Back at work...

I can honestly say, I have missed my co-workers. After my clinical experience last week, I skipped into work bright and early this morning and gleamed at my desk. The desk I have known for 5 years, I will one day have to say goodbye to. I don't think I will be able to do it. My office, my job, and my co-workers have all become apart of me and my world. It is going to be a hard move to make, but I know it will be for the betterment of myself and my family. I'm scared...

CNA Clinicals are over...

Oh thank you Lord! Thursday had to have been worst than Monday. I thought Thursday (the last day) would have been easy breezy. Not at all. I was left to do 4 showers by MYSELF! Ummm I am supposed to be shadowing you Ms. CNA, not doing your work! Come to find out, my instructor was friends with everyone at the facility WHO MADE MISTAKES, so of course I didn't feel comfortable telling her about all of the shenanigans that was going on. In fact I wouldn't have been able to tell any of the nurses because they seem to be the problem just as much as the CNA's. But it is over now, and a stomach bug with diarrhea and vomiting ended my week. Thanks oh great CNA clinical place, you all suck! I did however manage to make it to class today and pull out a 97 on my written final. All that is left now is my skills final which will be next Saturday and then State. I really want my Saturdays back...

Better days are a coming...

Well today was much better than yesterday. My classmate had to actually convince me to keep driving to the LTC facility this morning. I was mentally exhausted from just thinking about the place all last night. I did not want to go back! One thing I learned today was, not everyone has sympathy, compassion and just plain ole' respect for another person. The cna I was assigned to today, proved that there are some that do! She was awesome and so different from who I worked with yesterday. I LEARNED today! Wow! Once we got going at 7, we didn't stop! I now have only 3 more skills to be checked off on and then the rest is free floating on the floor.

My residents were amazing and some are so strong in their will for survival. I wanted to cry with some just because they were crying. I wanted to give big hugs to others and bring them home with me. There were those who apologized for every brief change and others who expected to be changed. What a mixed bag; and yet in some way they could all relate to one another in their struggle for independence. Due to hipaa, I won't go into details, but I will say that today I worked with "diseases" of all kind. Pretty scary and exciting wrapped in one big shiny bow. I definitely think tomorrow will be a great day, better days are a coming...

Thank you for the encouraging words that helped me get through the day:

EDNurseasaurus
Cartoon Characters
RN2BE

CNA? Probably not for me!

I am not so sure anymore what my calling is. I was in clinical today. Day 1. My oh my, what a day it was. It was the most horrifying experience I have ever gone through. NO! This has absolutely nothing to do with the residents. They were the sweetest, well when they weren't crying from loneliness or being cold or not wanting the food that was being served. The conditions are just plain poopy (absolutely no pun intended) in LTC. The CNA's were cruel, they treated the residents like babies and I have never in my life seen so many exposed body parts! We definitely did not learn exposure in school, as a matter of fact we were taught the exact opposite. Boy did that not happen. Residents were left naked while being bathed, the towel sides weren't switched (so the private areas probably now have germs all over it). YES! I did report what I have seen, will it help? Probably not! I get the feeling this is how they have been doing it for a very long time. The CNA I was assigned to had me ask a residents' wife for a brief (I unassumingly did what she asked, thinking that the resident obviously had his own supplies, since towels were being pulled out of his personal linens) well, the granddaughter of the resident(16ish years of age) reported ME! to the DON. She said that I was harrassing her grandmother for supplies! ME? Are ya serious? I was the only one that smiled and said good morning to you all, I was the only one who washed my hands around here, I was the one who went and gathered additional supplies for your grandfather! HELLLLLO THERE! Is this fair?? I cried my head off, and then the DON came and gave me a hug and told me that I need to gather up some thicker skin, but that I would make a great nurse because I have such a positive attitude. HUH? How can I keep this positive attitude when I have meanies hurting my spirit? I saw my light dimming just a little today, and guess what? I HAVE TO GO BACK TOMORROW! Oy vey...