panjia

funtimes: yeah, i work at a nursing home. i'm pretty much on my own, and yeah the nurses are super busy with their agenda so they just alert cnas of any adl care needed. actually, i was lucky one day...i had this one nurse placed this resident on a bedpan, but i took responsibility for removing him off the bedpan and getting him cleaned up. she was a great nurse in teamwork. :) eatmysoxrn: i understand, the nurses are busy with like 25+ patients, so i try to do the best i can to do total care for the patients. yeah, you're right, it's really just about trying new things. the more days i get to work, the more i realize what works and what does not, and the closer i get to establishing a routine. i really don't like leaving my responsibilities to other people, so like one poster said, it really is all about teamwork. if i can, i try to offer help to other cnas, but most of the time, i try to focus on my patients--because for right now, i am still new. however, i think after like a month or so, i'll be able to be more efficient thank you guys for your advice!

Thank you again! :) Yeah finding my rhythm is exactly what it is. The only way I get better, is to just get more experience...figuring out what I can do better the next time around. I really appreciate your advice! I wish you well on your endeavors, be it nursing or whatever your career goal is. Take care!

I do ask questions when I can, since the other CNAs are running around tryin to do their own thing, so I can't waste my time trying to find them. In between though, I ought to check the charts more frequently. Sometimes, when I'm on my way to check the chart, I get distracted when someone else calls for urgent help. Then, I forget. Now is the time to have that clipboard lol. As you said, it does come with experience. It's amazing how all those things you suggested is really common sense. I just need to calm myself down, and think methodically. I can only focus on one patient at a time, and when many CNA/nurses are telling me, you have a call light on room # so and so. I tell them, I will check as soon as I'm finish. It's just very overwhelming and distracting having multiple things that I need to do, that I forget about the patients that tell me they want to be changed later. I wish that I could just tell them, let's just do that now and get it over with. Anyway, thank you!

Thanks for your reassurance Mindy. I really don't like missing 1 or 2 patients, because I fear I will certainly get written up, even though I have only been working independently for about 1 week. And well, to be honest, I have left some of my charting blank, because I can't lie--unless I should to cover my butt.

Thank for your response! Good luck in your job hunting! Since I have zero experience working as a CNA, I find that nursing homes are my best place to start. Most hospitals in my area require 1 -2 years of experience. Regarding the idea that CNAs are the eyes and ears of the RN, I have a great example...these CNAs who had work for a long time at this facility was wondering why this certain resident's behavior and physical ability had changed dramatically. Before, he was able to walk and stand on his own. Last week, I definitely remember that too. This week, he can't even bear his own weight! Very strange, and definitely not a good sign, that he is going downhill. So difficult to transfer him, that I feel like people ought to use the hoyer lift now. But that's just my opinion, because he is very heavy too. I appreciate your post. Best wishes!

Thank you Jack245. I am surprised that nearly all the CNAs, even the ones who have only worked for 1 month, do not need any method of organization such as clipboard. They tell me there is no time to write things down. However, I should remember that not everyone is the same. But yes, literally, nobody in the nursing home carries around any clipboards or anything. Even so, I see them have time to stop and mingle! I dont know how they have time. At work I focus on myself, and not compare, because that will do me NO GOOD. At the end of the day however, after I am out of work, I think about how do they just do everything. haha When you first started out working as a CNA, did you happen to have the same situation, like forgetting 1 or 2 patients? Some of my CNA team members helped me, but I did not get to do tasks myself personally. I feel terrible.

Hi all, Brand new CNA. Already had 6 days of training. So far, have worked 6 days of being assigned my own patients, ranging from 6 - 12, but typically 10 to 12 patients. Problem? I am not fast enough, I work my best and prioritize. Here's how I prioritize: 1. Help/clean patients who need to immediately get to the bathroom 2. Vitals if needed 3. Meal times 4. Simultaneously change soiled clothes/briefs/drawsheet or pads for anyone else who I didn't get to change, especially getting FIRST to the patients who have therapy or dialysis soon. **MAIN PROBLEM: my guilt for failing to care for every single one of my patients, since I did prioritize who needed what first. Some of the patients I want to change, say they want to be changed later...so then I do it later, and move on to a higher priority. Yet, when I sit down and chart, I realized, I had FORGOTTEN like 1 or 2 patients! Even though we are REQUIRED to do bed baths for every patient, there is just not enough time to do that for every single patient! However, I find in the charting, that nearly everyone SOMEHOW has the time to do it. Is this true?! I don't know how it is realistically possible! I am still learning which things I can do to take short-cuts, b/c there is just too many patients in so little time I honestly did my best to keep the patient safe and clean. I feel SO overwhelmed handling 10 or more patients!! The teamwork goes well, but sometiems we only have 3 CNAs for like 30 beds. Finding help can be hard, and delays my other tasks. Thank you for reading, I tried to make this as concise as possible.

