So I start my new job tomorrow.....

[knob]

....and I'm absolutely dreading it.


I'm going to be a CNA (Certified Nurse's Assistant) at a Nursing home. People are already calling me the Ass Wiping Fairy.

I'm dreading it for fairly obvious reasons: I'm not too big on wiping the cravass of other people. But hey, it has to be done. I know what I was getting myself in to, and I've done it before....Kind of.

When I took the class, we only had one resident under our care. Which is dumb, because there are no places where a resident gets their own personal servant. So I'm going from having experience with just one resident, to having about 10 - 15 to myself. That's largly why I'm dreading it. I'm going to get there and only have a tiny idea as to what needs to be done. Yeah, they're going to 'train me'. But damn, I'm working evenings, so I have even less idea as to what needs to be done. I've never done evenings. I don't know the evening routine.

And one final thing: I've heard bad things (a lot of hearsay, some actual accounts) about this particular nursing home. Mostly, they're always short on staff, so there's going to be a lot of "On your own" time. I'm the type that if I'm even the list bit unsure, I need to ask someone, especially if I'm caring for another person. Obviously, I don't want to do something to harm to resident or piss them off.

I guess the real problem is that I'm the type to stress myself out easily. I dwell on things. My imagination runs wild. When this starts to happen, I'll constantly have a knot in my stomach for hours at a time because I can't stop thinking about it. (By the way, it's late right now. I'm just rambling.)

I don't think it's that I'm not cut out for the health care thing. During the actual class, I felt the same way. Even for the first hour or two whenever they threw us out onto the floor for clinicals. But it would eventually pass and I'd get into the swing of things.

I just have a horrible tendency to worry myself to the extreme. And I needed to get this off my chest. And my fellow Octopi were the easiest target for me to dump it on.

[Raug]

That is not a job I could do. I salute you. Good luck.

[dangerballs]

Yeah. Good luck. I worked for a nursing home for a bit as a consultant. Scary places...

[Giles Habibula]

...I just have a horrible tendency to worry myself to the extreme.

Geez, me too. I ALWAYS dread going to work, even though once I'm actually there and things get going, I'm absolutely fine. And the next day, the dread starts all over again. The stress will probably drive me to an early grave, and I have no idea why I do this or how to stop.

As far as being understaffed, I think that's pretty much par for the course these days for most nursing homes. Certainly the ones around here.

Your job is a huge responsibility, but just the fact that you're worried about it tells me you'll be just fine. You have a conscience, and you care. That's more than can be said for a lot of people in your field. Put forth your best effort, take pride in what you do, and you'll easily surpass most of your coworkers. And in 10 years you'll be....an ADMINISTRATOR!

[CeeKay]

All you need is the right equipment. Still, that's a job I don't think I could ever do.

[sissyc]

Valael: I worked in nursing homes as a CNA for several years. It can be the most rewarding job. It sounds like you are a caring person so I think you will do fine. The only problem you will have to deal with is that there WILL be employees who DON'T give a damn about the residents and that will be difficult for you.

I really loved being a CNA. I had to leave though because it was so draining - I worked with people who were not as passionate as I and found myself over-working in order to take up the slack for them.

[Kraken]

My only knowledge of nursing homes comes from visiting the one that my mother died in, and many years earlier the one that her mother died in...but I'd think evenings would be pretty quiet. Aren't most of them up and down with the sun?

Good luck with your career. I couldn't do it; I lack both compassion and tolerance for bodily effluvia. But I'm damned glad that there are people like you on duty.

[Austin]

My wife is an OT and most of the work she has done is of the geriatric variety. It seems that sissyc nailed it. The most frustrating thing is people who are burnt out and don't care. And that is infectious too. Try to hang out with the people who are excited and want to help the patients, that way you can maintain your zeal for the job.

There were many times that she had to clean crap off someone because the nurses or CNA's weren't doing there job. It was not in her job description but there was no way she was going to let someone sit in their own filth. don't get me wrong, there are times where people just haven't got to a patient yet... however someone's grandma sitting in their own shit for 5 hours is just not acceptable.

She has said several times that working in a nursing home is like having 40 grandparents. Anyway, she is pediatrics only for now as she is, and plans to keep being a stay at home mama.

[Dirt]

Good luck. I have a friend who's a nurse. He has some truly hilarious stories. Sad ones too.