dicecream

Well, just last night, one of my residents held my hands and told me I had beautiful eyes. He then invited me to get in bed with him Seriously, I am often thanked by residents, and used to say a kind of awkward "sure," in response, but since I was lectured by a former police officer on manners, I always say "You're welcome". I have had residents who order me around like a servant, and it really stings. Of course I do what they ask, but it's so much more pleasant to be treated as a friend. I've only gotten a personal message once from management, after I sat and read to a resident in the lobby during a slow time. I've never been recognized by management for just doing my job. I have been thanked by nurses when I did something that made their job easier. I always thank other CNAs for their help, and they often thank me.

Thou shalt not "call in sick" on labor day weekend, when there is a totally green CNA who ends up having to cover the whole floor. (green CNA was me, my 5th day on the job, with a nurse who didn't know how to say "no you can't call in", or get anyone to cover, apparently. Fortunately, my facility now has CNAs as staffing coordinators so they can cover if there's no other option. Works SO much better, and those gals are tough on slackers, knowing that they might have to fill in.) Thou shalt not put a resident's knee brace on BACKWARDS! I have found this several times on a certain resident, and let me tell you: A knee brace, like a knee, only bends one way. Thou shalt not cake skin cream on like it's whipped icing. THOU SHALT NOT LEAVE DIRTY LINENS IN THE HOPPER! There were BM-soaked sheets sitting there for 2 days because everyone said "It wasn't me, so I'm not cleaning it up", and housekeeping ignored it. Finally I did it so I could actually use the hopper to clean out my resident's clothes that were covered in vomit. I admit I've left stuff there to soak when extremely rushed, but always go back ASAP to clean up.

Hey, thanks everybody for your replies. For anyone who wants to know how it worked out, I did talk to the DNS and she said not to cover any resident's eyes, ever. We also talked about how difficult caring for this resident was, and she turned out to be more understanding than I expected. :) I'm still caring for this lady, and it's much easier since her meds have been changed. I don't know the specific drugs, but they have helped her behavior tremendously without making her into a zombie, so I think it's a good mix. She is on hospice care now, since her Alzheimers has declined more. It's very sad to see how her husband, who still comes to feed her, has to watch this decline, but I'm sure she's ready to go. She doesn't hit anymore, and even lets me brush her teeth without spitting or biting! What frustrates me now is when I see other caregivers or staff walk into the room and throw the bright overhead light on and toss her around without saying a word, just because they can now. She does still yell and make "lawnmower noises" when upset, so I still talk to her gently and sing to calm her down.

Not sure exactly what to say on this one. My facility always tries to use core staff because it's much cheaper than agency. Also core staff generally gives better care because they know the residents. Even if we give a good report, there are always little things that the residents like done a certain way, and we don't have time to explain. Mostly I would prefer to work with the same people so we develop a routine together and I can usually depend on them. I have worked with some very good agency CNAs, but a few who I would rather not see again.

I've never had any luck with sending resumes, period. Go to the place you want to work, find the hiring manager or whatever, and find out not just if they have any current openings, but if they expect to have any soon. Make sure they have your resume or application on file. Make a list of these places, get names of the people in charge, and keep calling back. Unexpected jobs open all the time, and you will be first on their list when they do.

Example: a resident whose leg muscles are stiff and legs have to be pried apart to put the brief on properly. I am always finding it just mashed in, with a bright red line marking where the elastic was pulled tight on her thighs. She can't tell us so, but it must be uncomfortable! Thou shalt not leave huge hard BMs in the toilet to "soften", then forget to find a plunger and leave it for the next shift Thou shalt not put laundry in the trash or trash in the laundry (students doing clinicals) Thou shalt not use all the wipes or gloves and leave without restocking. Thou shalt not attach catheter tubing so loosely that it comes apart and soaks the resident's pants. Thou shalt not attach catheter tubing so tightly I can't get it off! Thou shalt cut residents' fingernails regularly! Especially if it's that lady who scratches herself in bad places! Thou shalt not get extra large briefs for a 90-lb woman. When in doubt, do estimate larger, but not so much that they wrap around her twice!

