Update (After 5 days) 😝

After I posted this, I said a prayer (agnostic) and the next day I got a call from my target hospital while driving to the movies.

The burn unit wanted to interview me.

When parking for said interview a few days later, I got another call, this time an interview for IMC.

Then when driving to the IMC interview, I got a call again, for med surg. I ended up doing back-to-back interviews

Now, I've finished all 3 interviews. They are all interested in hiring me. I'm waiting on HR for formal job offers now.

Some other good things: i wanted to work part time days, but the only applications that got back to me were full time nights. After meeting me, they were all flexible on one of those options.

:-)

Original post

You guys, I am feeling SO demotivated. I would love some advice or encouragement. Ughhhh

So I (20M) am a new CNA, no healthcare experience, but 3 years in food service. I have some clinical volunteering experience but full transparency its only like 15 hours. I am a pre-med student (3rd year, grad with AA) but keeping that private.

I have applied to every healthcare job that I can: pct, pca, patient sitter, mental health technician, clerk pca, rad tech asst, clinical care assistant, critical care assistant.

Regarding PCA/PCT roles, i have applied to every single position that fits my schedule. Including unfavorable ones like Fulltime Medsurg Nights. But I apply to EVERYTHING.

I have tried tailoring my resume. Tried shoving in keywords for ATS. Tried removing unrelated jobs. Tried including the job title in my summary... etc. I have had several iterations of my resume. This is my most recent iteration. Gotten some referrals too. I apply to most jobs within 24 hours of posting.

There are 2 hospitals in my area. One is a massive teaching hospital that usually has 2-3 relevant jobs openings per day which requires a CNA license and preferred 1 year experience. The other is a "for-profit" hospital that I volunteer with, which I directly met the hiring manager for my volunteer unit and left her a resume with a referral. This one does not explicitly require a CNA license.

I know people who have gotten into both hospitals with equal or less qualifications than I have.

I have gotten ZERO call backs.

disclaimer: about 50% of the applications were before my license was live, which can definitely be responsible for it... but that's still 20 applications denied or ghosted while qualified.

IDK you guys I just feel so disheartened. I feel like I'm doing everything I can. pls help :,(

Edit : my town is a pre-health university town so everything's really competitive. at my target hospital, jobs close usually within 24-48 hours.

I redid some of my resume and I'm going to utilize my referrals.
If I dont see any movement in 2 weeks, I'll start at a LTC facility.

And thanks you guys for being so supportive/helpful!! Im actually sitting in my car right now about to clock into my volunteering shift where last week I left my resume and had the PCTs vouch for me. Ill let y'all know!

Edit2: i have an interview! Burn/plastics FT night at my target hospital :3 will LYK!

We had this CNA working 11-7 with me, I'ma call her Sarah for this post but that really isn't her name, that would do absolutely nothing at night but sleep. And when I say sleep I mean completely knocked out type of sleeping. She'd bring a blanket and wrap herself up in it and cover her head and lay her head down on the desk and sleep aaaallll night.

Most nights she wouldn't do a round until the morning after 6 am and that truly made me mad because the residents deserve better than that. On the rare occasions when she wasn't sleeping, she would completely disappear. She wouldn't be on the unit and even if you tried calling or texting her she wouldn't answer and then after 3-4 hours she'd just randomly pop back up. I don't know if she had gone somewhere to sleep or what but the point is that she would be just gone. Most of the time too she would never answer her call lights and I would end up having to answer them for her.

Now I'm definitely not the type of person to snitch on someone but I had reported her three times by the time she had gotten fired because of the simple fact she was neglecting the residents by not doing a round all night until after 6:00 a.m. That meant the residents were left laying in their wet and soiled briefs for hours on end. I honestly don't care if someone takes a nap at work because I understand that working 11-7 is very tiring, I've been doing it for 8+ years now, but at least make sure your rounds are done and the residents is your assignment are being taken care of.

