Harsh truth about being a CNA, Certified Nursing Assistant

Photo by Timothy Huliselan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/empty-bed-in-hospital-12081340/

Things that I loved and regret about being a CNA.......

Being a CNA, or also known as a Certified Nursing Assistant. It can truly be a rewarding job, but there are so many aspects to the job that are just not talked about, or just things that are unsaid. 

When you first start, I'm sorry but you'll probably be walking around bright eyed, and bushy tailed, with so much hope in your eyes, thinking that you'll help people, fix people, save people, however you spin it, basically that you'll make a difference. I know, because that's how I felt when I first started, I honestly thought that I was going to change lives, and make a difference. 

To be fair, yes I did, I made so many of the patient's that I took care of feel better even if it was for a moment. So when it came to that, yes, emotionally I made them feel better, but of course, weeks went by, months, and then finally years, and one that was constant, that drained me more than anything, was watching, seeing so many of the patients that I took care of, pass away, over and over again. Yes, I know, that it's part of the job, but it's very, and I mean, VERY emotionally draining. One thing that I think that so many probably forget about is this, the nurses, and cna's that take care of the patients in nursing home's and hospitals, they are still human beings at the end of the end of the day. 

So, think about it, seeing people that you care for, everyday, weeks, months, to years, getting sicker, and then eventually dying, seeing that over and over again, is bound to take it's toll, on pretty much anyone. 

There is also the physical toll on the CNA's, because they are doing most of the physical labor, lifting, turning the patients, washing them, giving them bed baths, transferring them, to take them into the shower room, to give them showers, feeding them, changing them, transferring them in and out of the bed. Now multiply all that by 15-30 patients. Oh wait, it gets even better, then imagine lifting people that weigh anywhere from 100 pounds, to 800 pounds. Then imagine doing that again, over and over again, for days, weeks, months, years and you tell me, that your body won't get broken down? Because I'm going to tell you right now, mine sure did, my feet were in excruciating pain, my knees felt stiff, and most of all, my lower back, was in constant pain, that I finally had to start using pain patches, pain pills like Advil, and Aleve, to help manage the pain, and even then, it sometimes wasn't enough. There were days, were I just delt with the pain, because I couldn't keep taking pain pills. 

Then there's the emotionally and mental toll from the job overtime, stress from work. They always say, to never take your work problems home with you, or your problems from home to work, but come on, we are only human. Imagine all the physical stress, now add on top of it, the mental and emotional stress from dealing with the patients, and the staff that you work with everyday. Now add on top of it, stress from home, arguments, or other things, dealing with bills, studying for tests too. Imagine all of that, not just for a few days, but months to years, nonstop, every single day. Eventually, it will start to feel like you don't get a break, time for yourself at all, because in a way, you don't. At least that's how I felt, and I know that there were other CNA's that I worked with, who felt the same way I did. So unless you took a moment, a MOMENT mind you, were you get to sit in your car, smoke, eat a snack, or just breath to clear your head, at the end of the day, unless your going to sleep, you will basically feel like your on autopilot 24/7.

This is the side of working in healthcare as a CNA, that I don't think enough people even talk about, so unless you go into support groups on Facebook, I'm telling you right now, you won't hear hardly anyone talking about any of this. EVER. It's basically unspoken things, that you won't hear about, unless you go looking on YouTube or Facebook. Me personally, I had to deal with all that, while taking care of my elderly mom, I had no siblings, and I lived alone with her, so I didn't get a break, unless I rested in my car for a breather. By the time she passed away, I was physically, mentally, and emotionally at my wits end with it all, working as a cna, and I'm sorry caring for her, and just life in general. And to be frank, I was tired of taking care of people, I was over it all, I worked as a CNA, for 6 years, while caring for my mom at the same time, and by the end, I was over it all. Was I being selfish? Yes. But I am only human, and I could take so much, and I was sick and tired of caring for people period. Any wanting I had to be a mother, died. 

Working as a CNA, is one of the most "rewarding" jobs you can ever do, but it's also one of the most thankless jobs you could ever do. I say that, because it's true, you will rarely if ever, get a thank you from the staff, more so the patients, but even then it's rare. By the time, the staff and patients treat you like a human being, your pretty much dead inside. I honestly, wouldn't tell anyone, not even my worst enemy to work as a CNA. It's just not worth it, none of it, at all. Unless your planning on becoming a nurse, or something else in healthcare, no, just no, don't even consider working as a CNA. I would tell anyone, go to school, trade school, or look for a different job entirely, I honestly just can't say that enough, just don't do it.