I've gotten my HHA certification with one company ready to get started, and then 'they' said I was going to start over $3 less hourly rate (over 4 hour rate) than originally offered before certifications and testing. I decided to look elsewhere/longer since the 'new' wage offer was below my cost/benefit level of hassling with directions, etc... for constantly new clients, $5/gal gas (soon), and/or trying to bath senile people at their homes in one hour time periods, lol. It takes 1 hour to move wheel chaired clients 2 miles in a taxi cab (w/o transfer belts) from experience (for 1/2 of $5 fare!), so bathing them in the same period???
There seems to be opportunities with a local community college close by up to various levels of RN's, or an approved PTA which I may be better suited. So in my area of FL, Security guards and Medical field is all that is plentiful in the pitiful job market here. Helping others as well as learning how to care for my parents in their 80's seems especially appealing. I have engineering (in manufacturing gone to China), human relations, and business degrees, so can hopefully expedite the medical scholastic process.
In the mean time, working as a CNA or up to ADN RN level 'seems' like a way to earn as you learn; and learn valuble/marketable skills no matter what you do later, especially in elderly care. So I was going to work HHA/CNA and Security jobs until start going to school; and then try to squeeze school in later, somehow. The actual practice of RN seems like the most important opportunity for learning, since Humans behaviorally have the largest statistical variance of any process known (i.e. - requires a large sample size for meaningful cognitive learning correlations).
Questions (on how to deal with personal & sensitive interfacing with men and women intimately - both clients possible issues with male nurses):
Since women more commonly change baby diapers, is this an extra uncomfortable experience for many guys and how's the best way to handle cleaning older peoples' diapers from incontinent elimination? I realize at HHA level, it would not be like assembly line changing diapers in a large hospital. But then again, you would not build up your learning curve rapidly in this highly sensitive and personal interface either (I hope this does not sound too newby stupid). Any assistance or guidlines from experts would help greatly. Female nurses often laugh (internally at least), BUT its never even mentioned in training except 1/2 of a sentence possibly for the whole process - "wipe away from genital areas". Duh!
Likewise, bathing people's personal areas (mostly older people assumingly) would be an issue that any tips, guidelines, or suggestions would be appreciated. I'd like to have this down to a mechanical science before ever attempting on my parents. And I realize my mother did the same for me as a baby, so I would like to be able to return the favor in earnest.
And finally, any other uncomfortable human interfaces not normally encountered by single men nurses for the first time (and maybe every time!), or advice how to handle human feces without gagging would be appreciated.
Maybe these are negligible items once you get started. And maybe they are mechanical items lost in the analytical aspect of observing and recording symptoms. I appreciate the male nurse section of the forum, since the nurse Kratchets may just laugh and belittle my innocent and pitiful questions (as small of a population as they may be). The first time doing anything is important to be prepared as possible, so you can be as professional as possible in a hopeful win-win experience for you and the client.
Duh!