patient sitter cna

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Aug 21, 2015

Found in the job listing section of hospital websites. Pay is often a little more than minimum wage as you are essentially babysitting and alerting licensed staff to any issues perhaps walking with an ambulatory patient for suicide watch or handing supplies for ADLs or personal care the patient completes independently (unless a CNA/sitter then the wage would be at the CNA level and you could provide additional cares within the CNA scope)

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Aug 22, 2015

Thanks. I'm looking for a less stress level job where I can also study.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Aug 22, 2015

I wouldn't assume you could study at such a job, you would be in a visible

patient care area and expected to be alert & watching your patient at all times

mvm2 · Aug 22, 2015

Maybe look into home care agencies and look into 3rd shift options. Many of the girls I work with that are 3rd shift have time for study time. You are usually around for help if they need help going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, or to help with changing position in bed.

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Aug 22, 2015

thanks everyone ! :)

BBboy · Aug 26, 2015

i work as a tech at my hospital and sitters, when needed, are usually called in from float pool. you shouldn't be doing your homework at this time as those that do require sitters typically need to be watched closely at all times (pulling lines and etc out). home care i feel would be frowned upon as well considering you're there to provide a service one on one to that client.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Aug 30, 2015

Home care may give you the option to do some extra studying, but you cannot go about it thinking that you are going to go to work and study for tomorrow's test. Unlike a regular staff position in a facility where you will have a lunch break and possibly a 15 minute break where you can use that time to whatever you choose, in home care you are the only caregiver and the services being provided are expensive. My grandmother has a CNA come in and help her with her ADLs 3 hours every day. The time that is not being used to clean her, the CNA takes her on a short walk outside and then completes the walk with her in the wheelchair when she is fatigued from walking. She then plays cards with her and other board games like scrabble since my grandmother is alert and oriented (for the most part) These services are costing her over $20 an/hr and the aide might be getting $10 (and that's being generous. I've heard as low as $8) from the agency. With this case, you would have zero time for studying.

Then there are the 24/7 care cases where the patient is in poor condition. You are there to feed, turn, back, toilet, etc. When they are sleeping and not due for a turn and nothing else is going on and you have completed what you need to complete at that time, many families are okay with you bringing in some study materials to look over in your down time. Now, if it's one of those nights where they keep you hoping, the test review isn't going to happen.

I would view these jobs as less stressful jobs so that when your shift is over, you still have the cognitive ability to sit down and study when you get home. I would in HHC private duty as an LPN and it does give me some time to look over my material while I study for my RN, sometimes. Some days I'll be busy with my patient the whole day, especially if they're sick. Now, after going home after doing this for 12 hours I can still study efficiently for an hour or two when I get home. If I were to work for an understaffed nursing home/ALF/rehab facility, no the only thing I'm doing after that is eating dinner and going to bed because my brain is mush.

If you do find something that you can bring your notes to review, it would be best to clear it with the family/facility/agency first. If they don't have a problem with it then it's okay.

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Aug 30, 2015

Thanks! Yes, I decided to stay at the facility I work at now which is a mental health hospital working every sat noc shift because its difficult to attend training at a new job while in school now.

Momof8CNA · Sep 1, 2015

I am a patient sitter/cna here in tulsa, and i LOVE it. i make 15 dollars an hour...BUT. the catch is, i also have to work the floor, if need be. i cant just be a sitter. that said, i do a fair amount of sitting. i also work through an agency, which helps.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Sep 3, 2015

I worked as a sitter CNA through a registry that had a contract with a local hospital. I found the position on Craigslist. Pay was low, a buck or 2 over minimum wage. But the experience of working in an acute care setting was invaluable!

jc0322, BSN, CNA, RN · Sep 7, 2015

I commend you for working in mental health. I'm at patient sitter here in Fort Lauderdale, fl. I have a love/hate relationship with my position, but I honestly took it just to get in, I'm hoping to be cross trained to work on the floor soon. (got my CNA back in December) I'm also doing home health twice a week.

I have had nights were I wasn't doing much and had time to study, but of course that's not always the case. In my hospital us sitters are sometimes floated to psych which allows no study time, and I find personally are my most challenging nights.