I failed only one class...automatically dismissed from this BSN program. I don't know if I want to put myself through another nursing school, but I am accepted for ASN program -- waiting 2 years. In the mean time, I'm working as a CNA and volunteering at a hospital (rehab and brain injury units) to determine if nursing is really right for me :\

Hi everyone, I'm writing to ask about your opinions regarding the nurses role in participating with tasks that CNAs/PCTs do. Here's one example, I was telling a nursing student that, since I was not successful in nursing school, our nursing instructor advised me to become a CNA/PCT. The student's response was: "Psh! F*** that!" I just laughed it off, and was dumbfounded by this type of response, as this person was an excellent nursing student in both lecture and clinical! Students, current nurses: what are your responses to this topic? Nurse-CNA/PCT relationship, and nursing students who have an attitude similar to this particular student. Thanks!

My mother went through ASN nursing school, while my brother and I were just preschoolers. At times, my dad was able to take her to school and clinicals. However, there were times when she had to take public transportation--sometimes it would take about an hour or two just to get to her clinical site. And yes, the clinicals were very early in the morning. I'm proud of my mom for achieving and enduring all the obstacles she had to face, just to pass nursing school, and the NCLEX. English is not her first language, although she knew some back in her home country. Nevertheless, she was able to pass the NCLEX exam with one try. This is just to inspire people, that yes, it is tough, but it is not impossible to get through nursing school. :) Cheers

Tinkerbell13: Which UCF campus did you enroll at? I was at Cocoa campus.

Thanks everyone for your responses. :) Kristin.love: I'm sticking with VC too, because yes, FH is so expensive! I'm not sure about that tuition reimbursement deal FH has, because I'm reading some negative things in allnurses.com about how it's not guaranteed. Just google Florida Hospital nursing program on this website lol. Misscriss90: Unlike a university, which is based on GPA, VC is based on a first come, first serve basis (i.e., I applied in MARCH 2012, and have to wait until JAN. 2014!) But like kristin.love says, I think waiting for VC is worth it. If you don't think cost is a factor, then you can go to FH since they accept quicker. You can just meet the minimum GPA requirement, and still get in for VC ASN. For VC and UCF, you just need to pass the TEAS test-- having a high score would not affect the likelihood of being admitted. VC is not competitive because it is a community college, but that does not mean their program is easy! Any nursing school is, once you're enrolled, you have to survive phase 2, which is ENDURING it. Honestly, I think doing ASN first is better, because you get the more hands-on skills, and focus is on foundational things. Although VC's nursing program is tough, starting fresh as BSN is harder because students have to do this "pathophysiology flow", write a massive case study on a patient (30+ page essay), do community health...all these unnecessary things to do, which is supposed to enhance critical thinking. I''m sure VC also emphasizes critical thinking, but in a more practical approach w/o the hefty projects. However, look into the RN-BSN program at UCF...you can bypass all those unnecessary projects from general BSN program. You may still have to do community health, health assessment, public health courses or something, but at least you would already be familiar in nursing field. Plus, you can take those BSN courses online. Don't feel the need to rush to BSN, even when people are saying that it's higher in demand. Believe me, I went through the BSN program, and did not make it (I'm just fishing for other people's opinions, to see if returning to UCF BSN is worth it). (Could not find a way to work "smarter" not harder") I was dedicated student, but I just was not getting it.

Strength: I am going through the same exact thing. After failing out of nursing BSN school, my confidence level sunk. I am now a CNA at a nursing home, to really determine if nursing is right for me. I'm really frustrated that I feel like I have to go back to the drawing board. I went from 100% sure for nursing, to now 50%. I hate being a CNA at a nursing home, because I have to constantly remind myself, that I did the best I could, even though I knew I had a bad day. I am a brand new CNA, with zero experience by the way. The only health care experience was clinicals from nursing school, and boy does being a CNA give me a bit of some reality check! The main question is: Do I doubt nursing is right for me, simply because of my lack of confidence and underdeveloped time management/planning skills? Or is nursing just really not right for me, and I'm not cut out for the stress level? Now, I'm doing all this soul searching, even wondering is health care field even suited for me anymore? Not liking this phase of my life, but I am young and fortunate to have a supportive family. Take care. :)

Can I just say that I am glad that you posted this, because I have nearly the same exact issue, on the slow-learning part. I wish I was a fast learner. ---------------

Hi all, I just would like to hear any experiences about Valencia, UCF, and FH College of Health Sciences. I'm in for Valencia's Spring 2014, but debating on FH, and UCF. I've read some good posts about Valencia, but did not find many information on FH and UCF. If you have attended any of these schools, please tell me your experiences. I'd appreciate it! :) Thank you!