Initially I was worried about changing briefs but now I have changed a few and it aint bad at all, in fact Im having more issues doing my vitals :p
Always no matter how much they tell you in one class everything is going to be its always completely different when you are on the actual job. For example either the facility, the CNA or all didnt do according to "standard" as in by the book.
E was our instructor for clinicals, she has been an RN for over 20 years, she offered some good advice before we started our shift. She said make sure you practice time management, multi-task, get along with co-workers best as you can, interact with the residents not only to bond but to make your job easier so you can calm the fighters or those who do not want to do things like dress and shower and prevent getting yourself hit and some other good advice I cant remember.
She also said if you decide down the line to become an RN, you have a choice to be a paper nurse or a patient care nurse, I know I want to be a patient care nurse to be and bond with the patients, because most nurses have never been CNAs and think they are above that kind of work. SMDH. If I ever become a nurse I know I would like to model after E's philosophy to build relationships with your CNAs and residents to not only keep things running smoothly but to get to know who you are working with etc...
The biggest thing about becoming an RN would be to make sure you have worked as a CNA so you can understand where your CNA is coming from and help them out if they need it. idk still debating on that or an MA. I know I do not want to be on paperwork and would rather be out there helping my residents. Some RNs sit at their desk all day and dont give a shit to help CNAs at all. SMDH.
My purpose for becoming a CNA was first a career change from customer service, to be able to have a mobile job and not stuck in a cubicle the whole day and to have one on one with others who are more fragile, helpless and to help them. My preferred work as a CNA would be a nursing home, hospice and/or home care.
What I love most about being a CNA is that we are the eyes and ears of the patients health. We are the ones that are closest to the residents so we know how they feel better than anyone else, my only pet peeve about that is if there is anything wrong with the patient we must report everything to the nurse :p
I also know I would like to work alone as a CNA and handle my residents myself, unless I need help with moving a patient then of course I would call another nurse assistant to come in and help.
The facility OMG smh. The residents pay $5000 a month and get crappy food and small ass rooms. But I know they dont completely pay for it because of medicaid or medicare. Still though you would think that they would treat them better. We had 1 CNA caring for 20 residents at a time when the ratio is supposed to be 1:12. You would think with all that damn money they could get more CNAs and/or pay them more. I couldnt ever work for a facility like that or send any of my family members there plus its downtown on the east side and I dont play that neither lol!
The CNA I shadowed was pretty nice but there were a couple of instances that I would handled differently. For example there was a senior in her wheelchair sitting in the dining area 3 hours before dinner, I asked her if she was hungry and she said yes and that dinner wouldnt be for a couple of hours so then I went and found the CNA and told her and she did nothing. Another thing is it was before our night shift ended and she didnt want to change the heavy woman but changed her roommate.
I also dont think that the CNAs in general moved the patients very much so they had bed sores on their bottoms and other places on their bodies. :( Plus the heavy woman had asked for ice over an hour ago and they never brought it to her, its not that hard to do neither and they never move her!
I was happy though that I got to connect with a resident since that was my wish in also pursuing this career. Im seem to attract Latin/Mexicans as friends lol, the same at the hospital where I volunteer at too lol. She was great she loved being at the home, she said her life was easy and she is 80 years old and no one bothers her. She spoke no word of English but I could understand most of it.
Then there was G, he was getting ready for his sisters viewing and funeral for the next day. He dressed real sharp. Then you have R, he is your typical dirty old man and hilarious lol.
Anyway now that I know what to expect, today will be a lot easier I think and I can do more. Instead of Nurse shoes, tennis shoes, my feet were killing me yesterday from running around, I dont need my wrist watch with a second hand since they use a digital vitals machine, I dont need my vicks for the smell because I have a stuffy nose and can never smell anything anyway, I can bring a lunch to heat up instead of a plain cold lunch etc...
Trying to remember if there was anything else? Oh well.
So you can pretty much say Im ready for Day 2 of Clinicals ;)
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