not physically strong enough to be a CNA...

[mar12011]

Hey all, my head is too bummed for words right now, yet I will attempt to describe my situation on here anyway -

I just started a wonderful job this week as a CNA in a subacute unit. It is my first job as a CNA. I am 50 yrs old and fairly skinny, esp my pipe-cleaner arms. My heart's goal was to become an RN -- I have been studying on my own the past year (A&P, microbiology, chemistry, etc.) and I just am obsessed -- I cannot stop reading, I cannot stop listening to courses off of iTunesU on these subjects. I have volunteered at a hospital locally for 16 mos working w/the CNAs & RNs, so I am decently aware of what the jobs require. My fault for knowing how weak my scrawny upper body is and not maybe leaving my obsession with the learning to be nothing more than a hobby, I wanted to think I could still be a nurse -- what I've learned front & center this week is I can barely turn a 100 lb. pt on their side to change their incontinence pads, let alone re-position them. Every time I had to do it this week I had to get another CNA to help.

What options do I have? I spent the past 27 yrs working in IT -- I never had a heart for it, I always wanted to be in medical, but I was scared I couldn't do it b/c of this, I guess I was being quite bull-headed / unrealistically optimistic it would work after all.

ANY advice would be soooooooooooooooooooo greatly appreciated. Should I call the Staff Admin and see if they would keep me on despite this awful disadvantage? Outside of that flaw, I am an EXTREMELY high energy person and think I could do the rest of the CNA tasks real well. But it seems to me that I am hosed.........

"depressed in Denver"

[mar12011]

Oh I hope I didn't instill any worry -- I actually did my first CNA job at a SNF/LTCF, 3rd shift, from July-mid Oct. (I strained my back) and it was way different there. If you had to put on the lights, you put on the lights -- a good deal of the pts there were less coherent, thus did not notice if the lights were on/off. Plus, they didn't care if I used the stethoscope to hear the breaths. Most the of job there seemed to be changing incontinent briefs and re-positioning. The vitals only had to charted at end of shift (unless the pt had fallen, then they were on neuros and done 4x for the first 60 min. -- 2x the next, then once an hour for 4 hours or something like that) , and we did it on paper not on the computer, etc.

You will do fine, I am sure!!

[erinberrin, CNA]

Oh I hope I didn't instill any worry -- I actually did my first CNA job at a SNF/LTCF, 3rd shift, from July-mid Oct. (I strained my back) and it was way different there. If you had to put on the lights, you put on the lights -- a good deal of the pts there were less coherent, thus did not notice if the lights were on/off. Plus, they didn't care if I used the stethoscope to hear the breaths. Most the of job there seemed to be changing incontinent briefs and re-positioning. The vitals only had to charted at end of shift (unless the pt had fallen, then they were on neuros and done 4x for the first 60 min. -- 2x the next, then once an hour for 4 hours or something like that) , and we did it on paper not on the computer, etc.

You will do fine, I am sure!!

Thanks..u too;)

[adawnl]

I find it's all in how you lift. I've successfully turned, transferred, and otherwise manipulated a 267-pound woman, but then had difficulty with a 100-pound woman. It seems to be all about the angles. I'm 4'11" but not at all skinny. I also had to lift a lot more when I worked in a LTC facility as opposed to in home health, so there's another option for you.

[mar12011]

No doubt it is all about technique/angles, I just need a really good teacher to show me the ins & outs. Any tidbits you can pass along would be welcome.

Having worked in the hospital now for the past 2 weeks, I am VERY pleased that it is much more of a team effort than when I was at the SNF. What still is shocking and hugely encouraging is how the RNs quickly answer the call lights when we CNA/PCT's are busy with other pts. I barely saw that once in the SNF.

[LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN]

Build up your muscle strength by working with weights--in the mean time, consider working private duty. You have only one patient.

[Buduca Sestra]

I am also a very short and very skinny cna so my upper body strength was very low when I started working as a cna 6 months ago.

These days I can change and reposition people almost twice my weight. Your body will build up strength as you go but there are also different techniques my coworkers have shared.

When moving someone on the side to change them or reposition them use the draw sheet. Grab it from each end on whichever side your working on pull it towards you and lift up. Vola!

Also working in sections helps. Bend the knee that will be on top once the person is on their side and either push it then go under their shoulder and push their upper body or you can push the knee and the shoulder at the same time as well.

Lastly or actually probably first you wanna make sure you have the bed at the right height. Raise the bed up to your waist before you do anything. Not doing this is one ofthe best ways to hurt your back.

Good luck! :)

[Buduca Sestra]

Lastly or actually probably first you wanna make sure you have the bed at the right height. Raise the bed up to your waist before you do anything. Not doing this is one ofthe best ways to hurt your back.

Sorry I meant to say to raise the bed up to your hips. Ooops

[mar12011]

Good advice Buduca, I need to re-train my brain each time I walk into a pt's room, otherwise I still try to use my back muscles, and often neglect to raise the bed, IOW, inevitable back-strain on the way.