The cnas at my ltc.....

Yeah, it'll suck for a while until you prove yourself. Even after you become good at your job, everyone still talks about everyone else and you have to just avoid thinking about what people are saying about you

I don't know if it's a CNA thing or if it's like that in any place that employs a lot of people. You need to know how to suck it up and play nice too, to make it easier to get help. My skin is a lot thicker than when I started!

Luckily, the majority of CNAs I work with are kind, understanding, and eager to assist. However, there are a couple who are rude, and have berated me in front of Residents. Tonight didn't go so well, and I'm sitting here questioning my ability as a CNA, but I won't give up. It has been a tough transition, as I used to work in an office. Also, I invested a great deal of money, time, and effort to join this field. I do not want to throw it all away.

It is difficult, wanting to give quality care, to socialize with and to comfort the Residents, but to do so much in so little time. My biggest problem has been dealing with "demanding Residents" as I indicated in a different post. It's going to take time, I keep telling myself this.

As you'll see from other comments, this seems to go on everywhere (and was my experience, to some degree or another, too). Having a job that goes on 24/7 is fairly unique. There are few jobs where you're dependent on other shifts to get their work accomplished and have it affect you. That's a big difference in healthcare to other professions.

If first shift doesn't get the showers done, beds done, etc., you have to do them. Thus starts the cycle of finger-pointing. Then, on top of that, you have to deal with personalities more than you do in other work because of the interdependence. You can do your best, have your residents fed, cleaned, etc., and the next hall does not.

I don't have an answer for it other than you have to hope you work with decent people who all try and don't spend time blaming one another for what does not get done.

Thanks everyone!