Trying to avoid undesirable CNA duties

Published

Does anybody know of any CNA jobs where you don't have to wash the patients or or wipe butts? Also I'm a sophomore BSN student with an associates in engineering and 6 months volunteer work at a hospital and worked in plant engineering at another hospital. Might any of this helps with job oppertunities where I don't have to wipe or wash people?

Specializes in PACU, LTC, Med-Surg, Telemetry, Psych.
Well, I have worked in 3 hospitals as a CNA, LPN, RN and in the RN role, charge nurse for 9 years. Even as charge nurse I had to clean up after patients and enjoyed doing it because I can imagine that made them feel better. Actually, in the first class in the nursing program we had to learn how to give a bath and change bed linen with a patient in the bed. We had to learn how to place a bedpan properly under a patient and how to properly wash after bedpan use. That is considered BASIC NURSING duties. It is nice to have CNA's to do some of these things when we are busy giving medications or calling a doctor because our patient is not doing well but they are still basic nursing duties that we all have to do. The patient really does not care about getting their medication on time as they are getting the bedpan or getting cleaned up when they have soiled themselves. If I were in their position I would feel the same way. Patients care more about getting a bath everyday and they don't care who does it and oftentimes it is the nurse that does some of the baths. From experience it does not matter what your level of nursing is, nursing is hoslistic care in most positions.

True, but it is not everyone's cup of tea.

There is still room for caring people in CNA who do not want to just clean up. Folks that come to this board for career advise should not be made to feel lazy or be told to get the heck out when there are fields in CNA where you do not have to.

Good news is there ARE options. Just not highly known or with easy access.

You may be an exception, and maybe it is because I work agency, but most of the places that use agency CNAs that are not psych or anesthesia ARE like that. Most charge nurses would "delegate".

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PACU, LTC, Med-Surg, Telemetry, Psych.
At least one can put gloves on your hands for butt wiping! No protection in butt kissing.

Indeed. Ego sometimes is a very important thing (to some)

Remember, nurses eat their young.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mostly geri :).

Guys, maybe she's just new and will be ok with poop over time. I've been doing this for 8 years and can salivate over dinner ideas while holding a full bedpan, I can certainly say I've gotten used to it lol.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Although I think you may want to re-consider your choice in careers, if you work pysch you most likely will never have to do any of that and it is a very interesting job as well. did it for a couple of years and loved it. But in 20 years of nursing I have had my hands (or gloves) dirty more times than I can remember. It does make you feel good to help someone who can't do for themselves. Otherwise head up to to office and work in education or something without direct pt. care.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I could be wrong, but was this a LTC/NH?

Chances are, the RN and LPNs have little time but to do paperwork, pass meds, do wound care and tube feeds. That is their role in those settings. That is why staffing there is such that it is.

One da, you may learn that "all she does is pass meds" takes a lot more time than you thought that it would.

In the hospital settings, we tend to do more personal care and are presumably staffed for that. I tend to do mostly primary care, and generally am the one do my pts personal care, thus wipe plenty of bottoms.

Yes, it was an LTC.

I'm not doubting that it takes a long time, but CNA's don't exactly have all the time in the world either. I think if you are in the room and something happens one should take 2 minutes out of there time to take care of it instead of taking 5 minutes to go find someone else to take care of it. But, that's the LTC atmosphere, which is one reason why I have no desire to work in one.

But the nurse who went searching for the PCA instead of cleaning up the vomit while she was in the room was at a hospital.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Renal; NICU.

Weeeelllll, I don't know about psych! It might not be a butt to clean BUT, a nurse told me a story of her patient taking the batteries out and filling his flashlight full of poop and smearing it all over the walls. Okay, I guess you could throw away the f'light and call housekeeping to clean the walls.

Rats! Foiled again! :confused:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sorry, its all part of the job. I am an office based nurse, so I don't have to wipe butts, but I see plenty of other messy body fluid. It is all part of the day. You won't be immune to it - sorry! ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am ashamed that you may be graduating from a BSN Program, possibly in my state. BSN graduates in my city are widely viewed as primadonnas who will search for a CNA for a half an hour while their patient lies in their own excrement instead of cleaning the patient themselves. I started as a CNA and now work in the same hospital as RN-BSN, working on my MSN.

"Wiping butts" is a good opportunity to perform a skin check, reposition and interact with your patient, and observe the level of assistance the patient requires for self care and mobility. Not to mention being able to directly observe the color, consistency and odor of the stool and/or urine. If your patient experiences skin breakdown due to negligence in nursing care, you can and should be held legally responsible.

If you apply at my excellent hospital after graduation, you will be in for a nasty shock when you find that YOU are sometimes the only person available to clean a patient. It will take no time at all for your colleagues to notice that you think you are above the task. You will be judged swiflty and harshly by your peers for this behavior.

I recommend you either overcome you distaste for dealing with handling body fluids/waste or switch majors. I imagine you haven't had the wonderful opportunity to work with an explosive trach yet. (tee hee, it is a joy) We need dedicated nurses, not new grads who are still trying to figure out what they want to do when they grow up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Why in God's name do you want to be a nurse if you cannot bring yourself to care about the physical well-being of a fellow human being?

Think about a paralyzed person, or someone in an ICU. Think about your own elderly relatives. Through no fault of their own, they are dependent on us. Yes, this is not fun, but if it is what needs to be done, so be it.

I always think about Jesus Christ and the humility he showed by washing the feet of his disciples.

Either do some deep soul searching about your motivation, or get out of the program and give your slot to someone who truly wants to be a nurse, and who isn't just looking for a secure job and money.

Well the thing is I love helping people that are in life threatning situations. I've looked at the coast guard and army maybe being a flight nurse, assisting in surgery etc. where I must have a certain knowledge level of the body but is "on the front line" so to speak in literally saving lives. Its not that its gross wiping butts its just I want to aim higher in skilled work but I know I will have to do some of this but I do not want this to be my main duties as a nurse. although I realize its very important to do and MUST be done I want to help people in other ways and feel like I'm living up to my potential if that makes any sense.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

thank you for the suggestion. I will try to get more used to wiping butts and I will definitely give your suggestions serious thought.:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
If you really want to be a nurse. Go into Drug and Alcohol rehab nursing. Not everyone that is a nurse likes the wiping butts and etc. I don't mind it. I figure my parents wiped my butt and cleaned up after me, so now it is my turn. I am a nursing instructor and have students like you and I encourage them to do D and A rehab nursing. Next best job would be in psych nursing. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. If you take care of the mental ill, then I will take of the people needing their butts wiped.:)

thank you for the suggestion. I will try to get more used to wiping butts it has gotten easier so far and I will definitely give your suggestions serious thought.:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I think mucus is MUCH worse than poop and pee. Try checking out a volcanic trach.

well the only thing that made me squirm really was seeing strangers privates and washing them and cleaning the poop for fear of catching something. I have gotten a little more comfortable with the very smal amount of experience I have had but not fully. mucouse blood etc does not bother me at all.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion