Hi everyone,

I'm a new CNA and just got my certification a few months ago.  Since getting my certification I've been working in a nursing home.  I started out working days, and now work nights.  I was wondering if it's normal to feel overwhelmed the first few months as a new aide.  When I first started the first 2-3 weeks were very difficult.  I found myself overhwhelmed and came home everyday almost in tears.  I had talked to some other aides that had worked at the facility for 15+ years and they suggested working nights as a new aide would be less overwhelming.  Now that I've been working nights for a month I agree I am less overwhelmed however the staffing is much lower working nights.  I'm hanging in there but still wonder if this is the right career choice for me.  I was wondering if any fellow aides or nurses could give me any advice that might help me get adjusted to this job?  I do love some of the residents I am able to interact with and love helping people.  I don't think until I got out of the training did I realize just how much is involved in any shift. 

Thanks for reading!

think about the reasons you became a CNA ... you love the care of the residents. It is overwhelming, the amount of work involved. I work in a few nursing homes, too, and it is the same everywhere. You do the best you can with what you have to work with. You have to tell yourself that you do make a difference, even though it seems like an impossible situation.

give it more time ~ it may take 6 months to a year to really get your game down and get in to a routine. If it is really just too much, cut back to part-time. Sounds like your heart is in the right place, so hope you hang in there.

yesterday I worked on a unit with 34 residents. Just me and 2 CNAs. We made it through the shift with no falls, and everybody was tucked in by 9:30 p.m.

Nobody really appreciates how hard you work, but if you can go home at the end of the day knowing that you gave good care to your residents, then that is a good day.

take care and God bless. Hang in there!

peace

Walt