CNA job

[ayoung45]

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I'm looking to get into CNA for clinical exposure. I'm wondering about the downside or pitfalls of this job.

I'm not at all concerned about the parts of the job considered "gross". Blood, stool, vomit never bothered me.

One thing that I'm leery of is that I'm a big softy when it comes to listening to people. Is there a lot of pressure to keep moving and do you have to cut people off sometimes? That could be hard for me with chatty patients.

Also, are there any job safety concerns I need to watch out for? I imagine this is covered in training.

Interested in general comments about the job from those with expereince.

Thanks.

 

[nurse2b2009]

CNA job can be very rewarding. Yes, you can stop the conversation but do this with tact. You need to watch out for needles in the beds at times. Some of these patients are drug additcs and they tend to hide needles in the bed sometimes. I do volunteer work as a CNA at times and it helps me with my studies in school. You need to use standard precaution at all times. Be aware of MRSA, this is very prevalent in the hospitals nowadays.

 

[ayoung45]

Thanks Nurse 2b. Great reply and exactly the kind of info was hoping for - the MRSA deal, especially.

Someone had asked me in another area what my status was. (Sorry, I double posted. I didn't know that's not kosher and won't do it again).

I have a bachelor's degree and am thinking I would work full time or near full time as CNA and pick up my pre-req courses at the same time.

 

[telenurse]

CNA is a physically tough job, lots of bending, pulling lifting. You will be working with confused and combative pt's at times, demented and delirous pt's push, slap, pinch and sometimes bite when you try to provide bed baths, incontinent care etc. If they have Hep B, Hep C or HIV, then you must be even doubly careful in providing care if they are combative, (I have had a HIV+ pt pull his IV tubing apart and spray the blood pouring out of the tubing in the direction of anyone walking in the doorway. )

MRSA, CA-MRSA is just as tough, if not tougher and you can pick that up at your friendly neighborhood gym, walmart, etc. My hospital swabs the nares of all pt's on admit for MRSA, 7-10% come up positive as carriers. MRSA is everywhere.

You will have to learn to manage your time wisely and that does involve stopping conversation with pt's. Sometimes you just have to tactfully remind the pt that " I have to get to work, there are other pt's that need me."
You'll be worked to death by lazy nurses who never want to leave the desk. You'll be exposed to many different issues and scenarios.

Working as a CNA can be great for clinical exposure, I worked as one through nursing school, and I feel it helped me greatly. I often feel that student nurses need more clinical exposure, and should be required to work as CNA's but that'll never happen.

 

[MaseratiGT]

I was a CNA for many years.

It was very hard on my back. You will be doing loads of lifting.

Many nights I left work with claw marks and bites on me from combative patients.

However, being a CNA was not all gloom. You always have those few patients who you will remember forever. I have my couple. They really made work fun for me.

Overall, I am glad that I got the experience.