northernguy

northernguy

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All Content by northernguy

  1. How did you get your hospital job???

    northernguy replied to stigrl's topic in Patient Care Technician, Assistants

    The health care field is absolutely flooded with applicants these days. I took an EMT class a few years ago thinking Id have a job waiting for me when I finished. Well, I wasnt hired anywhere, and...

  2. CNA in a telemetry unit

    northernguy replied to amycna's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Same thing as any other CNA job, only the patients are hooked up to telemetry. You will obviously have to get your BLS certification since your patients will usually have cardiac problems, but I think...

  3. Taking a pay cut?

    northernguy replied to WannaBNursey's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    If you're taking nursing classes, I would make that your priority. An aide is an aide, regardless of whether its in a hospital or at home or in LTC, its the same basic thing, regardless of whether...

  4. Taking a pay cut?

    northernguy replied to WannaBNursey's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    I wouldnt work as an aide for 8 bucks an hour, and since its assisted living, you probably arent going to gain much in the way of valuable experience. Better off working a better paying home health...

  5. Trying for PCA job.. any suggestions?

    northernguy replied to LBale11's topic in Patient Care Technician, Assistants

    I would say get a job in LTC to gain experience and build a resume, then try to get hired at a hospital. All the full time techs where I work started out in LTC. There are some float pool and part...

  6. What does it mean when the patient said "Your face are soul".

    northernguy replied to tavia_yeung's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    If an elderly resident said to me "your face are soul", I would suspect a UTI

  7. From Home Health to the Hospital

    northernguy replied to WannaBNursey's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Hospitals sometimes hire aides with NO experience, so at the very least you have got them beat. Ive never worked home health(unless you count EMS), so I cant compare it to a hospital or long term...

  8. How much anatomy do CNAs need to know?

    northernguy replied to aaron_j_sutter's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    What little bit you are expected to know, you learn in CNA class, so its not like you need to be studying up for the class. I learned more A&P in my highschool health class. Still, it certainly...

  9. Chasing after alarms. What do you do?

    northernguy replied to vc01ca's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    You can only be in one place at one time, so find out exactly what you are expected to do when these situations come up, because they WILL come up, all the time. If the care plan states a particular...

  10. Tired of nurses treating aides, CNA, HHA, etc. like crap!

    northernguy replied to Xavier97x2's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Most of the RNs I work with treat the aides well as long as you are competent and hard working, if for no other reason than they need our help. Treating their aides like crap is a good way for an RN...

  11. Is it normal for them to just let us take care of the pt's on our own??

    northernguy replied to Brannray's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    This is how my CNA clinicals went. We were assigned one person the first time, then gradually worked our way up to 3, although not for an entire shift, we would just do AM cares or HS cares. The...

  12. Nursing Student (R.N. Program) but Interested in being a CNA for a Summer Job

    northernguy replied to rmkieft's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    The cost of the CNA course will wipe out a portion of what you would make. I think it varies by state whether or not you could simply test out for your CNA, in my state I think you have to take a CNA...

  13. Does a CNA have to wipe butts?

    northernguy replied to sssssaidthesnake's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    If you are really determined to be a CNA, but wiping butts is a no go, you could always explain to the other aides and nurses that you dont feel comfortable doing it. After they get done laughing, you...

  14. Does a CNA have to wipe butts?

    northernguy replied to sssssaidthesnake's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Who told you CNAs have to wipe butts? Thats craziness. Most facilitys have Incontinent care technicians(ICTs) who are specially trained and equipped for that kind of thing. The hospital I work at...

  15. Been working as a PCT for almost a year... go from 0 write ups to TWO within a month.

    northernguy replied to Spikey9001's topic in Patient Care Technician, Assistants

    Ive had patients praise me to death and go on about what a great and competent aide I was when they were surveyed later on, and others complain....during the SAME SHIFT, and despite the fact I treated...

  16. First day of CNA clinical - Elder abuse?

    northernguy replied to stefanyjoy's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Reading the update, you have to wonder where the State was with all this going on. When I worked in a LTC facility the State would be breathing down our necks at the slightest hint of neglect. Maybe...

  17. Should I Be A CNA Before A RN?

    northernguy replied to DiscoveringNursing's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Its beneficial...up to a point. Working in a hospital will be more beneficial than working in LTC, but even that has its limits. You will be too busy working as a CNA most of the time to really learn...

  18. Recently Certified CNA scared to take the next step...

    northernguy replied to LeslieCNA's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Being a CNA isnt rocket science. You arent going to be making life or death decisions. If you are hard working, polite, have a healthy back, and try hard, theres nothing to worry about. Yeah you will...

  19. Been working as a PCT for almost a year... go from 0 write ups to TWO within a month.

    northernguy replied to Spikey9001's topic in Patient Care Technician, Assistants

    I have to admit being a CNA is pretty much a people job. It really is a lot like waiting tables or other customer service hospitality jobs. RNs can get away with not being as people oriented, but not...

  20. CNA School Experiences

    northernguy replied to kdh5139's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    I dont really remember much about CNA school, It was over fast, in 8 weeks. I had an excellent instructor who had worked years as a nurse aide and LPN before becoming an RN. The class itself was a...

  21. CNA'S, do you use algebra?

    northernguy replied to gochicagobears's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    No algebra required, at least for a CNA. To continue on in health care you will probably need it, so I wouldnt give up on it

  22. First day of CNA clinical - Elder abuse?

    northernguy replied to stefanyjoy's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Altra completely hit the nail on the head, and this is why I have to admit I dont automatically trust the judgement of someone who hasnt done the job for a while and understands what it entails to...

  23. Can a CNA get in trouble if a patient gets out of bed and falls despite the bed alarm

    northernguy replied to aflac381's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Depends on what you mean by trouble. Can you get fired for forgetting to put on a bed alarm? Yes. Would you lose your certification over it? No. I think most facilities or hospitals would just give...

  24. First day of CNA clinical - Elder abuse?

    northernguy replied to stefanyjoy's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    This sounds like a horrible facility, not some place I would ever work. The aide you worked with also sounds pretty bad, BUT its hard to judge them without knowing more about the situation from...

  25. CNA - LTC or Hospital?

    northernguy replied to KamieKirk's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    Hospital jobs dont always pay more than LTC for CNAs. My hourly pay didnt increase any when I went to work in a hospital from a skilled nursing facility. You also might get more hours in LTC than a...