I work at a hospital as a cna (on tele), it's not big, but not small either. I'm in school for my RN now. I want to help people, I want to challenge myself and learn. I care about others, I really do. Most of our patients (a good 90%) are over 70 years old. It's like a glorified LTC center, I know this may sound harsh. I just, this isn't what I thought it would be. I thought it would be fast paced and the nurses would be busy, most of the work is done by the cna. Not trying to put down the RN's, but they all sit around until a Dr. shows up or meds are needed, they sit most of the time. I thought this was my dream, I still feel like this the path I'm meant to follow. I guess I'm just hoping it's not the same everywhere!
I work at a hospital as a cna (on tele), it's not big, but not small either. I'm in school for my RN now. I want to help people, I want to challenge myself and learn. I care about others, I really do. Most of our patients (a good 90%) are over 70 years old. It's like a glorified LTC center, I know this may sound harsh. I just, this isn't what I thought it would be. I thought it would be fast paced and the nurses would be busy, most of the work is done by the cna. Not trying to put down the RN's, but they all sit around until a Dr. shows up or meds are needed, they sit most of the time. I thought this was my dream, I still feel like this the path I'm meant to follow. I guess I'm just hoping it's not the same everywhere!
OMG, another CNA who is SO cued in that she knows what RN's do all day.
That "sitting around" you see is likely to be RN's analyzing EKG's, trying to figure out whether the prescibed drugs should or should not be given, and when to have a phone call with the Dr.about it; or a myriad of other problems.
Just because someone is not doing "physical" work, does not mean that they are not working.
You should really be ashamed to have such a biased opinion without knowing the first thing about the scenario you are trying to analyze.
When I worked as an aide I used to think the same thing about nurses. I could not understand how they could just sit there and not answer call lights. Now I know. If I do not sit I will never get my charting done. Most of the time I can not chart until after I give report and am there very late. I usually don't sit for a good 6-7 hours straight most shifts. If I sit it is to take MD orders off, confirm medications, call Mds, families, other departments, etc. Then after running all evening and giving report than I can do my 2 hours of charting. The aides go home on time, the nurses do not.
I was the same way! Now I know that while I can help the aides with their job, they cannot help me do my job. So I can help them, but I still have to get my work done too. I definitely help when I can (my aides love me!) but I have to remember I also have a job. One that I, too, thought was nothing but a bunch of lazy sitting around until I actually worked as a nurse.
i work at a hospital as a cna (on tele), it's not big, but not small either. i'm in school for my rn now. i want to help people, i want to challenge myself and learn. i care about others, i really do. most of our patients (a good 90%) are over 70 years old. it's like a glorified ltc center, i know this may sound harsh.
that is a bit harsh. i know not everyone enjoys working with the elderly, but that is the population that has the most issues, so of course, they will be the ones you will work with most.
there is a lot to be learned from geriatrics. their health issues tend to be complex and there is much to consider when taking care of them.
i just, this isn't what i thought it would be. i thought it would be fast paced and the nurses would be busy, most of the work is done by the cna.
yes, the cnas are worked very hard. when you get to the point in ns where you are taking 4-6 of your preceptor's pt's, you will appreciate why nurses delegate so much to the aides. trust me, you will be delegating before you even graduate. look closer, the nurse are busy... very.
not trying to put down the rn's, but they all sit around until a dr. shows up or meds are needed, they sit most of the time. i thought this was my dream, i still feel like this the path i'm meant to follow. i guess i'm just hoping it's not the same everywhere!
nowadays, nurses are practically slaves to the computer. at the facility i am currently at, the nurses work on cows. they are never, but rarely, at the desk. maybe that would make you feel better because they wouldn't be sitting at the desk? trust me, whether at a desk or on a cow, those nurses aren't fooling around.
tv makes nursing seem like it's one mad dash from one dramatic live-saving drama to another. is that what you expected to see?
yes, there is life saving going on... it just doesn't happen in that uber-dramatic way you would think. it's the nurses keeping check on their pt's labs and dr's orders and meds and assessments and putting all that together to make sure they, the nurse, prevent the pt from coming to harm, should something not jibe. they do that on the phone and on the computer.
please give it more time and please stop the comparison of what the aide does and what the nurse does. while they share the barest basics of nursing care, their roles and scope of practice are vastly different and not really comparable.
This is one of the reasons why I don't want to be a psych nurse, they do the same thing, they spend most of the time on the computers or talking to each other. So boring.
I don't know about that. Still ridiculous amounts of paperwork... and in gero there are a lot of medical issues to address too.
Our nurses do ADLs too.
Shoot, maybe those nurses should *gasp* get out from behind the desk and interact with the pts!
I work LTC, and I never have time to sit and do nothing. I even use my lunch break to do my paperwork. I eat with one hand and write with the other.
I know. What is a lunch break? I have had 2 actual lunch breaks in 2 years where I could get off of the floor and not have to chart and eat at the same time. Some evenings I don't eat the whole shift.
I only work with one nurse who leaves the floor to eat. She has been a nurse for many years and is retiring next year.
Maybe they really aren't just sitting around playing computer games. If your facility has a computer charting system, that is most likely what they are doing. And get used to geriatrics in the hospital. They are the majority of sick patients these days, unless one works on a pediatric floor.
I cherish the times you are describing. Every night is different though. Some nights, there are times I barely get to sit down and go to the bathroom. Other nights I am asking every nurse on the floor if they need any help.
I thought it would be fast paced and the nurses would be busy, most of the work is done by the cna. Not trying to put down the RN's, but they all sit around until a Dr. shows up or meds are needed, they sit most of the time. I thought this was my dream, I still feel like this the path I'm meant to follow. I guess I'm just hoping it's not the same everywhere!
It is NOT the same everywhere. Most places I have worked the RNs are BUSY. Two exceptions during clinical: the Special Care Nursery RNs basically sat on their butts chatting (all the babies were doing fine).
My peds clinical was in a hospital clinic, where all the actual work was being done by MAs (calling themelves "nurses"), while the two or so RNs did administrative work and almost no direct care.
However, on every Med Surg, TCU, or ICU unit I've done clinical or worked as an NA...nurses work their buns off.
If you looking for faced paced, you won't have to look hard. If you are looking to sit on your butt, it looks like that can be found too.
steelydanfan
784 Posts
OMG, another CNA who is SO cued in that she knows what RN's do all day.
That "sitting around" you see is likely to be RN's analyzing EKG's, trying to figure out whether the prescibed drugs should or should not be given, and when to have a phone call with the Dr.about it; or a myriad of other problems.
Just because someone is not doing "physical" work, does not mean that they are not working.
You should really be ashamed to have such a biased opinion without knowing the first thing about the scenario you are trying to analyze.