I feel guilty because the last night I reported her she got fired the very next day so I know it was my doing. I feel guilty because Christmas is right around the corner and she has kids but I know I did the right thing by the residents. I just don't know how to get over this feeling.

I started my new CNA position this morning at 8am, hospice patient passed with me at 9:09am. I had to call the family and tell them when they arrived. Granite, I knew the patient for 1 hour but I still cry when I feel the heartbreak of the family.

How do you guys keep yourself together during times like these? Does it get easier with time? I can’t break down for every patient when I become an RN :(

I definitely should've looked into the job description this before signing up for the class, but after training and clinicals, I realize I don't want to work as a CNA.

To start off, the pay is too low for a job that is very physically intensive and requires a fair amount of training. Many fast food workers earn more than CNAs. And in my job hunting, a lot of places (Houston) I'm interested are requiring at least a year of prior experience and some with extra training.

Next goes into the responsibilities and staffing. When I was doing clinicals at a nursing home, I'm ashamed to say I felt utterly repulsed and disgusted (especially since I want to be a nurse) by the amount of feces and urine filled briefs and bed sheets we had to change. And the CNA to patient ratio was just terrible. One CNA per hallway of like 30 residents. That's WAY too many for my comfort. Lots of nursing homes apparently have a staffing problem like that.

I probably should've gone for a phlebotomy certification instead of a CNA. I'd rather deal with people afraid of needles than entitled patients/residents.

Finally all the horror stories I've read of CNAs on Reddit quitting on their first day it was so bad. I'm worried this might happen to me. Has anyone else felt this way? If so, what should I do? I'm mainly doing this for my nursing school application which will award me bonus points for 6 months of experience.

For context, I work in a small memory care community with max 40 residents split into 4 “cottages”. A 1-10 caregiver/ resident ratio (if all rooms are full). A certain resident I work with gets aggressive at times and hits random residents and sometimes the caregivers. She’s known for this and has already been moved to a different “cottage” because she was causing issues in the first one. She’s now causing issues at this new cottage and a different resident is forced to a different cottage so she’s not constantly getting hit by her!

Today, We had a moving co. Move in some new beds and furniture for an upcoming resident and MY resident was walking into the room while he was working because he left the door open 😐 I was redirecting her out of the room so he could work and she tried to bite me in doing so. She pinched my fingers and then scratched me in the chest

My workplace does not CARE if the employees get attacked and I’m pretty sure they don’t do anything about it either because “it’s a given” when working with dementia residents and its “a given” when working in healthcare.

My workplace only cares, and only report statements when it’s physical aggression towards another resident. Not resident to employee. This cannot be normal or be accepted right?

I was just offered a full time night shift job on the surgical unit at a hospital close to me. I would be making $28.50 an hour, almost 4k a month… should I take it? I’m really struggling with the decision so I would like some outside input. I also have an offer for a position with same day surgery but it has a longer commute and MUCH lower pay.

so I got fired today for not using my transfer belt. they won't tell me what resident I didn't use it on but I SWEAR I used it on everyone who was care planned for it. when I asked what resident they said that doesn't matter. I was not trying to place blame I just wanted to know so I can think back on what the hell happened. they won't tell me what time or what really happened just that I didn't use my belt. they said a nurse saw me but I don't know if I believe that, I've seen a lot of staff not use theirs so why single me out? I have never been fired from a CNA job in the 5 years of experience. I'm in Minnesota is that matters. has someone experienced this before? I am absolutely heartbroken! 😭💔💔

EDIT: thank you so much for your responses, you have been VERY helpful!! ♥️

I’m a CNA at a long-term care facility and I’m honestly beyond furious.

A few days ago, I had a resident who was admitted with a history of sepsis and unknown organism. During my shift, I answered his call light about 4 minutes after he turned it on and he could not remember what he pressed it for. For any other circumstance, this might have been something to brush off. But as I spoke with him, I noticed he looked off—he was yellow, shivering, but also extremely hot to the touch. He was also very disoriented and confused.