If it's a large, public facility, you should be fine. They would be very careful not to discriminate. Smaller, private facilities might discriminate more. My facility is a run by a Christian group, but it's big and has people from many religions and races working there. It's pretty easy to just smile and nod if anyone goes on a religious rant, though one resident has Fox news on 24/7 in her room and won't watch anything else. Annoying! I've never felt like anyone was discriminated against by management. They do have a pretty strict dress code, but that's just so we look professional, I think.

Try to see if you can get an interview with the teacher or whoever's running the program. The more they see you, the more they'll remember you out of the other applicants.

Thanks for your replies. I thought of the picture idea too, and I'll ask her husband for one. I worked with this resident again last night and got some input from another CNA and a nurse. The CNA was from an agency and had some good ways to get the resident's attention and make her laugh. She really is mentally almost like a young toddler, and can sometimes be distracted by a silly face or simple humor. I will keep trying these things, and see if I can get her to trust me. The nurse said she didn't see anything wrong with covering this particular resident's eyes very gently since the light does upset her and she can take the pillowcase off. I think it's better to do as much as we can with other interventions. It's so hard to know what the resident is really thinking or feeling. I haven't met anyone else I would even consider blindfolding, but for this particular resident there are certain situations when I really feel like covering her eyes is safer and less intrusive than holding her down (Isn't holding her arms also restraining her?) or crowding her with lots of people. I am always her caregiver when I'm working, so hopefully I can find some more solutions and pass them on.

Or make a slipknot- half a bow with only one loop. Easier to undo and less likely to become a square knot. Yes, I have been a camp counselor.

If you're willing to stay and work at the facility for a year after you certify, you'll have a better chance. Especially if you're willing to work evening or night shift, and very high if you're a nursing student.

You're right. That does sound dumb. I guess I was new and didn't think about it much. It was actually the family member who offered to help when I said I needed a second person and she seemed to know what she was doing so I went along with it. Well, I won't do that in the future. :)

I decided to start a new thread for this question. For some reason I can't edit it anymore, so mods feel free to delete. Otherwise, just ignore.

I have been wondering about one of my residents who has advanced alzheimers and hits very hard any time anyone but her husband touches her. She also scratches, grabs, and squeezes, and has come very close to breaking my fingers. She is bedridden but still has very strong arms, and cannot speak but yells very loud. I've tried talking to her many different ways, even singing to her which sometimes helps for a few minutes (holding her hands and singing "say say my playmate" is a good way to make her smile) but I can't do that and give care at the same time. For a while her husband would hold her hands while we changed her but this became too stressful for him. I've learned to stay out of her range and cover her arms when I need to get closer. Recently another CNA suggested putting a blindfold on her so we can get in close to give care without restraining her or getting hit. Does anyone know if this is considered abuse? I've tried it (I just lay a pillowcase over her eyes) and it makes such a difference. When she can't see us, she can't hit us, at least not accurately. She still yells at first, but I can actually take care of her without getting punched or smacked. It also seems to make her a little calmer after little while when she can't see us. Of course I take it off immediately when I'm done. I also think a factor in her behavior is annoyance at having the light turned on to change her, so covering her eyes actually makes her more comfortable. I'm afraid to ask my DNS (it's been a long time since she did anything hands-on) because I don't want her to tell me not to do it, but I still want to know. I really do want what's best for the resident, but I have to consider my own safety. :redpinkhe

Residents at my facility love young people. They love to tell you stories and reminisce about the good old days. They are also great sources of advice. Many of them will remember your name and ask for you when you have taken the time to get to know them. These are people just like you, no matter their age. They like to listen to music, read books, and play games. Some of them are crabby, some of them are sick, and some of them (those with dementia) live in their own little world inside their mind. Get to know what's going on in that world and become a part of it. It will be hard at first, but very rewarding.

I agree that sleeping is bad. Emergencies can happen any time, and require all hands on deck. If you can't stay awake, then you shouldn't be working night shift. This is why I don't do doubles (they don't even ask me anymore because I always say no) and don't drink caffeine. To work my best, I have to be on a regular, natural sleep schedule. I really don't see why CNA's should be banned from having something to keep busy. My facility is pretty strict about reading, etc. during normal waking hours because the facility doesn't want visitors to get the impression that staff sits around entertaining themselves, but I don't see where the problem is on night shift. It seems like every nurse has a different attitude. There are some nurses at my facility that would immediately report a CNA who brought knitting or a book or worked on a puzzle (there are puzzles sitting out all over the place which the residents enjoy working on). All great ways to keep awake and easy to put down when a resident calls. I heard of one nurse who would put on a movie and bring popcorn! Most nurses are somewhere in between. If I had a strict one, I would bring a nursing magazine or something work-related. My brain would go crazy if I couldn't read something at least.

