Thoughts on new CNA job?

[hiimkaliann]

So I just became a CNA about two months ago. I'm so new that it's actually pathetic. I just got done working at a grocery store, so the work I do is completely different and new.

Since I'm a new CNA, I've been trained and am now working at a long term nursing home. Even though I've only been there for a little over month, I honestly feel like I can't keep up on the work there. All the other CNA members I work with have been CNA's for years and I feel completely singled out by them. They all know what work needs done so they do it, and they team up without me just because I'm new, so I get stuck other work that makes me feel useless. They tend to talk about how I'm working behind my back even though I've told them to say what they think to my face. But at the same time, they also tell me that it's okay to be scared the first time and how long it took for them to become comfortable in their own skin. Even though they give me some tips and advice, they still make me feel so small. I just don't like feeling scared, inferior, singled out, unconfident, and stupid all at the same time. Unfortunately, these are my everyday emotions at work.

I started my first few days of training nervous and scared. I was afraid I was gonna hurt a resident, and with my luck, I ended up hurting one my first day. Even though I've been told a handful of times that it's normal, I'm still feeling scared. I work a 2-10 shift, which involves getting the residents up from their naps to dinner, then putting them to bed. I can only handle and care for residents that only need one person assisting them, and sometimes that becomes too much for me. For example, there's this resident who sensed I was nervous the first time I started there. She gets really nervous and scared whenever I need to transfer her to the toilet from her wheelchair and even though I feel confident, she doesn't think I am. The other CNA workers I work alongside with do not let me handle any residents on a hoyer or a sit to stand lift. They only want me to work on residents who need one assist help. I don't find this a big problem though.

I think for the most part it's caring for the resident completely. Very few days are okay and I can care for a resident well, but most days my short mind gets in the way and I end up messing up on their care that I can't fix. I leave them in an uncomfortable position or they almost end up tripping and falling if I'm transferring them.

Long story short, I just feel too scared and uncomfortable working in a long term care facility. With all this, I've been thinking that maybe long term care facilities aren't for me. I was thinking maybe I could try assisted living facilities, and maybe it would be easier for me to handle. I've read up on some information on assisted living facilities, and I feel like I could try it and possibly handle it. Since I'm stuck in this rut, can anyone give me their opinions on what I should do? I just need advice or help from other fellow caregivers.

Thanks!

[hookyarnandblanket]

It's natural to be nervous and slow when you first start out. No one walks into this position completely confident in what he or she is doing. If someone does, it's a matter of faking it until you make it, and really, that is what it takes to get good at this. It comes with time.

Your coworkers are doing you a huge disservice by not allowing you to care for patients who use some sort of lift. You will never gain skill and competence if you aren't going the task and building skill. When caring for a patient, slow down, take it one step at a time, think ahead to the next step, and double check everything before beginning care. Ask the patient how he or she feels in a certain position and adjust as needed. Efficiency and speed come only after you learn think and plan ahead and gain confidence in skill, which only comes with practice on the floor.

As far as your coworkers talking about you behind your back? That happens in every industry; you can't let it affect you. You have to learn to push it aside, ignore it, and prove them wrong. They felt the same way when they started out, too.

I don't know what your ultimate goal is here, whether or not you are looking to go to nursing school, etc., but if you are thinking of becoming a nurse, experience in LTC is a must. Hang in there. It DOES get better with time, effort, and practice.

[Hhcna]

You never know what to expect when you first start working as an aide, because it's so much different than the class even clinical. That's good that they do give you advice take the negative as constructive critism unless it is outright malicious they always rag on the newbie been there do everything that. Practice makes perfect it will get easier not as quickly as you think it will, but it does. We all make mistakes even in health care we are human. When you have down time ask the aides for advice, ask for one of themy to help you practice a skill, bs with them see if you have things in common. Try developing a friend ship with them not saying you have to but it tends to make things easier. One day one step one patient at a time.

[Nobody00]

Hang in there! It takes time!

I find it's the coworkers make the day for me, not the pts/residents so try to build relationships with them, it'll make everything easier.

You are the new kid, they've been together for ages of course they are sticking together.

Get a routine going. Plan ahead what you need to do, in what order and check it off when completed to keep organized.

If you are dead set on finding a new job, don't quit this one until you have found it. It can take months and they will question why you want to quit after only couple months. Keep trying at LTC and you never know, you'll be good at it before you even find something else

[A_dgonzalez]

I became a cna in January but I just got my first job a month ago and I am feeling the same way ! However I do notice that the better I get the more I like my days. I think we just need time to adjust. I'm giving myself 6months and if I'm still uncomfortable then I'm just going to find something else . I also worked at a grocery store before becoming a cna so if I am not feeling after 6months then I'm just going to go back to that :)

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

Hang in there! It takes time!

I find it's the coworkers make the day for me, not the pts/residents so try to build relationships with them, it'll make everything easier.

You are the new kid, they've been together for ages of course they are sticking together.

This!!! I was a new CNA working in a new-to-me tiny, close knit town in a nursing home where even all the residents knew each other. What held me together when I felt uncomfortable and uncertain was my coworkers, who I was able to befriend fairly quickly.

Within three months I was a pro with all the residents, knew their routines like the back of my hand. In about seven months I transferred to the nearby nursing home and made friends just as quickly and learned these residents' routines even quicker than the last place. Once a CNA, always a CNA. Just don't give up. One thing I did was go on every day knowing what I was going to do and what time I was going to be done by. And it usually turned out the way I planned. I guess once you reach a certain age, living is just a routine. Makes our jobs easier [emoji23]

[colli646]

It's totally normal to be nervous!! It's really stressful to think about all the residents you're in charge of, especially if you've never done it before.. I just started out at my CNA job and I've only worked three shifts by myself (I just got off training). It's hard, I can't lie! All the other CNAs I work with have been doing it for years, so they can do things super fast, like transferring, changing briefs, showers, etc. They always have time to go on breaks and stuff and I never do! It all takes time and practice. Like I said, I just got off training and I already feel like I can change a brief much quicker.

Even though your coworkers only let you do one person assists, you should ask if you can watch and learn to do hoyer and sit to stand. Technically, both those are two person assists so you learning and helping would work. Even though you're nervous, you should learn how to use them. Anytime I get nervous about a new skill or something I'm not confident with, I always think, I'm going to feel so much better once I do this at least once..

I promise, things get better. There will be good days and there will be bad days, you just have to accept that and do your best!

[future_RN, CNA]

It's your first CNA job, very common to be nervous. You have started a job physically caring for other human beings, which is quite a change. That said, you will adjust to it. Give it time. My first CNA job was LTC, and once off orientation I was given the assignment with the heaviest patient load, and I actually learned to LOVE it. I will remember that job forever, and there is not a single patient in my assignment at that job that I will forget, or that I didn't take delight in caring for them. Even the ones that cussed me out and hit me, (I don't get enjoyment out of pain, just understood the multiple complications they were dealing with everyday). I honestly feel privileged to have been able to work with those people and make a difference for them. All things come with time, remain patient and you will be a better caretaker for it. Nobody ever became a "pro" by taking an easy way. Experience is worth more than anything.

[jose2010]

I remember when I first started out I was scared and nervous about anything and everything... it didn't help I started at run down facility. Now after 4 yrs I'm the lead cna at my facility and love it... like everyone else has said it does take time to get the hang of things..