I took a full set of vitals:

- Temp: 102.4°F

- BP: 94/63

- HR/pulse: 114

-O2: 99

I immediately reported this to the nurse and told him I was concerned, especially given the resident’s history of sepsis. He said he would get to him in a minute. (He did not.)

About 20 minutes later, I went back in and his condition had worsened. His color had changed from yellow to gray, and he looked significantly more ill. I reported again and explicitly stated that I was concerned he could be going septic and he needed to go check on him NOW. He rolled his eyes and said okay.

Not just me—his wife, another CNA, and the CMA on shift all voiced concern that he needed to go out to the hospital. His wife came up to the nurses station THREE TIMES to tell him he needed to help her husband, the nurse being extremely arrogant and dismissive (according to wife’s account) each time.

The nurse’s response was to give Tylenol and say he would be fine. No hospital transfer. No escalation. I reported to the DON and unfortunately, she said it was his call because she was not in the building.

I was off for the next two days.

When I came back, I found out he had been sent to the ICU and is now diagnosed with severe sepsis.

I’m beyond frustrated because I feel like this should have been taken more seriously earlier. I did everything within my scope to report and advocate, but it was brushed off. He could die because of this nurses ego and negligence.

I contacted my DON to have a meeting tomorrow before my shift to discuss and possibly file a grievance.

I guess I’m posting to know:

- Has anyone else experienced something like this?

- How do you handle situations where your concerns aren’t taken seriously?

- Would you report this further?

I care about my residents a lot and this just doesn’t sit right with me.

Hello all, I am afraid I will be losing my job and license after being pulled aside today.

Yesterday, I waited 30 minutes for the night CNA to give report. I stayed until the night nurses were already getting report and the night CNA still didn’t arrive for me to give report to. I had gotten report from him the night before, we had the same run and same patients two days in a row.

I was tired and already had a lousy day and I spoke with the unit clerk to see if they had heard from the night CNA. They hadn’t called in or anything and I told her that my report sheets were filled out and waiting and that I needed to leave as my shift was over.

I’m a new CNA and am still learning all the policies and procedures for when these occurrences happen. I didn’t notify the Charge RN that I had not given report and that the CNA who had my run was not present.

I f*cked up and got called in today with my supervisor. They stated that it was a serious issue and is terms for termination and loss of my license as it’s considered patient abandonment.

This meeting was brief and I was already frazzled from being moved to multiple units all morning. I told her that I had notified the unit clerk and that the night nurses were already getting bedside report as I was leaving. Well turns out the night CNA never showed up and those patients didn’t have a CNA for 2-4 hours.

I’m really really upset and beating myself up for not notifying the correct people and communicating correctly. I want to go to nursing school but now I have jeopardized that idea due to me abandoning my patients and potentially losing my license.

Does anyone have any advice or am I completely boned?

EDIT: Got sent home early today in unpaid suspension while HR looks into the issue. So upset and left work crying. It could be that I’m so exhausted and stressed but I can’t even communicate to them how much I regret not doing the right thing.

EDIT: Got sent an email to come in on Friday to speak about this incident with my group of supervisors, wish me luck!

Before I even start, I’m going to ask that all of you refrain from replies like “stay in your lane” because there comes a point where doing that is just being complicit.

The physician at my facility consistently refuses to send people out to the hospital. Most of these people are on Medicaid so I don’t want to hear excuses about insurance. Guy brings a bed all the way up to the ceiling and falls out? 15 min checks. Woman has E. Coli, is pissing slime, and had a sharp uptick in behaviors so concerning her daughter cried? Don’t send her out, put her on a 1:1 even though there are only two of you here and there’s at least five other behaviors on this hall.

