Guest707336

Misery loves company. I know it's challenging, but I don't entertain their disrespect...you can't control their personalities, you can only control your own attitude. I smile, I'm polite, I explain what I'm there to do and move on to care for next resident. I show absolutely no negative emotion...I don't give them the satisfaction! As long as they aren't physically assaulting me...they can throw temper tantrums all they want. I find not reacting to their poor behavior...they eventually leave you alone. Sometimes you may also have to redirect residents in an assertive yet professional tone. I've had to remind residents in so many words that I had other residents to care for... unfortunately there is no VIP treatment & I have assignments I must complete...lol.

It's a good idea that you are asking these important questions before considering becoming a CNA. Looking back I wish I would have asked these very same questions. I became a CNA because I wanted to pursue a second career as an RN and complete a Second Degree BSN program. I figured being a CNA would give me insight and a bit of experience; plus I like to help people. However, in my opinion I don't think it's worth it. Despite that statement it can provide job security. From what I have seen pay doesn't vary that much from state to state...depending on the shift/experience I found it to be from $8-$12ph. The requirements to take a course, pass testing, etc. isn't worth the unlivable wage to me. As far as the disrespect...with any job it's a possibility. From my own personal experience, I have worked with a few nice and professional nursing staff. I'm nice, soft-spoken & professional. But, most of the staff I worked with were were rude, angry, & unprofessional...both nurses & CNAs'. As far as the patients/residents...in my experience it was 50/50 as far as rudeness & disrespect from them. I took into account that the rude ones were probably depressed due to their health state, therefore took it out on those of us who took care of them. I have always had a thick skin and not easily intimidated...I just let it be known the first time disrespect happened that I wasn't going to tolerate it. It worked. Since I took the time, spent the money, and passed the certification process...I just do CNA work PRN now (I find it more tolerable doing it PRN). After the experience though...I went back happily to my old profession fulltime & still pursuing an RN program. I think an LPN program would be worth the investment...they make a decent livable wage.

The federal government has a lot of nursing positions that are Mon - Fri...7a-4p...a lot of regular work hours. Try the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, for example.

You've already earned a degree...so the pre-reqs shouldn't be too tough...lol. Working full-time, I find that a combination of on-line classes and traditional classes work for me. The EDUKAN site has community colleges that offer on-line science classes with virtual labs. They have every nursing pre-req required. I made sure they were accredited and that the accelerated BSN programs I plan to apply to would accept my credits. I only took Microbiology through them. Somehow I got a B...definitely was challenging! But I'm going to take Anat/Phy and Chemistry at my local community college.

Unfortunately bullying isn't just an adolescent issue...it happens in professional adult-based environments as well. A fellow classmate of mine experienced what your going through. We as a class noticed it and it was so obvious. People only do what they think they can get away with. It was resolved with witness statements, going through the chain of command, and ultimately a hidden camera...lol...apparently someone must have had a camera in classes, a pen, or something and it showed evidence of bullying and unprofessionalism. People pay good, hard-earned money for their education and bullying while learning is unfair. In conclusion, the instructor was terminated.

Hi Destiny'skid, I know how you feel. I also seem to attract bullies in the workforce. I think it's because they take my kindness and quite demeanor for weakness. I was once told by a co-worker that "...a grown woman can't be bullied...". Well, adults bully each other just as school-age children do. I agree with you that as a CNA bullying takes on a whole new dimension. The job is stressful enough without co-workers making it uncomfortable for you. I too work with nurses "managers" who reward bad behavior and seem to be hard on the professional and cordial CNA's. I had a nurse pull me aside last night and tell me that a co-worker complained to her that I don't talk and just come in and start my work. Wow...not even a legitimate complaint and shame on the nurse for wasting her time and mine on such foolishness. This complaining CNA is mean, miserable, thinks she can assign teams to the other CNA's after she picks the residents she wants to work with and scratches the names off of the ones she doesn't want to work with. This particular night she had to work with a resident she did not like and she took it out on me. The nurse seems to be afraid of this CNA and asked me to ask her who she wanted to trade with me. I did...however the CNA got irate and refused to talk with me. I then told the nurse she is in charge so she needs to assign residents to CNA's. I also let her know that I am not there to make friends and in the future please do not pull me aside over a complaint about my quiet personality. I then spoke with the CNA and pretty much told her the same thing I told the nurse. I also informed her that she was wasting her time trying to intimidate me and that she has a personal problem that has nothing to do with me. There were other CNA's at the nurses station so hopefully the other "mean" ones got my message also. The CNA said nothing, rolled her eyes and walked off. I think if people just adhered to their job titles and responsibilities then some conflict can be avoided. In my case if the nurse just assigned residents at the beginning of our shift, instead of letting certain CNA's pick and choose...most problems would not occur. I don't like conflict and you do have to pick your battles, but some people deserve and need to hear that you won't accept their disrespect or won't allow yourself to be an easy bully target for them...misery loves company...but it does not have to be your company.

