Starting CNA Class on Monday Help!

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Specializes in Soon to be CNA.

Hi Everyone, I'm a new student starting the CNA program through ROP in SoCal I'm really scared dont know what to expect, and dont even know if I'll be good at it... anyone can maybe give me alittle heads up about what I'm getting myself into or advice? I'm getting more nervous reading some of these post from other CNA's :uhoh3:

Thank You!

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Specializes in ICU.

You'll be fine, ccasey! Being a CNA is *hard work* sure---but it's not worth stressing about or being intimidated by! Your first day will likely be pretty low-key, introductions, overview, saftey, laws, patient's rights, lots of general lecture-y stuff. You should get to practice almost all your skills on a classmate before having to preform them in clinicals - so take advantage of that opportunity to get comfortable being close to another person and practicing confidence while giving care.

A lot of the CNA class is common sense, with a little memorization mixed in. Clinicals will probably be physically exhausting, but you'll have plenty of people to ask for help - including your instructor, so be willing to ask when you need it!

With experience, it all becomes very "easy" (still hard emotionally and physically in the day-to-day, though). :) Don't stress.

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I just completed my CNA course... final tomorrow. It has been a great experience and I have learned some excellent clinical skills .

Just listen well, take notes when your instructor emphasizes a point and you will breeze through. Good Luck to you.:up:

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well i completed my CNA course in march. the written part of the exam was pretty easy. it was all comon sense, some health related questions about laws and patient safety and privacy. the clinical was pretty bad. we were assigned into a Nursing home that stunk from a block away. As the elevator doors opened, there was a smack on ur face from the amonia with mix of sweat and sh*t. the clinical teacher was a bonafied bit*ch also. we had no breaks and could not leave the unit even for 5 minutes. probably safety reasons.

anyhow the week of clinical went by and came the final state test. like i said, the written was no biggie but the practical, (skill test) was intense. u have to remember every step in every skill and not make any major mistakes. i was sure that i had failed but a week later the letter came that i had passed.

i went to every nursing home and applied for a job. it took them 3 days to start calling back. i started working 3 days ago. i have to say that it is not that bad. u get ur share of smells and ect, but there is so much satisfaction in this job that u cannot imagine.

i stood infront of a patient/resident and he was embarassed to tell me that he had to go to the bathroom again the 3rd time in past 4 hrs. he was worried that i might hurt him and get mad at him. he kept asking me if it was ok for hime to go too many time. i know it was annoying, but flip side of the coin is that the poor guy has colon cancer, dimetia and the drugs are making gas in his stomach. so everytime he wants to fart, he thinks he has to go #2. can u blame the guy. i felt sorry for him and made him as comfortable as possible.

if you think of them as grown children, who can comprehend language, thats what u will be dealing with. they are mostly friendly, kind, in pain, cannot help themselves and are gratefull when u talk to them while making eye contact.

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab.

I don't think there is anything to be nervous about. Try enjoying this experience. I graduated from my class on new years eve. I learned vocab, cna skills, activities of daily living, resident rights and more. I had a good time and hopefully you will too! Have fun and remember to study everyday, don't cram from tests.

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Specializes in Forensics, Trauma, Pediatrics,.

Ccasey- Being a CNA is a very rewarding position. I will never forget the day that a woman I had just gotten ready for bed looked up at me and said "I thank god everyday for you coming into my life- I wouldn't be able to do it without you, you're my angel". I was terrified when I first started CNA work but I really wouldn't trade it for the world. Yes, it takes some getting used to. And some nights you want to just scream at the top of your lungs... once you get home who says you can't? There have been several times I have come home and unleashed in an empty house. :) But being nervous is normal, you're starting something new!! I would get a little notebook and a pen to keep in your pocket all the time. The two things I had the most trouble with were recognizing numbers when doing blood pressures, and learning the order of how to gown up for precautions/isolations. There is a website (I can't remember the name, I'm going to go look for it after I post this) that has a blood pressure cuff on it, you click a button and it ticks down and makes all the noises and moves as if you were looking at an active sphygmomanometer (the blood pressure dial). It helped me a LOT with reading the numbers and knowing what the ticking noises mean. Good luck, and HAVE FUN!!! Feel free to message me if you ever need help. :)

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Specializes in Soon to be CNA.

Thank You for your Help.. I guess being a CNA is what you make of it. I work right now basicly making people comfortable and helping them so I kinda know what Im doing in that department lol...we will see though =)

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Specializes in direct support care of disabled adults.

I am a cna student in mn. and i have one arm and i made it threw 2 weeks and if i can do this i know you'll do fine!:yeah:

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Specializes in Infusion.

I started April 7th.....our clinicals start the middle of May. I have been putting off this class for my LPN pre-reqs for a year now because of a bad back....I am scared to death of throwing my back out.....but our instructor stressed that we can ask for help.....not to do any transferring alone if you don't think you can manage alone. A friend who did the class last summer, said the facility she had her clinicals at used a lift and 2 people for every single transfer!!

Is that common?

Thanks and have a great day! You will do great!! I think the fear of the unknown is what makes us all nervous beforehand, but I am sure once we are in there...helping the residents....we will quickly be put at ease....

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The class and exam are relatively easy as long as you pay attention and have common sense. The work is hard and fast paced, but very rewarding. I wouldn't be worried about the class. Just make sure not to act immaturely about certain aspects of the class. One of my classmates did this and passed her exam, but was not offered a job. Good luck. :)

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You'll be fine! Taking a CNA class was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Just remember: it's just smelly dirt and smelly water!

But seriously, once you start working as a CNA you'll probably find it difficult but rewarding. I work in as a hospital tech on an intermediate care unit and every month I have a patient or two go home on hospice or expire there. That can be hard to get used to; but then again, you don't know what touching is until you've gotten a last hug from that patient finally going home to die.

Congratulations on starting your class. Work hard and you'll be fine.

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