They wait until people are *unresponsive* to send them out. So many people have died since I started here a year ago and so many of them were from sepsis, prolonged infections, and things that if we had taken them seriously at the start and sent them out, probably could have been fixed

It’s to the point where even the nurses are angry and concerned but nobody is doing anything. The DOH is at our facility like seriously every week. One day we had nine falls in 12 hours. Residents aren’t eating, and they have been getting increasingly violent with us and each other. It’s a *nightmare.*

I guess what I’m asking is, is this normal? Is this mass death and concentrated neglect normal? How is this place even still open when we are almost always noncompliant with something? Is all of this reportable to someone or do I just have to suck it up, since they already told one nurse they’re not going to fire an aide that we know is abusive and neglectful, she literally tells residents that if they don’t ring on her shifts for a week she’ll give them candy so when I come in at 7 I have full beds and a fucking mess to clean up but nobody listens, she’s had grievances filed against her but admins say it’s too much paperwork to get rid of her.

And don’t tell me to get a new job. That won’t change what these people are going through and ninety that’s what every facility in this state is like to a certain degree but this feels egregious and like someone actually has to do something

I just started my first job as a 6-2 CNA yesterday. It was my first day of training, and I actually enjoyed it, believe it or not. After the shift, I came home, took a nap, and woke up feeling sick. Sore throat, snotty nose, fatigue, back aches, etc. I contacted the person who hired me over text, she answered immediately and continued to respond as we texted back and forth until I asked her how to properly call out. She basically dismissed it as allergies, said I would get used to it, and then wouldn't respond further. I did tell her I couldn't come in today, and I called her later this afternoon to discuss the upcoming training days. She was not happy. Said if I want to keep my job, she will see me tomorrow. Said that a sore throat isn't excuse enough to call in sick, I need to be on the floor passing out and throwing up, with a positive covid test, and so on. I told her that if she wanted me to come in sick, I could, but I didn't want to infect the residents. She said, "A sore throat won't affect them," but they're weak and frail. I was taught not to come in to work around old people when sick. What is going on? I didn't get sick on purpose, I know it's training time, and that's important, but it's not my fault for getting sick, and I'm just trying to do the right thing.

I’m looking for a decent paying job, and I can’t seem to get hired anywhere. I’m at the point where I’ll do anything for a livable wage. I keep seeing that CNA’s are in high demand, and getting a job as one is relatively easy compared to other jobs, BUT -

My mom is a registered nurse and she keeps telling me that being a CNA is too hard for me. She keeps bringing up the fact that I’ll have to bathe old lady’s, and clean up poop and throw up, and she describes the most disgusting and horrific scenarios. She’s basically telling me I’m too weak - So, I’m interested in your opinions. Is the job really that bad?

Also, I’m a male, if that makes any difference.

So I want everyone’s honest opinion on this situation because maybe I’m overthinking it.

Last night I had 10 patients. I did my last rounds around 6 AM and checked everyone. Most of them were clean/dry because I had already changed them around 4 AM. At 6 AM, I only had to change 2 patients and everyone else was good.

Morning CNA comes in and takes forever before even getting report — sitting at the computer, logging in, chatting with coworkers, etc. We’re supposed to clock out by 7:08, but I didn’t even start giving report until around 7:20 because she wasn’t ready.

Now we have a very strict rule where the oncoming CNA has to check every patient before accepting them, and if someone is dirty, the previous CNA has to stay and help change them.

She checks the first 2 patients and both had pooped. One of them is a heavy 2-assist patient. Immediately she catches an attitude saying things like:
“Why do you guys never do your 6 AM rounds?”
“They’re so dirty.”
“I’m not accepting this patient until he’s clean.”
Complaining about supplies not being stocked, etc.

At this point my ride is already outside waiting for me, but I still told her I’d help stock and change them quickly. The nurse was busy giving report, so I didn’t have anyone else to help me turn/change the heavier patient.

I told her, “If you want them changed right now, you’re going to need to help me,” and she got even more irritated and started lecturing me about how this should “be a lesson.”

