If you want to be a CNA, the first thing you need to figure out is whether or not you would actually make a good CNA. To begin with, you at least need to really want to help people out, and you have to be very compassionate. You need to understand that it is a difficult job, though it has plenty of rewards. You’ll be working in a fast-paced and stressful environment, and you need to be someone who can keep their cool in that kind of place. When everyone else is freaking out, you need to be the one to keep your cool. You need to be passionate about the work and not just see it as a pay check. You must be patient and confident that you can make a positive difference. If you fit these criteria, then you’ll probably be a great CNA.
A lot of nursing facilities these days are having a tough time finding qualified CNAs that have the right personality for the job. After all, it isn’t always the highest paying job, especially taking into account the work required of you. Often you’ll be working with a staff that’s too small for the work required, making things a little more dangerous and a little harder to perform your duties as expected. This is an important and sometimes problematic issue for a lot of medical facilities. In this nation, more and more nursing homes and extended care facilities are being built and the numbers of CNAs joining the field just isn’t keeping up. Not only that, but a lot of CNAs don’t stay in the job for very long.
Right now we’re facing something of a crises in our field of direct care, largely due to vast shortages in qualified CNAs. After all, often CNAs don’t feel like they are properly compensated for their demanding work. A lot of CNAs don’t last more than a couple of years in the job, and this just adds to the frustration of working with a smaller than necessary staff. Not only are we facing a shortage, but there are an increasing number of patients and seniors who require care. While it might seem like you’re going to be a the low man on the totem pole, you should always understand that you work an important and respected position in the medical field.
There are a number of different locations you might work at, and this will determine a lot of what work you do. If you work in a hospital, then you will probably work with more patients for shorter periods of time. If you work in a long-term or resident facility, then you are going to get the opportunity to develop deep relationships with patients over months or years. You will be providing a variety of types of support for patients, including physical and mental and emotional support. You will provide patients with one-on-one assistance in living their day to day lives. It’s not the easiest job in the field, but it is highly rewarding for the right people.
In the end, you need to remember that as a nurse’s aide you will be the main point of contact for a lot of patients. You will often give a lot of the care and attention that your patients require, especially long term residents. Due to the long term nature of a lot of patient relationships, you’ll be able to develop a deep connection.
By Rita Hayward
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