SuperWes_CNA

I'm a ward clerk for Acute Care & work 8 hours a day (3pm to 11:30pm), 5 days a week. I enjoy my schedule.

Wouldn't it be a bit eerie for your supervisor to hear you call in when you're "dead?" LoL!

I am a member of the Crow Tribe & did vote for Obama. Seeing how our IHS (Crow/Northern Chyenne) is practically going under that he has done nothing thus far. It is a terrible & sad situation to see that healthcare for two of Southeastern Montana's American Indian tribes is dwindling. In recent years, I myself have been "afraid" to patron the Crow/Northern Cheyenne IHS facility as services have been of poor quality. I usually tend to seek healthcare services elsewhere. It is a shame that my native peoples cannot be provided with quality healthcare within their reservations. But, maybe that will change...just click & read the following link... http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_2c909bfc-fe1d-5ef9-8c89-505c9e8add4f.html

I think it would be a great opportunity...go for it! And, I'm sure you will still be able to keep up your CNA certification. I know that at our long term care our activity aides are CNAs and are required to keep up their CEUs just like the rest of us. Since they are CNAs they should be able to help out with floor duties whenever they can (ie: lay a resident down for a nap, help with ADLs, etc.).

Training actually took about a week & a half for me (I caught on to things quite quickly) but, when & if you do start out & you think it may take more than what they provide then, don't be scared to ask for more time. Communication with other Nursing/Medical staff is quite essential of course & as a unit clerk it's a bigger deal. Meaning, that you need to be detail oriented especially when it comes down to transcribing orders. And of course you will have the nurse there to check off your orders. If you have good nurses...observe & learn from them! When there is low census in the hospital we are asked to float over to the Swingbed Unit & help if they do need it. I am the only one that works as the full-time Ward Clerk (this is what we call it) & there is another person that fills in part-time for the two days I am not working. We do get our two 15 minute breaks along with our 30 minute lunch break. Those usually happen when we have our down time or, slow periods. If I recall, my last wage as a CNA was around $9+/hr.

Well, I do come from a small town so our hospital isn't very big. We have an Acute Care floor of 9 rooms, a surgical suite, an Obstetrics suite with two rooms, an E.R. Dept. with 3 bays. We also have a swing bed unit with 14 rooms at the other end of the building. As for my job, I am still partly a CNA and I do have to wear scrubs just in case I am needed out on the floor. I work from 3 to 11:30pm in which some days can be "feast or famine" but, I typically start of my day making necessary copies of charts & other papers if needed. I also, triage E.R. patients & type up their discharge paperwork. I take off orders for inpatients and put the charts together/disassemble them. I answer phone calls & direct visitors to where they need to go. Before the end of my shift I take care of the night paperwork for the next day (Census/charge sheets/dietary). It will vary from size of hospitals but, just think of yourself as the Nurse's secretary almost like a regular office secretary. The part you would probably hafta get used to is reading doctor's orders and transcribing them but, it's not bad once you learn how to read each doctors writing. I do also make $11+ but, this is due to the fact that I'm from a rural area in Montana. I don't know how much this will help but, hope you get an idea.

Well, when I started as a CNA back in 2006 I was asked in one of my interviews the question, "What is your short-term goal?" The answer to that was to make it to 5 years of service with the company. On May 1st, 2011 marked my 5 years with the company divided between the nursing home & hospital . I started at the nursing home & worked there for a full 2 years and then, when an opening at the hospital was posted I applied & got the job. In November 2009, I was asked if I would be interested in filling a new position as Full-time Ward Clerk. It has been an awesome year as Ward Clerk and I really enjoy it! So, for all you CNA's out there that are thinking of quiting because you think it's hard job...re-think it over! I was in your shoes for the first couple of months when I started & finally settled into a job that I :redbeathe. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't love what we do! Keep your head up & don't let anyone (whether from work or outside) bring you down . This is a very rewarding job if you let it become one :)

Here is a little tip: Keep a small tub of Mentholatum with you or in your locker & when you know you have BM (or any other smelly bodily fluids) to clean up just rub some under your nose. It should help mask the smell thus, eliminating the need to breath through your mouth.

For me, I really don't mind working either setting. Yes, the nursing home setting can be a little harder work wise and the hospital setting is a bit more easier on the back but, both settings give out the same feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day knowing that I was able to give someone my time, dedication and selflessness. :)

Our LTC recently recieved a new transportation van which is smaller than the regular bus and has added a Transportation Aide to the staff. The Transportation Aide is responsible for taking the residents to their appointments and such. Of course the bus and it's driver are still available if needed.

My "fail" sounds fairly simple and it was...the gait belt/transfer. I pretty much knew how to do complete the skill but my nerves just got the best of me. I used to have trouble putting on the gait belt and would try and put it on backwards. Even in my skill re-test I still was still backwards with the belt but as I talked myself through the skill my test proctor understood that my verbal directions were correct and had me calmly repeat the skill and I did it!

Congratulations on your sobriety. It's always good to hear of another's accomplishment of keeping sober and living life the way it should be. Awesome job!

Before becoming a CNA I spent the previous 2 years at home watching after my grandmother while my mother worked. It was an "out of the blue" thought when I deciided I wanted to try the CNA class. Fortunately, I ended up enjoying the class and here I am today 4 years later now working as a Ward Clerk/CNA in our town's hospital. As for going on to become a nurse that is a whole different story but, we'll see what happens :). The thought of being a career CNA is also an option for me if I do persue a degree in another field.

I label my pens just because the other ward clerk I work with also uses the same kind of pen that I do :) Pentel RSVP Fine Point.

I'm very lucky that I'm appreciated by my DON, nurses & other hospital employees everyday. I definately love :heartbeat my job even though it can be a tough job at times. And, yes Coffeemate "we do rock!" :clpty:Happy Certified Nurse Aide week all!