Sagebutterfly

I am starting a new job Monday. Three days ago I had my PPD test done. I noticed that the area is pink the same day, the size of a quarter, and is swollen, not painful, bit itchy. Three days have passed and it have not improved. I have to have it read Monday, and it's not really looking good. I have not been working for 6 months, and it's pretty unlikely I'd have come into contact with TB. I have had so many tests done in my life and I don't recall this kind of reaction in the past. The only differences between this test and those of the past are that the nurse giving the shot held my skin by the back of my arm to make the skin tight (perhaps making a deeper placement of the needle) and I believe I have never used the brand because in the past the PPD seems to make my arm tingle and feel odd and this did not. I wish I could find more photos of possitive TB tests just to ease my mind. Any thoughts?

Thank you Catlover. The GED math is pretty tuff for me, I'm on Trig. right now. I really don't think there will be much Trig. on the test but I'm going to cover my bases. Fractions, proportions, solid concepts I understand pretty easily, but Algebra drives me nutts! All that x +y stuff! My mom is 56 and she is trying to get her GED and go to LPN school too. She works 7pm-7am as a CNA. So she really has not had much time to study. I quit my job to study full time. My boyfriend and I just bought out first house, so it's nice being home. Thank God for good men! He is supporting me while I go back to school. Anyway, thanks again for the well wishes.

Being a CNA is ruff. So much to do in so little time and sometimes we forget. I find it help full to get out a report sheet and write down what needs to be done for each resident and at what time. Perhaps that would help your aides to remember and give them say 20-30 min after the time to ask "what was *'s bla bla?" Insted of "did you get that * done?" It makes a person feel like you trust them to do their jobs. And aides are there to assist you. You shouldn't feel like you can't ask for some help. And you'll get help before asked if you help when you can. Personally their are some nurses I work with that are so kind, they do all they can for me and because of their kindness I even ask them do you need help with anything? And they in turn when I am busy come and help me. We are a team. No one is any greater than the other. While she went to school for nursing to know meds and proceedures and such. I know my residents, when they are in need of PRN medicine, when they are ill, and a lot of stuff that isn't my responsiblity to know how to, or do. think that there are some CNA's that feel like new nurses are too inexperienced. And those are the aides that are typically lazy and think they are so much better. It's your job to make sure the aides to what they are supposed to be going. And it's on you if they mess up. You must protect the residents and yourself. You really don't have to be gruff to be in charge. Moniter the problem aides. If you catch them negleting their duties say " Did you get ^^^ done?" The answer is obviousely no it if they lie and make up a number or such say oh well it's not here or I didn't see you do, or the resident said you did not. If she/he lies report it, it's dangerous thing to lie in nursing. But if they forgot and really seemed busy perhaps you should write out a sheet of paper with all the info you need them to get the duties and such but if it is a constent issue talk to the higher ups maybe he/she needs a calmer unit. Caring for people is stressful and sometimes you have to let a little attitude run off your back, but ifbthe person is rude to residents than report the behavior and interfear in the situation. Like "hay so and so, you sit a bit frazzeled, do you need to take a short break? If time allows let the aides cool off for 5 minutes. We all get this way at times. And in the face of needy people, call lights duties to be done, it can be hard to be chipper. I have a hard time being assertive also, but it's not for us it's for the residents. I hate to work with nurses that aren't assertive. Even though your trying to be nice by not calling lazy people out, it makes the good aides work harder to cover what the bad egg isn't doing. It makes me so made when I am running around doing 100 things at once and there's an aide on the phone while her resident's are running me ragged! I wish more nurses would speak up to such aides. I work with a lot of new nurses who let the aides sit around and not check or turn or change attends on residents all night ! It is upsetting. I know it is hard but it must be done. I end up haveing to say "hay, it's time for rounds, wake up"! I hope I helped some. Good Luck!

I feel you. I am a CNA now and while our facility doesn't require CNA reports I feel it's important and do it anyway. I take a nurse's report sheet and use it to document any changes in resident's. Some CNAs will listen for 3-5 minutes while I quickly let them know what's going on but for the ones who ignore me I just hand them a copy. Maybe you could draw in her attintion by copieing your report sheet for them so she has visuals to keep her alert. And also if she trys to interject you can say " as you can see by the report sheet ...." and maybe that would help her to stay focused and give you the chance to report to the next nurse with out her interuption. I hope this helps. Good Luck!

Are there any nursing homes in your area? I work in Cincinnati, Ohio I am a CNA getting ready to go back to school for LPN. With my mom (56) we are a team. I have worked in LTC for 7 years. I work 7pm-7am. Most nurses have a lot of down time as long as their's no falls, or emergencies. At the NH I work at nurse's have between 16-28 dependent residents and 100+ on independant and assisted living. If you have good CNAs and Supervisers it's a great atmostphear. You get to know your residents and CNAs. It's always good when you personaly know a resident's behavior. And when you know your aides and know who's a slaker and who busts their butts! I love LTC, I have been the care giver of so many people. The man who invented preperation H, strong people, amazing stories and the time to listen! I even got to take care of the man who delivered me 22 years ago in the same hospital (now a nursing home) I was born in! It was fate that my path changed to LPN school while working in the very spot I was born! Sorry to get off the subject, you may enjoy a more easy going, personal job. Good Luck!

I know that fear you speak of, I am a CNA right now in the process of getting my GED and going to LPN school. I work with people in independent living, assisted living, long term care, rehab, and in alzheimer's units. I was born to care for people. As a child I'd spend time with the people of the nursing homes my mom worked at, (she's been a CNA for 20+ years). As a child she took me to work with her and would have me sleep on the rubber couches! I always knew that my place was with the elderly and their is no greater validation than a genuine thank you. I was 16 when I dropped out of HS and began working at the nurseing home. I was so lucky to have worked with some of the greatest nurses I will ever have the plesure of knowing. They encuraged me to become a nurse and tought me so much that is not in the books! One of the major ones is to go with your gut. I was 16 and resonsible for feeding residents, I had one lady who all of a suddon began coughing, snot poured out her nose, signs of asperation with no past history of symptoms. Well I stopped feeding her, told my Supervisor she needed a barium swallow and gave her the story, well that moment she was given honey thick liquids till the test was done. Sure enough it was asperation, and she was put on a puree diet and pudding thick liquids! But the amazing thing to me the was that my superviser trusted the instinct of a sixteen year old high school drop out! I was tought then and there that no matter what role you play in nursing, you have the ability to save lives. I know that fear of accadently killing or causing harm. I am constently lifting people in and out of chairs to bed, my back could fail at any moment and we'd go to the floor. But we'd go together so I could break their fall. I think this feild requires selftlessness. My feet may hurt, I may have a hundred things to do but I will stop to help a person in anyway. Even if I am not their CNA. I take my down time to go and sit with the dying, so they may not die alone. You have to have faith to be there and if you have faith than death is now sad, but a joyus reunion with lost loved ones. As a CNA we are first responders, we answer the call lights or check on the residents first. I have read several books for first responders. It's more what you don't do that could kill a person, seaking apropriet medical attention, documenting personality changes, listening to the concerns of your CNA's, and double checking meds. Some nurses I have come across treat CNAs like crap. Act as though they are so much better and ignor call lights or the phone ringing. That kind of stuff makes me very mad! I do anything to help the nurses, skin asessments during rounds, I&O+BM's maked in the MARs, filling out lab sheets, starting tube feeds, anything short of actully getting meds out og the cart! And when a nurse could help me some don't. But most are very greatful for my assistence and even put people to bed. I never expect time consuming assistence like that but I do think answering a call light, putting a person on the pot now and then, or even when I'm on a break would be nice. I hate coming on the floor and seeing 10 lights on worring that someone could be on the floor! So the ability to work as a team and go out of your way to help you fellow care giver is a good trait in the nursing feild. In my experience it's young new or inexperienced nurses who doubt the skill of CNAs. But they are the ones you have to be there most for, and speak up when you know they're not doing something right, or by facility standards. Not be mean, but for the resident's sake people who boast their new degree and put down others seem to make mistakes. I even had a nurse try to put a stari strip on a typical skin tare. Or sware the know how to run a suction machine, fiddling for 5 minutes while the resident was in respitory distress, I ran and got the nurse on the other unit luckily a nurse of 30 years she came in and had the residents air passage cleared in 2 minutes or less, amazing to watch old pros at work! Those are the people who should be training! Another ability you need it to know when you need help and not let your pride stand in the way. I think that the CNA training is not enough. We need basic nursing, reconizing signs of illnesses, CVA, and more. So I have over the past 7 years read everything I can on the care of the eldery. There's a few book I'd recamend picking up while you waiting to get into school, Trama Care For Nurses- all the think fast info you need to remember on the spot. That's one of the books I'm most thankful for. And a ton on bed sores causes, treatment and prevention. And Anatomy and Phisiolgy Made Incredibly Easy. You need to keep up with new lititure and constently expand your knowlage. I think that if you truly love to help people you could have what it takes. It you have had children or cared for them, than you more than likley have reasoning skills and pacients (sorry spelling bad!) Sometimes a resident just doesn't feel like complying, try and find out why, Alzheimer residents are often put off by little things like hair color, clothes, approch. Reapproch a different way, but if all else fails enlist a well liked CNA to hand the meds to the resident. As long as you watch that's legal. Sometimes you have to be tricky! Back to the fear thing, great things have come out of fear. Civilization came out of fear, the massing of humen beings, was formed to wart off preditors, armys, provide food and such. I have seen people's heads split in two from falls, terrible horrid, gory stuff. But rare in LTC. You'll probly come across head injeries. The thing to remember is that those bleed most and sometimes a lot of blooding is coming from an area relitivly small that may not require stiching! So keep that in mind when you see a person bleeding on the floor. Be calm for them. If you've had kids than you proibly have made some ER trips. If you were a CNA than you proibly can deal with BM, urine, vomit and snot. Sorry this is so long I am passionet about caring and tend to ramble. These are the reasons I know I can be a nurse. If you agree with what I'm saying you'll be great! Also if you are not a CNA you should become one, plus in some states CNA's are able to skip some classes in nursing school. Good Luck! Amanda-CNA