LadyLeo, I don't know why the majority of co-workers treat new people so rudely and try to intimidate. I experienced what you have at my LTC. I even had CNAs and RNs giving me nasty looks and rolling their eyes. Sadly, I guess it's like initiation...they test you. I find that the CNAs I work with are competitive and for what? I mean...the pay sucks and we pretty much clean up human waste most of the shift. I must say...I have fun with the mean ones I work with...I must admit I am a little cocky when they test me because I have a degree and daytime career...working here is just a way for me to gain a little perspective on the healthcare environment because I want to pursue a second career/degree as an RN. From day one I have had to let bully co-workers know that I am not intimidated by them...I basically don't hold back and keep it professionalism...but I also keep it real...so far most have backed off of me...guess I passed the initiation faze.

LadyLeo, This site is therapeutic...I thought I was one of the few new CNAs' who is beginning to dislike this job. Apparently I am not alone. I've been a 11-7 shift CNA for 4 months. My dislike stems from most of the rude and lazy people I work with and some of the rude and combative residents. I spent or should I say wasted $1400 at my local community college for certification as a CNA/GNA...the program mostly focused on geriatric nursing assistant duties due to the state supposedly needing GNAs'. I make close to minimum wage and to me it's just not worth it. I recently found out that I could have taken this class for free at some places. I came into it with a big heart and wanting to help people and gain experience for my future endeavors as a RN. So far, at the LTC I have learned very little. However, I have learned how to deal with combative and emotional residents. I hear that working in an acute hospital setting is much more rewarding than LTC. I thought the grass was greener on the CNA side, but I am thankful that I have my current daytime career and business management degree...to think I actually complained about my daytime job...what was I thinking!! There's something for everyone and being a CNA is definitely not for me, but I wouldn't have known this if I had not tried it. I am still interested in becoming an RN though...but I don't think you have to be a CNA to be a better nurse.

With sites such as Care.com background checks are done and provided to interested clients when posting caregiver jobs. The idea of working for myself interested me due to numerous patients at my current place of employment requesting my services upon their return home. I work at a LTC/Rehab center. I work in the Rehab unit with mostly geriatric patients who are rehabilitating after surgery. Thank you for your opinion & response.

With sites such as Care.com background checks are done and provided to interested clients when posting caregiver jobs. The idea of working for myself interested me due to numerous patients at my current place of employment requesting my services upon their return home. I work at a LTC/Rehab center. I work in the Rehab unit with mostly geriatric patients who are rehabilitating after surgery.

A GNA is a Geriatric Nursing Assistant.

I think it is therapeutic and I get great advice from others in the profession. As a future RN I feel like this site is preparing me for what's to come in my healthcare career endeavors. This website and its members provide common sense advice from experiences. I recommend this site to my co-workers, especially when they vent, because most say they have never heard of it.

I've recently been thinking about doing home care as a CNA/GNA part-time; not with an agency, but on my own. However, the idea of going to a strangers home to administer care kinda worries me. There is the concern of liability issues and my own safety. I have some experience being self-employed as a military family home childcare provider. I was required to purchase liability insurance. I'm familiar with websites that market caregivers...babysitters, nannies, CNAs, pettsitters, etc. So I suppose marketing my availability would be rather easy. Does anyone have experience being self-employed in the healthcare field?

Thanks for the advice. I have been using your idea of redirecting residents when they become agitated or just plain mean. So far it's working. I can see how being in this profession (or any profession) CNAs have to maintain professionalism, yet take control of situations. I have past childcare experience and remember using the redirection techniques whenever children became agitated. Seems like caring for residents in LTC, whether their alert or not, is similar to working in a childcare environment. I try to remind myself that the residents don't have much control over their health situations anymore, so I guess they often try to gain control by being disrespectful towards staff. I just hate that they often tend to be so mean to the nicer CNAs. Alot of the CNAs I work with are not as nice to residents...they tend to not speak with residents when entering rooms or performing care, and some are so rough when turning residents. Funny thing is...the residents appear to show these type of CNAs respect.

Thank you all very much for your replies and terrific suggestions. I will definitely document any aggressive behavior and report it to the charge nurse. The mean residents and their profanity don't deter me. The alert residents that threaten physical harm are the ones that I am most detered by. All in all, I must say that the majority of the residents are kind, act civilized, and are respectful. I now realize that this experience won't be the last and comes with the job. In the meantime, I will focus on gaining all the experience I can and pursue certifications in EKG and phlebotomy. Hopefully this will increase my chances of working in a hospital. I'm sure hospital settings have difficult patients as well, but I think I could gain more valuable experience for the future.