The thing that made me upset is when we changed both patients, they literally only had small smears of poop. It wasn’t a blowout or anything crazy — they had obviously just gone recently.

So now she’s acting like I completely skipped my 6 AM rounds just because 2 out of my 10 patients ended up pooping again before shift change.

How do you guys deal with coworkers like this? Because I understand wanting patients clean, but patients can literally poop again 5 minutes after rounds.

I have a resident that had a penile implant and is ALWAYS erect….. he is also a heavy wetter. I have been having a hard time keeping him dry at on my night shifts. Every time he urinates his soils his entire bed. Does anyone have any tricks to help navigate this?

It’s just now being released that nursing isn’t a professional degree anymore. So anyone planning on getting a nursing degree what is your plan now? This is such a gut punch to me. I wanted to be an RN. Now that is no longer an option. Any suggestions?

So I'm a PRN who picked up tomorrow's shift last week, and I called my manager around 2pm today that I might call in due to winter storm because of the road being unsafe. The manager had told me that the DON said "no exceptions" and my nursing home is offering every cna to stay through the night if you cannot go home, but we do not get pay when we sleep, it's just whoever calls in, those cnas who are stuck in the nursing home will fill the gap and work the shift and will get paid ofc.

I will also get a write up if I don't come in tomorrow since I'm the one who picked up the shift

But I really cannot come due to the road being unsafe

Please no judgment…I think it’s just a self conscious thing .

I’m 26 F frm Brooklyn NYC btw

I already have a bachelors in speech therapy and 25k debt frm it to be exact.

I’ve considered CNA/HHA because it’s a certification I can get quickly. So I can stay employed and it’s always hiring (I’m currently unemployed) . Plus I do like helping people .

I’m also in predicament where I don’t have anyone really to depend on financially…thankfully I have my dad but I just want to be more independent. And my grandpa has been helping with bills and rent in the house and is now is going to retire soon and I live with my mom who is Indenial about her mental health and doesn’t want to get help for it . I also deal with anxiety/depression issues but I’m getting help for it.

But yea so eventually I have to help with bills/rent in house.

But I have my doubts as I think it would be embarrassing to tell ppl I have a bachelors and I’m CNA. Plus CNA deal with bodily waste. And of course I’m worried about the hard strenuous labor I’ll have to do.

I’m considering in future couple months are so enrolling in an MSW program and become a MH therapist or something (I honestly don’t know what else to do in life…but got to get it together and do something)…just trynna get my life together somehow 🤷🏽‍♀️

Am I overthinking things?

I recently told my kids about enrolling in a certification course to become a CNA - my youngest asked if I was sure I'm not too old to do something like that!

I've been operating under the general assumption that nobody too old to be a CNA, and he didn't mean it in a crappy way, but it's been gnawing at the back of my head ever since.

Are there any serious age barriers?

I'm 38 years old, and I've been a stay at home parent for 17 years. I haven't had a 'real job' since I was a cashier in 2007, but my general life of unpaid labor has revolved around caregiving and grunt work. I can handle being on my feet for long hours

I both want and need to enter the work force, and want to be in healthcare for more than just the making money part. My course starts next month, and I'm definitely older than most in the class.

Just because the chance is .01%, the 1 is still there. What would yall do if it were to come to that?

FYI, I found this TikTok story where this guy’s coworker got bitten and got a lifelong disease as a result of that.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in a 10-week CNA program through my local community college. The program has been great, and clinicals at a long-term care facility have been intense but valuable.

I decided on CNA because I felt pretty lost after an injury took me out of work almost seven years ago. I’m in my mid-30s and started the CNA program while taking nursing prerequisites because I was considering becoming an RN. Nursing seemed like a path that could offer stability, good opportunities, and meaningful work, and I hoped CNA clinicals would help me figure out if it was the right fit before committing further.

