for your patients. If they are cleaned in a haphazard manner and develop a pressure sore, it is your responsibility. Something seemingly menial like cleaning an incontinent patient can and does affect their entire quality of life -- their lives could even be in jeopardy if the task is not attended to carefully.
No one likes cleaning poop. I mean, really. But I can only think of how horrifying it would be if it were me in that bed, lying in my own excrement, being handed off to anyone and everyone and seeing disgust in their faces. For the sake of my patients, I will make myself get as used to it as I possibly can. For me, and possibly for you, that will mean doing it as much as I can while I am school and not trying to avoid it.
Lastly, my wonderful RN instructor gave us a piece of advice: she told us to never be that nurse, who is just too good to clean someone's worst mess. I hope I can do it.
Good luck!:)