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The job of a CNA is challenging, exhausting, but incredibly rewarding. Your patients rely on you for their basic personal needs, and medical staff count on your close relationships with the patients to provide appropriate medical care. But while you may seem like a cheerful angel to your patients and coworkers, your inner thoughts are not always so angelic! See if you can relate to these 5 things that every CNA thinks, but will never say out loud.
1. I may not be a nurse, but I know when something is off!
As a CNA you spend the most amount of time with your patients and are often the first person to notice when something is wrong with them. It can be incredibly frustrating when you tell the nurse in charge of your concerns only to have them ignore you. Often subtle changes are the first sign of a more severe health problem and early intervention can prevent serious complications. Just because you aren’t a nurse, it doesn’t mean that you don’t know when something is wrong with your patient!
2. I am not your waitress!
Your job as a CNA is to help people, and you do it eagerly and with a smile. But some requests can be a little too much, especially when you have a whole floor of people to take care of! A glass of water for your patient is one thing, but when the family arrives with multiple requests or expectations it can end up taking up your valuable time with things that they could do for themselves! Are you really expected to wait on them too?
3. Just because I’m sitting, doesn’t mean I’m not working
With the advent of computerized charting, you end up having to sit at a computer several times a day. To other people, it may look like you are playing around and not working, but this couldn’t be less true! While you are hard at work, your patient’s and their families might think you are playing games or having fun. We all know better – there is nothing fun about charting!
4. You are not my only patient today
Let’s face it, some patients are just demanding. Have you ever brought someone a glass of water, only for them to say “Oh I only want half a glass, dear.” You’re thinking – just drink half? But no, they insist that you empty out half the glass before they can drink it. Meanwhile, you have 20 other patients that need your help, and you are falling further and further behind. Some people don’t seem to understand that you care for a lot of people and that you only have a certain amount of time available for each person.
5. I like to laugh and have a good time at work. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.
Having fun with your co-workers and laughing at a funny joke is what makes your work day enjoyable and helps the day pass quickly. Some people seem to think that since they are sick, laughter and fun should never happen. The thing is, these people likely laugh and have fun at their jobs to, so why can’t it happen at a hospital or nursing home? Laughter and joy make you more relaxed and ease stress, helping deal with cranky and challenging patients with a smile.
These are only a fraction of the things that go through your head every day! While most thoughts are kind, sometimes one of these thoughts sneaks its way in. After all, we are all human!