Tell us what was your first day as a CNA like...?

Published

Specializes in Geriatrics.

:pumpiron: :welcome: Hi Everyone,

I wanted to start this thread because for 2 years I had My CNA License but never used it because I was employed as a Legal Clerk at a company that was close to my job and it was physically easy ( mentally draining) and I also took the course to see if I wanted to be a nurse. Well since then I still want to be a nurse and decided to quit my Job and become a CNA while Im in nursing school.

I will be honest, I never used it because I thought the work would be so hard. When I was in the CNA Program I saw 1 CNA get 12 patients in a LTC.I was terrified and thought I could never do this:uhoh21: . I finally conquered my fear and started working last week. The first and second day it was easy, I was a sitter for a ALZhmers pt( evening shift).I thought hmm its not that bad. Then today I worked the AM shift with 8 patients, and I thought uh no can I do this:smackingf . Mind you ,when I do my AM's at school I have only 1 patient and it takes me forever( I see some nurses and CNA laugh at us students because the time we take) to that one. I dont know what happened but superwoman came out of me today:pumpiron: and I acutally took care of those 8 people and was told I was doing I was doing a little more than I should.Not to mention a guy who had diarrrea all day and had to change him 4 times today.The nurses thanked me and told me that I was nice to work with. This was a very big and proud moment for me, because it shows when you come face to face with your fear and have determination you can do it!!

Im intrested to know anyones first day story.....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i dont have any good stories, but it sounds like you're a great CNA!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.

Thanx Leeae!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg < 1yr.

I was an accountant for 8 1/2 yrs. I always wanted to go into the medical field but when I first thought about going to nursing school 16 yrs ago, it seemed like it took forever to get a degree. So I decided to get into accounting. I hated every day of that 8 1/2 yrs. So then I decided that I would go back and become a nurse. I got accepted into nursing school, which starts next month. I figured I would have to get a job as a CNA so that I could get exposure to the medical field and so that I could go to school full-time. Let me tell you!!!! I just graduated yesterday from my 3 wk program and yes as a student doing only one or two patients, you're slow as molasses but its not so bad. Today was my first day of a 2wk orientation at a LTC facility that is always understaffed. Once my two weeks are over, I get 10 patients. I was working with an experienced CNA. She had 10 patients. She had two new admits, one discharge, one who was transferred to another floor and one who fell out of his chair while we were tending to other patients. He had a chair alarm and we thought we put it on but apparently not. His wife came in a little later on in the day and threw a hissy fit. There was so much going on today that it wasn't even funny and I swear all while I was in class and would go up on this floor for clinical, it was never this busy!!!! I was scared out of my mind but I jumped in and helped out wherever I could. There was this one guy, the one who fell, who had to be changed. He had a brief. His poop no lie was as long as the brief he had on and it was the worst smell I have ever smelled in my life. The CNA said it didn't smell normal and had ME get a sample. So I had to take a spoon and scoop some into a container, label it and take it to the lab. I damned there puked on the spot! During class, we would take a 15 min break in the morning, a half hour lunch and a 15 min break in the evening. Let me tell you! I only had one break and that was lunch which was interrupted because someone decides he can walk and wants to get out of his chair. I was totally pissed. My back, feet and legs are burning they hurts so bad!!!! I don't know what I'm going to do because this was so hard. The CNA I was working with said it's not usually like this so I will stick around and see what next week brings. I was thanking Jesus that He blessed me to not have to work this weekend nor Martin Luther King Day! I need a break because today really tested me. I'll let you know what next week brings. Sorry it was so long but you asked.......

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.

:yelclap: I commend you on your first day at a LTC with 10 patients.Sounds you were busy and handled it real well. Some of things you were saying had me noddin my head like I know what U are going through.Especially, the poop as long as the brief to the smell to the part were you were gaggin.I was like that last week. Fortunately, I work in acute hospital were the work is not as much as LTC.You might want to apply at an acute hospital or go through a registry while your in school.Thats what Im doing I work through Maxim and I get to pick the days I want to work and they always send me to an acute hospital.They can also bend the rules a bit especially if you tell them your experience in acute care is included in your clincals @ school.Good luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've been wondering - and, asked on another thread - with no response - is it inappropriate to gag when dealing with these really bad odors? Do you learn to deal with it? I mean gagging is a natural reflex. Do you learn to control it? Just curious if any are willing to respond. :barf01:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I got my cna through a nursing home (less than 100 beds) my fist two days were great because I only had to "shadow" around another aid but on the third day I had 12 residents to take care of... I used to wear a pedomiter to work and I ran up and down that hall so many time that half way through my shift I realized I had gon the equivelent of 15 miles. I was tired to the point I wanted to cry and no on would help with lay downs (I worked swing shift) but at the end of it all I really loved it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.

RMB, yes they do teach you in school that your not suppose to gag because it makes your patient feel bad.But yes I agree with you it is a natural reflex and it just happens ,I cant control it.But school and reality is different.

Sandy it seems your a very good CNA. After 12 beds in LTC, wow!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Brain injury,vent,peds ,geriatrics,home.

DeeDeee143I was a NA back in the day,I was a 16 Y/o kid.I was very shy.My first days as a N/A were terrifying.I eventually became very confident and good at what I did.I was promoted to a treatment aid position .I used to do v/S foley irrigations ,removal and insertion.wound care ,things that today only a licensed is allowed to do.I am of course a nursetoday.It took a minute,but youll get used to it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

My first day as a CNA wasn't especially memorable. I was training with someone and I got there before she did, so I sat at the nurse's station and waited for her to get there. She looked at the schedule and said "we're short and I have to train someone!?! That sucks!" which made me feel kind of bad. So then I introduced myself to her and she realized that I heard her say that and I think she felt kind of bad. Mostly, I just followed my trainer around and tried to stay out of the way since we were running around like crazy to get 10 residents up and ready by 8:15 for breakfast. i tried to help out by gathering up the garbage and dirty linens after every resident and brought them to the dirty linen room. My trainer moved so fast that by the time I got that done, I couldn't find her because she was already in the next person's room. At the end of my shift, I thought "my god, there's no way I can do this job!", but I stuck with it and it does get easier.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

I don't remember my first day with any clarity, but one of my patients died on my third day :uhoh21:

The CNA classes after mine... well. They changed instructors, so these poor people are being tossed out onto the floor after 2 days of videos for the certified staff to train. We're short-staffed, so this has been a trial by fire for us and them... The theory is that a recently trained but not yet certified aide should have 5 patients at first, working up to the normal ratio (8 or 9) over the course of about two weeks. The lone survivor of the last class had 8 right away.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It was one of my first jobs just out of high school..my first day as a CNA was the first day I saw a real man naked.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion