breezycna

That's a horrible and completely inaccurate thing to say, especially to someone who is just starting to train as a nursing assistant. Did you mention this to your instructor? They need to know so that they can 1) decide if it's necessary to bring it up to the facility's director and 2) make sure you and your peers know the RN was misinforming the student.

Here's the thing. I'm a CNA working my way through school (not nursing school). I work hard every shift. I do everything I need to do and often I do more. I have worked with other CNAs who are lazy and it's so incredibly dangerous. Write them up. Seriously, it makes us good CNAs feel like our situation with dealing with lazy coworkers is being noticed (without us having to complain amongst ourselves and get nowhere). And it reduces our stress to have good coworkers who are dependable. I'm not willing to get injured on the job or jeopardize my residents for an unreliable coworker.

Learn from the class, but know that it's an entirely different beast to be working as a CNA on your own. I've been working as a CNA for long enough now. I barely remember class. You will need to adapt to your facility. Also, if you're going to be an RN, remember your time as a CNA. And burnout is a painful reality.

I need more info before making a statement. It all depends on if the patient had a PA of any kind, what you were told (or if it was common sense to stay, or if anything was implied), etc. Somebody saw fit to fire you and they don't want any wrongful termination suits, so it was probably justified. Sorry to be blunt. But you're just out of training. You might've still been on probation (usually 90 days, 6 months, or one year) and they can fire you more easily during that time. You may not have done well during training and the fall was the last straw. Could be anything. What's your side of the story? It could very well be wrongful term. You need to know.

No, it's not too much. I was working full time, going to university full time, and taking my CNA class all at the same time. NA class is a breeze. Being a CNA isn't.

I have worked with several women who stayed until they couldn't any longer (bed rest, labor, etc). It totally depends on your personal pregnancy. You could work up until you go into labor, or you might be put on bedrest at month four. Do what's best for your health and for the health of your baby.

It all depends on your facility's rules, like Jaynie said. At my facility, you don't have to wait for an opening to change your schedule hours, but you have to work whatever has been scheduled already, so it could up to a month or so to get changed around entirely--not a fast process if it's something you need NOW. Also, some advice from a NOC CNA like myself: don't change to this shift simply because you think it's "easier." It's not. There's a ton of "baggage" with NOCs as there are with the other shifts. For instance, one shift takes two days of planning (when will you sleep before the shift? when can you sleep after? do you have other commitments during the day?), you're stuck there until your relief arrives (like other shifts, if your replacement doesn't come in when scheduled because of poor planning or overlseeping or whatever, which has happened to my replacement several times as she isn't the most reliable, you might not get to leave right away--what will you do then?), and AM cares can be incredibly stressful (at my facility, I have to get 5 residents up, but I have less than two hours to do it or I can't get my last rounds done--and one lady can take up to an entire hour to do because she is so resistive to cares! Also, call lights are going off and one time, my 104-year-old resident fell at 6:30am and of course that became my priority, but you can imagine what it was like to then have to listen to all the complaining from the day girls when two other residents, one who needs assistance only with bottom-half cares and does the rest herself, were not up yet and I had to leave exactly at 7 because management is super strict about not going over hours...NOC/AM shift change is super dramatic at my ALF, but it was like that when I worked NOCs at a LTC last year as well, so...). Also, at my current facility, NOCs are also responsible for cleaning the bathrooms (we have five) and doing all kitchen work (cleaning, cooking/baking, preparing drink trays for breakfast). It's busy, don't be fooled. There's only two of us on my shift, and because it is a small (40 res) facility, we don't have a RN on site! So compared to my LTC job, it's nice because you don't have the addes pressure of being watched, but also it's stressful--for example, last night my 104-yr-old resident was having heavy rectal bleeding. No nurses around for something like that...it's hard! But we have an extensive 'emergency plans' for things like that (when to call 911, when to call our DON, when to call families, etc) and the facility runs smoothly.

Being nervous is a good sign! Trust me. You will get all of these questions answered on site. Ask a lot of questions to the CNA(s) training you. Usually, facilities choose CNAs with a good amount of experience and a good attitude. Good luck!

I live in central WI and previously worked LTC as a CNA. It was a county job and paid $12.89. I just began working at an ALF as a CNA and I earn a little over $10. Just my two cents. I didn't actually read this whole thread, sorry if I messed it up! :)

This seems inappropriate to me. I don't think you should have to strip to finish your CNA course. Have another discussion with the nursing admin or someone in a position higher than your teacher who is capable of helping. Bed baths are not that difficult, and can be done on those intersex dummies. If your instructor wants you to get a "feel" for washing a live person, or being the one getting a bed bath, I understand washing arms and legs on classmates wearing tank tops and shorts but that's it. To understand catheter care, your instructor isn't going to cath you! To understand changing a brief, your instructor can't put a brief on you and then ask you to soil it! This is no different. You are not a resident and nobody in your class is a CNA yet. You will all get plenty of practice in clinicals, I guarantee it.

Evening is way harder than days at the LTC where I work. It's not just answering call lights and roses and naptime for CNAs. I work evenings and nights. Our facility seems to have a lot of "shift wars" too.

CNAs at your facility get breaks? Sorry to hyjack the thread, but seriously, how do they even have the time? The LTCF where I work keeps a bare minimum of CNAs per shift, almost to the point where I believe it gets dangerous and humanly impossible (re: NOC shift), but that's another can of worms. If someone is gone, we notice! Right away. If I have to hunt down another CNA, maybe from another wing, to help me with a two-assist, I'll definitely notice and I'm going to say something to the nurse. These are people directly under my care as well, and I get really testy, really fast, if I feel like someone's slacking or abusing policies and one of my residents doesn't get turned, changed, or answered as quickly as possible. I feel bad taking a minute to pee, and I really only go if I've been holding it for three hours and can't wait a second longer! How can someone take a break for over an hour, let alone two in the same 8h shift? If anybody's tattling, it's other CNAs who have to pick up the damn slack.

I wear long sleeves under my scrubs, but roll them up all the time during cares or if it's just way too hot in the facility. I've been asked about my visible self-injury scars and I just say, "Oh, they're just some scars from a long time ago," or "I got these when I was really sick" and that's usually enough for them.

There aren't many options by me, so I was about as picky as I could afford to be. I applied everywhere I could, only had three interviews (two at the same place), then ended up at the county LTCF where I am now. I wish you luck on your journey.

I work in a LTC facility as a CNA. We are not responsible for vitals. However, we are able to take vitals as it is within the scope of practice--usually it's only done if a nurse asks, but sometimes I will take a radial pulse on a resident who complains of some ailment (like a racing heart) after I notify a nurse. I do this mainly because it makes some residents feel better that someone is paying immediate attention to the problem, and sometimes it really helps for a nurse to have a number to compare to. I know some people at my facility will do more with tube feedings than we, as CNAs, are allowed. I help one gentleman on a TF machine all the time. He is basically independent in his room, but when I help him, I am allowed to unplug the machine from the wall to assist him to the restroom or the sink or to ambulate, and to unclip the safety pin on his shirt when doing cares. Nothing else. I cannot disconnect the tubes, start a new feed, touch any buttons, etc. But I know people who will freely do whatever they please, and I've reported it several times to my nurse. It's extremely dangerous. Period.