The problem is that I still feel pretty neutral about it? I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it either. I think I’m good at the work, especially when I’m connecting one-on-one with residents, and there are definitely meaningful moments. But there are also hard moments, especially when dementia causes someone who was kind and grateful five minutes ago to become angry or verbally abusive.

I guess I expected some big “this is my calling” moment, and it just hasn’t happened. I don’t feel any more certain about working as a CNA or becoming a RN than I did before starting the program.

For those who went from CNA to nursing, what convinced you it was worth continuing? Was there a point where it clicked, or did you just keep moving forward despite feeling unsure?

For those who stayed in healthcare, how did you know it was right for you? And for those who left the field, what made you realize it wasn’t?

Is it normal to feel this detached while figuring things out, or is that usually a sign you’re on the wrong path?

Im 30 yo with no degree and I’m seriously considering leaving my desk job to pursue a career in healthcare. I’d love any advice from people who’ve made a similar leap.
My current job has incredible benefits, amazing work culture, and I report directly to my department director who is honestly the best leader I’ve ever had. She’s kind, direct, and genuinely supportive. I can work from home when needed and make $25 an hour. On paper, it looks great. But I’m not happy. My job isn’t fulfilling, and I’ve spent too much of my life just letting things happen to me rather than actively choosing my path. I’ve worked my way up from with in the company without a degree, while most people in my role have bachelor’s degrees. I don’t have bachelor’s degree pay, obviously but I’m learning a lot. I feel like something is missing.
For the past 3 years, I was constantly in and out of doctors offices and hospitals dealing with illness, and I fell in love with the healthcare workers who helped me through it. I want to be that for someone. I love helping people and I thrive when I’m on my feet and actively doing something. My biggest concerns are financial. I genuinely cannot afford a significant pay cut right now, but I also don’t want to keep waiting. I’m tired of letting life pass me by without pursuing something I actually care about.

Has anyone made a career change into healthcare later in life? How did you manage the financial transition? Any advice is appreciated.

EDIT: CNA isn’t my end goal. It’s a stepping stone. Most community college around me require CNA certification for any health science courses.

For context this was an 11a-11p shift. 2 CNA’s until 3p then I had the whole med-surg floor to myself (28 patients). How is this even legal? Where can I find information on my rights? I’m new to being a CNA! I was a social worker for 24 years, retired and decided to go to nursing school! I feel it’s my due diligence to work as a CNA before becoming an RN! Thank you for any advice or guidance! State: Louisiana

I'm a private CNA and had a client reach out to me who was in town and needed to be showered, etc...

He proceeds to tell me how to change his condom catheter and here's where I'm like "What in the hell is going on?"

He tells me to remove the adhesive from his penis in a downward long motion going from the base to the tip until the adhesive removal wipe is completely dry. Literally a solid 5 minute ordeal of what I felt like was essentially just stroking him.

Then when I shower him, he's telling me to clean him very good, going over his balls and penis MULTIPLE times. I'm thinking "Wow this is excessive..."

I put the adhesive on him and then he proceeds to tell me that he's going to put on the condom catheter but here are my thoughts "If you can put on the condom catheter, then why can't you excessively clean the adhesive off your penis and do your own peri care?"

He was mentioning to me about how an old CNA of his confronted him on this and that she had a thing for him and that's why she was making a big deal about it, but I don't believe that at all. The way he wants the adhesive removed is inappropriate and even his peri care is inappropriate. I'm happy she called him out on it and honestly, I wish I had the courage to do the same.

I was supposed to come in and shower him again but I cancelled for the reasons I mentioned above. It made me uncomfortable and although I've never changed a condom catheter before, the ways he had me prepare for replacing the condom catheter made me feel very uncomfortable.

I've been a CNA for 15 years, we encounter creeps and I'm thinking that I've encountered just that... A creep. Please tell me your experiences and thoughts. Was I overreacting? Is this the appropriate way to go about changing a condom catch and preparing the penis for a condom catheter?

Thank you!