Smoo218

Just report someone immediately if it's that bad! I reported fellow CNAs my first day as a CNA and my boss thanked me because she'd heard whispers but had no formal complaint.

I am a CNA, so I guess I can't fully answer your question, but I would say psych nursing is most definitely what you make of it. You can choose to pass your meds and then make yourself unavailable for the remainder of your shift, but you can also do so much more! I work at two facilities, one is a hospital with more medical issues, and one straight psych, but both places I can usually find plenty of patient interaction and things to do. Some of the nurses I work with leave patient interaction to the CNAs and then ask us for info when charting, so that may be the problem where you are. I've heard amazing stories some nights and spent some nights physically active in keeping patients safe, dodging punches, and distracting exit-seekers. As a previous post said, it is what you make it.

My personal opinion is starting as a CNA will be a valuable asset to you in your nursing career, regardless as to whether or not it makes you more competitive in schooling. CNAs are the primary caregivers now and often know much more about patients than their nurses. If you can learn what they have to go through and later relate and assist them in your career, I think you will find a wealth of information and assistance that would otherwise be unavailable to you.

Yeah...you still have to treat the patient regardless of personal offenses. How would you feel if you were in the hospital and someone who had some sort of prejudice, say your patient, refused to treat you?