Do you know what CNA stands for? No, it doesn't just qualify as an "experienced butt wiper". (Ha Ha) CNA actually stands for Certified Nursing Assistant. I am one of those. Some people may read this and ask themselves... Is she for real? Is she actually saying she is proud of being one? The answer is yes! Being a CNA has taught me some valuable things in life. Before I became a CNA, I worked in retail. I helped people out by buying a lawn mower or a new washer but that wasn't really "helping" someone out. I wanted to do more. I wanted to make a difference in someone's life besides making their clothes cleaner or making their yards greener. I wanted to help them feel better but instead reverse psychology took place and they changed me.
I decided to become a nurse aide in 2012. It was a super hard 3 weeks trying to stay focused on getting my certificate. You had to be in class for one whole week straight and clinicals for two weeks. If you missed any days, you were out. During the 3 weeks, my cousin lost her baby at 20 weeks. I missed the funeral because I was focused on getting my certificate. It was a hard choice but this was an opportunity and I couldn't pass it up. I was so excited and so happy to learn that I passed the final exam. I started searching for jobs and finally landed my first job as a CNA. I was so nervous! I was so scared seeing all the different patients having different types of illnesses. This was all new to me and I didn't know how to handle it. After a while, I started learning these patients lives and it took an effect on me and how blessed I was to be as healthy as I am and I could use my health to help them. I was at my first job for a while and recently back in this past August, I applied to Aspen Trace in Greenwood, Indiana. When I was hired in, the DON (Director of Nursing) told me that she didn't see why she wouldn't want me. I was hired for the rehab unit that day! My experience there has been amazing. I have met so many new people and have made some close friends especially my nurse, Haley! It is awesome to work under a nurse who cares so much about her patients and gives them treats on holidays.
I have experienced death, the crazy and great progress. My first death experience scared me half to death. I WILL NEVER forget it! Let me share with you the story... My co-worker and I knew this man was going to pass on our shift by the way his vitals were looking. The man had kidney failure and I had seen him slowly fade away day by day. I remember taking my lunch that night and when I came back, my co-worker went. Before she went, I asked her how he was doing. She told me she had just checked on him and he was still hanging on. She went to lunch. She was only gone for 30 mins. After 15 mins of her telling me that he was still hanging on, I checked on him. The man was in a dark room (that is how he liked it). He was a c-pap on (a breathing machine with a mask). When I peeked into his room, I could tell he wasn't breathing. I wouldn't go in that room by myself. I got the nurse and we both went in his room and she checked his vitals and sure enough, he was gone. She asked me to take his mask off and I looked at her like she came from the crazy house. I told her there was NO WAY I was about to do that. She took it into consideration and she took it off. As she took the mask off, the mans eyes flung open and holy crap did I run out of that room. As a CNA, I didn't know that cleaning up a dead body was part of my job description until that night. I had to go back into his room with other co-workers to get his body ready for the mortuary. Let me tell you, it was the worst experience of my life. This man was not skinny minnie and he almost fell off the bed while we were cleaning him up but let me remind you, I stayed away from his face.
I can go on and on about my job but I think I will save that for the next post but take a look at this link for more information about what a CNA does http://www.nursetogether.com/learning-the-life-of-a-certified-nursing-assistant You never know, you may want to become one ;)
TO BE CONTINUED......
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