It sounds like you're doing your best. There are always little tricks you can do to speed things up, like doing a few things early. If a resident is able to brush his own teeth and shave, I might seat him by the sink to do this while I help another resident and then come back to finish up. Each resident has their own situation, and as you get to know them you'll find ways to speed things up. There will always be complainers on the next shift no matter how long you work at the facility. What I would do is say, "I wasn't able to finish with so-and-so, would you help me with that before I go?" Most tasks go twice as fast with 2 people. Show them that you're really trying your best, and ask them for pointers. Also, if you don't feel like you've been trained enough, go to the DON or staffing, and ask for more orientation. When I first started, people were complaining and I got 2 more days of orientation which helped a lot. (If you can, get orientation with the people who complain about you! Then they have some responsibility to help you, and they'll get to know you better) It's easy to complain about the new people, but everyone's been there. Remind them of that, and they'll let up.

We just switched to Tena after using Prevail as long as I've worked there. i like the briefs much better, but the pull-ups have less elasticity which is a bit annoying.

I think a family member counts as a "second person" if they are strong and able (and willing) to steady the resident while the CNA works the controls. I have done this before and it seems to be fine. Any lift transfer should definitely have 2 people. There are so many things that can go wrong! Sometimes I get everything set up myself, and then just get a helper for the actual transfer. I just want to add that asking for help is a vital part of being a CNA. When I first started I had very bad interpersonal and communication skills. Several times I was so intimidated by the other CNAs who seemed so busy and impatient with me, that I hurt myself trying to transfer residents myself rather than ask for help. Some of the CNAs seemed to think that I should be able to do those transfers myself, and one of them actually did it herself for me, rather than help me. She's now on light duty for hurting her back permanently. Now I am one of the senior CNAs on my shift, and I make a point not only to ask for help when I need it, but to show up and offer help to the others when I know that they need it, as part of my routine. We work together well, and no one feels overworked.

It took me about two weeks before I lost that "oh no, how can I get everything done?" feeling. Something that helped was getting several different experienced CNAs to work with me and show me their tricks. Every CNA has little tricks that help speed things up and go more smoothly. Like putting the pull-up through the pant leg and over the shoe rather than take off the shoes and pants and then put them back on. Every resident has their own little things that require adjustment too. Getting the routine down is a big thing. Knowing who to get up or put to bed first, how long each one generally takes, and how much extra time to leave for potential emergencies or "unexpected messes", makes a huge difference in how stressed out you get. Something I did after a few days was make a detailed schedule, and experiment with it each shift to see what worked the best. Now, after 3 years, I am able to work on any group and easily streamline my workload so I have more time for personal touches, which makes my job worthwhile.

I have been wondering about one of my residents who has advanced alzheimers and hits very hard any time anyone but her husband touches her. She also scratches, grabs, and squeezes, and has come very close to breaking my fingers. She is bedridden but still has very strong arms, cannot speak but yells very loud. I've tried talking to her many different ways, even singing to her which sometimes helps for a few minutes (holding her hands and singing "say say my playmate" is a good way to make her smile) but I can't do that and give care at the same time. For a while her husband would hold her hands while we changed her but this became too stressful for him. I've learned to stay out of her range and cover her arms when I need to get closer. Recently another CNA suggested putting a blindfold on her so we can get in close to give care without restraining her or getting hit. Does anyone know if this is considered abuse? I've tried it (I just lay a pillowcase over her eyes) and it makes such a difference. When she can't see us, she can't hit us, at least not accurately. She still yells at first, but I can actually take care of her without getting punched or smacked. It also seems to make her a little calmer after little while when she can't see us. Of course I take it off when I'm done. I'm afraid to ask my DNS (it's been a long time since she did anything hands-on) because I don't want her to tell me not to do it, but I still want to know. I really do want what's best for the resident, but I have to consider my own safety. :redpinkhe