HospiceCarer

I wanted to thank everyone for the great information. One of the things that scares me away from the idea of just staying where I am indefinitely is that I don't think the non-profit that I work for is very stable. I love what we do at our facility, but there are many things about our business model that make me think that we will not be around for more than a couple of years. We're going to run out of wings and prayers one of these days, ya know. While I love being a CNA where I am, I don't think that I would work in a traditional nursing home. I make $8 an hour so that I can do what I love, not so that I can get my heart broken by 20 or more patients in a nursing home wing that I have to go home after every shift knowing that I didn't do everything I should have for because I didn't have time. Bless everyone who works in traditional LTC because I flat out could not do it. With my current level of education and experience (which is a moderate amount in another field and very little in healthcare), if the non-profit I work for now did not exist, I would not work in healthcare. I think I will look into the local RN programs, but with a special eye towards the fields, like critical care, that allow for low patient loads -- though I understand that doesn't mean low wor loads, just that you get to give plenty of care to each patient. I have an aunt who works as an RN in the ED. I think my next step will be to pick her brain and maybe see if she could get the hospital to allow me to shadow her (or anyone) for a few hours.

That's great advice. I am really lucky in that my local community college has a great nursing program. We also have a university very close by that is well known for its BSN program. The university offers a RN to BSN bridge program that I've heard really good things about. I would probably earn an associates to become an RN through the local community college and then consider the RN to BSN program. I have 13 credits that I can apply to the nursing program that I earned for an associates in my previous field. It probably won't make the program any shorter for me, but it will be VERY nice to have mostly 14 credit semesters instead of four 17 to 18 credit semesters that I would if I were starting from scratch.

I love this answer. I've used this answer to respond to noisy people asking about when I am going to have children, why I don't have children, and similar things that they really aren't close enough to me to have any business asking. My boss, the administrator for a small LTC facility, asked a potential employee who came to the facility for a quick tour what her husband did for a living and how long she had been attending her church (she was referred by a lady who she went to church with). I was mortified. Not only is it irrelevant and illegal, it has absolutely nothing to do with her ability to perform the job that she is applying for. The applicant had already discussed what schedule she could work, and I am sure that she had considered all of her family obligations when she told the administrator about her availability.

After years of volunteering at a small LTC facility, I was laid off from my job in an unrelated technical field and I started working there as a CNA. I was constantly stressed about finding another job in an area with a terribly high unemployment rate and the administrator was constantly stressed about filling aide shifts, so I decided to try it out with the understanding that I could go back to volunteering if it didn't work out. Well, I love it. I love taking care of people and I am actually pretty good at connecting with the patients in a way that makes them less anxious about what they are going through. I've been through the emotional parts of the job as a volunteer too -- losing people who you get really attached to -- and I can handle that. I am now thinking of going back to school to become licensed as an RN. I'm really apprehensive though. It is a huge move and I've scared that the things that I love about being a CNA at a small facility, like the personal time that I get to spend with each patient, won't be part of a nursing career. I also don't like the idea of starting my education over again, but I can get over that if I know that it is the right thing for me to do. What I need to know from the nice people on this board is whether or not it sounds like I am living in a insulated little bubble now and if all of the things I love about being a CNA will be pushed off by the huge increase in patient loads and responsibilities that being an RN will bring. I know that nursing school will be a tremendous amount of wor, but I'm not really worried about that. What I worry about is if I will get to the other side of it and the job won't look anything like what I am doing now. Should I just keep CNAing forever or until the job market improves and I can go back into my previous fiend - which I also enjoyed quite a bit? Also, I don't mine poo and all, but it would be nice to be able to use my brain again instead of just my wiping hand.

I have used the chapstick trick and occasionally do smell something that makes me just stop inhaling - LOL. I just wanted to reiterate though that it really won't be a big deal once you get into patient care. I work at a small LTC facility specializing in termally ill patients. We currently have one gentleman who has a disorder that makes him produce a LOT of secretions. He has also lost much of his muscle control. When I started volunteering (before I worker there), I hated helping with breakfast after he came to the facility because spit made me SO queesy. I once even had to give him a quick "oh, I have to go check on another patient" and excuse myself because I was about to lose it. I was so totally ashamed to admit it, but it grossed me out. Now I'm working as a CNA at the same facility. This morning this same man took my hand with his (which was covered in secretions and chocolate drink), slowly brought it to his mouth, and gave it a kiss. After thinking that it was so sweet, I couldn't help but think that I would've thought that was really gross just a little while ago.