Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am considering working as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) at a nursing home. I would have to get certified, but I know that this type of work is in demand. I enjoy geriatrics, have medical assisting experience and think this is something I would enjoy doing. I was wondering for those of you with experience in this type of field, if you enjoy your job and if there is anything with the job you did not expect. I see a couple places always advertising for CNA positions and wonder why there is always such a need so frequently? Is one able to make a living solely as a CNA? Thank you for any info.
IMO CNAs are worth their weight in gold and are grossly underpaid, although generally the pay is high enough to make a fairly decent living. They get the grunt work of the facility and of patient care. It's hard work, but it is necessary work. A good nursing facility will go above and beyond to make a CNA feel appreciated. Unfortunately because the work is difficult, the good CNAs generally go back to school to become RNs, to make more money, get more respect and less grunt work. And if your heart is not into this type of work, you will quit before long. Because of this, turnover is generally high. If you decide to become a CNA, be choosy with where you work. Don't necessarily sell yourself to the highest bidder. Choose a facility with a good reputation, high marks on their state survey, and lower turnover. I work in geriatrics as a social worker and if this is what you want to do, then bless you. Remember that the patients in your care are often almost helpless and that your compassion will make an enormous impact in their lives.
i loved my job as a cna (many moons ago)......for my area they seem more in demand than nursing...when the staff is all there like scheduled it works wonderful if u have a team nursing staff........that's my biggest beef about it..THE staff that was scheduled were no shows or called off..and u get to work those wonderful doubles......
and omg still gets to me but u learn how to deal with it..me was oral care on my patients..anything else i could handle..that one really did a number on me in school.to many neglect doing good hygiene to hurry their task..DON'T..always remember they deserve the best care u can provide............a great stepping stone in nursing.....I love my cnas and i treat them with the highest respect......and i am never to busy to help........Good luck.......
I used to work as a CNA as well for one year. Pinenut, if you have medical assistant training why would you want to be a CNA? What kind of training are you talking about? CNA work is no walk in the park, let me tell you. It is hard, hard work..HARD. Most states require you to have at least 6 months to a years experience in a nursing home, before you can work in a hospital. I have never worked in a hospital. I worked as a caregiver, then became certified. Like the others said, research the facility before you start working there; there are many bad ones. A lot of them, in my opinion, do not respect the CNAS, or the nurses for that matter. I find nursing homes depressing, and I feel sorry for the patients, that most of the time and in most facilities, they are not properly staffed. You may have 4-20 patients depending on the state, and the facility. Old people are not all sweet as pie either; I've been slapped, had things thrown at me, had patients attempt to kick me, bite me,,etc... Oh, and had my hair pulled. I don't recommend the job to anyone honestly. But... Yes, it can be incredibly rewarding, draining as well, emotionally and physically. But it's the nice moments that keep you going. You can make a difference in someone else's life and brighten their day. If you have any other questions, I would be happy to answer, I could go on and on.. Here's a good website for you: allnurses.com. Hope I helped.
Last edited by mw555...5; 10-15-2007 at 01:54 AM..
Reason: typos
Thank you all for your insight with CNA work. I appreciate all of your advice. I spent a lot of time at a nursing home when my Grandma was a resident there. I saw the CNAs in action and admired their compassion and the nice relationships they had with my Grandma. She really looked up to them as a friend. I would love to make a difference in someone's life that way, that is why I am considering this type of work. I enjoyed medical assisting, but I would primarily like to work with the elderly. I would like to work in a nursing home or home health care setting. How do you go about researching a facility?
There is lots of lifting involved...pick a place that has lifts & use them! 2 person lifts are dangerous for you & the patient. Back pain for life is not worth the pay.
on researching:
if u choose a vo-tech for your training..ask the teachers..they are pretty honest..we knew which ones to go to or not......ask other cna's, nurses, etc..
ask questions when u go check out the facility........find out what their work load is..what that staff turnover rate is....their policy on no shows and call in's make sure they are being enforced..............also there are websites on nursing homes that have gone thru state certifications..check out their scores....i know we have a site for our area it's RED FLAG nursing homes............when u go into the facility ask to see their scores from state..they must show u this..it's family members right..usually a book close by to the main lobby.........if they don't have anything to hide then it's usually attainable..go visit the floors during change over shifts..well really differ. times and check and see if you like the way it's working how they are interacting.
...........many have dry erase boards that says who the cna's are and nurses and the room numbers they have..count them make sure they aren't understaff..........don't stop asking questions..find out as much as u can no matter how silly the question (never a silly question in my book)..
on your medical assisting: many jobs with the elderly like cardiologists, internal medicine, kidney centers, etc...and another thing u could add if u don't already is phlebotomy..that opens alot more doors. so does basic xray...just some other ideas i'm throwing at ya..........i'd rather do back office with medical assist. than front..
Good luck to ya.....many jobs can open in a variety of settings...........
Thank you for all of your advice. Those ideas will be very helpful. I have done phlebotomy, so I will look into other practices as well. I enjoy the back office more so than the front office, too. Thanks again!
My mom was in the field for more than 20 years and made a good living from it. My mom went from CNA to LPN. If you have the passion for it go for it and work your way up
cna in massachusetts switching to carpet cleaning biz
i have worked as a certified nurses aid in one of the hardest facilities
in massachusetts unamed . we specialized in Huntington s disease and people with behavior problems i switched from the 7 to 3 shifts to mostly only evenings now it is extremely physical work and many times you are unappreciated. i am in the process of starting my own nonfranchise carpet cleaning
biz they offer affordable financing too
since the computer is really my 1st love i do not even have my biz cards
mailed yet but already the interest from homeowners and businesses is there
i have set up my website too and am very enthusiatic about making a change for the better...
[mod]advertising your business in the forums is not allowed[/mod]
Last edited by da jammer; 02-22-2008 at 02:57 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
good luck
