You know you are a CNA when....

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I am a DON at a nursing home and I am going to be putting together a power point presentation for my CNA's. I really wanted to start out with something fun to help them realize how much they are appreciated. I was looking for something fun like "you know you are a CNA when..." but I couldn't find anything. Can you help me out?

Thanks

Laura

Specializes in LTC.

When you're making an aioli, and it comes out too thin and you turn around to grab some thickener before realizing that you don't keep that stuff at home!

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...when you are at Wal-Mart and see 4 employees desperately trying to lift the man who's stuck in the store-owned wheelchair, and all you can do is scoff "amateurs."

...when your roommate needs alcohol pads and you say "Check my work bag. If there aren't any, then check again tomorrow after I work."

...when you're upset about the way your macaroni and cheese turned out because "it's not the way dietary makes it."

...when you go to change a child's diaper and you roll the child like you would a resident.

...when you know that there is no such thing as a "yes" or "no" answer when asking an elderly person if they had a BM today.

...when you get home after a long shift, pull back the covers on your own bed, prepare to get in, and start fuming because there is no drawsheet or chux on it.

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...when you can exclaim "I undressed someone in 15 seconds!" -- and not be talking about sex.

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You know you are a CNA when you are at home and you hear a crash and scream, "OMG Who fell?!"

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...when grandpa comes to visit your house and you're just SURE he's going to fall so you secretly have your gait belt in your pocket... ...just in case.

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When you say a frail, elderly person out and about and you want to go over to assist.

When you are in a store, see an elderly person and automatically want to help.

:saint:

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab.

When you wake up from dreaming about completing incontinence rounds...

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Specializes in CNA.
I had a resident who wanted to leave, but we told him his (dead) wife had taken it to go grocery shopping and that their (also dead dog) had gone with her to get some running around accomplished while he napped and we weren't supposed to tell him she had a surprise for supper. He quickly jumpped into bed and "pretended" to be asleep until he really did. This failed to say he had been on that light every 5 and he was a high risk fall...oh, and he had been a priest for 27 years after his wife had passed.

:confused: Did anyone understand this? :confused:

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Specializes in CNA.

I disappointed a resident last night. He called for help. After helping him position his urinal he looked at me sadly. He was trying to get a reaction out of me. He said he thought I would be embarrassed.

Why?

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Specializes in CNA.

Half of your day is spent in a shower.

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:confused: Did anyone understand this? :confused:

I'm still puzzled by the second part.

But the first part? This is the new "correct" way for us to deal with residents who have dementia. It is no longer recommended to try to "reorientate" them when they are that confused. Residents with dementia have short term memory loss and experience their days in "snippets." Nobody wants to hear 8 times a day that their wife is dead and they have been institutionalized. They will forget 2 minutes later, but those upset feelings will remain, though they will not know why they are upset.

The "correct" way is to "play into their fantasies." Let them live for the moment and have whatever joy they can. If they are "waiting for the bus", tell them the bus is running a little late today because it broke down on Cherrytree Ave. If they are waiting for wife or hubbie to get home, tell them that he/she had to work overtime today, but that they called you and told you to tell them where they were. Get it?

Obviously this isn't recommended for people with very mild dementia, because they will catch on and realize you are "lying." It's for people with more advanced dementia.

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The "correct" way is to "play into their fantasies." Let them live for the moment and have whatever joy they can. If they are "waiting for the bus", tell them the bus is running a little late today because it broke down on Cherrytree Ave. If they are waiting for wife or hubbie to get home, tell them that he/she had to work overtime today, but that they called you and told you to tell them where they were. Get it?

.

Thanks for this post. Today a nurse was saying, "I know we aren't supposed to lie to them but I don't want to upset him." I remember in one of my trainings that you were supposed to go with it. Like this guy is looking for his wife today. I told him she went to the store or went to Judy's house or I hadn't seen her today.

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