Should I quit?

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Hi everyone!

I like to hear your opinion about my CNA job.

I have been working as part-time CNA at a big hospital for two year while I was in RN program.

Recently, the hospital let go so many CNAs due to their financial situation. After the incident, some CNAs left by their own choice as well.

Now, we are having chronic CNA shortage. One CNA gets 15 patients (used to be 10). Sometimes, CNAs even get the entire floor by her/himself.

However, the hospital is not looking for new CNAs. Moreover, the hospital actually decreased CNAs hourly wage. It is only 13 cents less than before but CNAs are working harder and getting less now. The most of RNs don't help CNAs.

I graduated RN program last month. The only reason I still continue working there as CNA is because I am hoping to get into their new RN program.

I still have some time till I can take NCLEX and apply to new RN programs.

BUT... I don't work there as CNA anymore.

Should I quite working as CNA or suck it up and continue working more (about 6 more months) till I get into their new RN program?

I am not thinking to stay at the hospital forever. If I get into their new RN program, I will work 2 years and leave. It is hard to find a job as new RN, so I probably shouldn't leave the hospital but working as CNA there for 6 more months or so really make me depressed. Each shift is so hard and busy now.

Should I look for and apply to another CNA position at different hospital now even I will be RN very very soon? Other hospitals may not hire me as CNA if they notice I already graduated RN program.

Please give me any advices. I feel very stacked.

Thank you.

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You have your foot in the door there and you speak about the possibility of obtaining an RN position there. Hang on until that happens.

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caliotter3, Thank you for your replay. Yes I know it is the best idea to stay at the hospital as CNA... I just feel so depressed to go to work there and start wondering if I want to work for the hospital which doesn't care about CNA well-being or patient safety.

I will stay couple more months and see...

Thank you again.

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Look around and send out resumes like mad. If they treat their CNAs poorly they treat all staff poorly. That shortage of care will become your responsibility when those patients are assigned to you as the RN. If you make a mistake due to poor preceptor-ship, lack of adequate charge nurse supervision, or too high patient to staff ratio they will hang you out to dry and it could cost you your license.

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Yes Vitabrevis1, I totally understand that!

It seems like the hospital doesn't care about staff members. When they let go many CNAs, they let go from those who had been working for years, like over 10 years. The hospital didn't lay off me because I was one of new CNAs (so they can pay less and save money.) They let go some seasoned RNs too. The shortage of CNAs started affecting patients' safety. For example, in my last shift, one RN called and told me that her patient wants to use the restroom. I was helping another patient and also had one more patient waiting for to be taken to the restroom at the time. I told the RN I can't because I have 2 other patients to take to the restroom before her patient. The RN just told me "She can wait" and hanged up the phone. Well...the patient couldn't wait... She actually tried to get out from her bed by herself to go to the restroom. The bed alarm beeped and couple RNs run to her room. She was all right but so upset for waiting long to be helped. I was told by RNs "I" almost caused the patient to fail... It is impossible to take care of 15 patients who can't even go to the restroom by themselves... also include 2 total care.

I will continue to work for the hospital as CNA but keep applying to other hospitals too. I have worked as CNA for the hospital throughout my RN program just because I believed it would help me to get into new grad RN residency program.

I am bummed that now I need to find new CNA job as well as get into another RN residency program in a different hospital.

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Yes Vitabrevis1, I totally understand that!

It seems like the hospital doesn't care about staff members. When they let go many CNAs, they let go from those who had been working for years, like over 10 years. The hospital didn't lay off me because I was one of new CNAs (so they can pay less and save money.) They let go some seasoned RNs too. The shortage of CNAs started affecting patients' safety. For example, in my last shift, one RN called and told me that her patient wants to use the restroom. I was helping another patient and also had one more patient waiting for to be taken to the restroom at the time. I told the RN I can't because I have 2 other patients to take to the restroom before her patient. The RN just told me "She can wait" and hanged up the phone. Well...the patient couldn't wait... She actually tried to get out from her bed by herself to go to the restroom. The bed alarm beeped and couple RNs run to her room. She was all right but so upset for waiting long to be helped. I was told by RNs "I" almost caused the patient to fail... It is impossible to take care of 15 patients who can't even go to the restroom by themselves... also include 2 total care.

I will continue to work for the hospital as CNA but keep applying to other hospitals too. I have worked as CNA for the hospital throughout my RN program just because I believed it would help me to get into new grad RN residency program.

I am bummed that now I need to find new CNA job as well as get into another RN residency program in a different hospital.

That place sounds horrible , I agree as soon as you get another job leave as fast as you can .

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Wannabenurseneko,

Yes, I should run away as soon as possible from the hospital. In my unit and other units I float sometimes, I can see that the most of RNs are really young... like "I just graduated RN program" young. I think the hospital keeps young or new RNs while letting go seasoned RNs to save money. I just found out that from this year, the hospital even asks new RNs who get into the new grad program for 5 years commitment... They can do that because in California, there are so many desperate new RNs who are looking for the first job. I just can't believe how cheap the hospital is...

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Wannabenurseneko,

Yes, I should run away as soon as possible from the hospital. In my unit and other units I float sometimes, I can see that the most of RNs are really young... like "I just graduated RN program" young. I think the hospital keeps young or new RNs while letting go seasoned RNs to save money. I just found out that from this year, the hospital even asks new RNs who get into the new grad program for 5 years commitment... They can do that because in California, there are so many desperate new RNs who are looking for the first job. I just can't believe how cheap the hospital is...

That is cheap, it also, explains their behavior .

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As long as the CNA's at that hospital, accept this as "normal" seriously 15 patients or the whole floor? Not very nice, and not very safe. I personally would leave.

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Yes... I just gave my manager 2-week notice to leave the hospital... I had 22 patients (entire floor) by myself on my last shift. I was the only CNA in the unit (one of tele units) during the day. I passed 22 meal trays all by myself for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It took an hour to complete passing all trays for each meal time. I basically run around the unit without stopping all day long. I was able to use a restroom only once during 12 h 30 min shift. I sat down only for my lunch time. I worked 30 min over time to complete charting. The hospital is not hiring new CNAs. They put some hiring ad for CNA positions but it has been like this for over 2 months. I can't do this anymore.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Look somewhere else. You may get hired as a CNA even though you graduated from an rn program because until you pass the NCLEX, you're not an RN. If you hate going into your job that much, what's the use? Its also not that safe that you have that many patients to care for on your own.

Yes you have your foot in the door with your job but think about this: when you get your rn license, do you want to work in a place where CNAs can't help you because they're too underpaid, understaffed and possibly unsatisfied?

Run, new grads are not doomed, you will get in somewhere. It may not be somewhere you like but somewhere nonetheless where you can hone your skills and gain valuable experience.

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Hi Neo, thank you for your comment. Yes I run run run as fast as I could.

I am now RN and got a job at a better hospital, not at the one I worked as CNA.

I am so happy I quitted the old hospital and didn't look back. The one I worked as CNA is now having "open house" to hire more CNAs and RNs 6 months after they let go so many.

I can't believe there are hospitals like my old one that don't value workers who worked for long years and just fire them like nothing, and then start hiring more after a short period of time!

Thank you again for your time!

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