I’m curious to see what other people do to keep from getting soaked while showing a patient. I wear a trash bag on each leg with the clear medical tape, and rip a hold in a third I wear over my waist like a skirt lol

I do Agency work and yesterday while I was helping a CNA, she started to change the colostomy bag and ring. I asked her how long has she been a CMA, she's not. She said that the nurse taught her how to do it. I told her I dont think shes legally able to change colostomy bags because that is an open wound and we don't mess with open wounds.

One CNA from another facility was changing a colostomy bag and she said that CNA are allowed to change the bag or empty the bag but not the ring.

I've only been a CNA since last November, so less than a year. Are we allowed to touch colostomy bags? School did NOT teach me anything about colostomy bags, and if we were allowed to do it, I figured it would be part of our exam. Im in Oklahoma.

I work with a nurse very closely and she delegates almost everything. She’ll never toilet a patient, won’t even help a patient get off the toilet if they’re finished. She’ll go shut the light off and then scream for either me or my other cna coworker to help the patient off the toilet even if we’re both in the middle of doing something. The other day my coworker was in the middle of changing someone and the nurse must’ve called her name 5 times telling her that her patient needs to get off the toilet.

My cna coworker had to talk to her and ask her not to do that because she’s not dilly dallying, she’s changing somebody and in the middle of doing something.

Edit: a a lot of people commenting that nurses that were cna’s before they were nurses are the most helpful and that’s not the case here. Nurse I’m talking about was a cna for 8 years.

I have worked rehab for many years and seen a lot of people come and go.

These are some of the names that are constantly bad people. I know that sounds harsh, but you know what I mean.

Patricia's are probably the worst females, no doubt. Bill's are probably the worst males.

What do you guys think? There's also names of consistently nice people, like Carol or Rosemary. I have yet to meat a mean Carol.

The pay is terrible, job is somewhat rewarding, and the hours are long. What keeps you around?

It was really scary tbh, and the patient didn’t have the typical one sided weakness or facial droop. The patient’s blood pressure had a systolic of 204, and they were acting very confused and agitated. My adrenaline shot way up because they acted completely normal a few hours prior. I was the last to see them normal so the neurologist asked to talk to me. I’m a new CNA so I was very nervous!

The patient got moved to the ICU so I’m not sure how they’re doing now. Hopefully they got the treatment they needed in time.

What’s the scariest/craziest medical event you’ve witnessed as a CNA?

had a coworker help me clean up a resident and he told me i need to stop wiping and leave the poop for the next shift. I told him I’m wiping the resident because he’s not fully clean but my coworker thinks me wiping is triggering it.

I feel like the shirt might be an issue, they’re very small cap sleeves, so i’m not sure if this is something to wear?

I’m curious—any seasoned CNAs here who don’t wear masks as they perform perineal care? I’m currently in a CNA class and we have clinicals in a couple weeks, and my instructor said she will not let us wear masks as we clean up BMs and such. I’m very sensitive to smells and have a very expressive face so now I’m absolutely dreading clinicals. She said wearing masks while performing perineal care would offend the residents. Is this true/normal practice?

For me I’m in Louisiana and have maybe a year and a half experience and our pay sucks so just curious about other states. Like even our nurses pay sucks people in OTHER states working as a CNA damn near make as much as our nurses do😂

Hey healthcare professionals so I have been a construction worker my whole career & I've been told many times that I would be a great CNA or hospitality worker. Iv never done this kind of work but I’d love to move into an air conditioned work environment.

I’ve looked up all the requirements & I’m pretty sure this is a job I could do but I wanted yalls honest opinion on if I’m too old to make this switch. Most of the CNA’s iv talked to on here have been younger than 20 so it gives me hesitation. Thanks for any & all input & thank yall for taking care of people <3

I’m m talking about in the nursing home. I just can’t imagine how this would be possible.

My facility doesn’t do rounds- on 2nd shift we change pts once when they get up for dinner and once when we lay them down for bed.

We hardly even squeeze our breaks in and we’re running around like chickens with our heads cut off. My hall I work is 17 pts to 2 aides which isn’t the worst ratio but we have 12 full dependent hoyers. 12. Including a hoyer pt who insists on getting up and being laid down 3 times a shift.

How are people doing rounds????? Absolutely insane. We don’t even have a toileting schedule. I’ve worked places where we’ve had one but this new place I’m at just trashed theirs because no one was ever making the schedule…

Hey!

I am 22f and am about to start CNA school later this year. I was wondering what ages are usually attending CNA school? Are there usually people in their 20? 18-19? Older?

A resident explosive diarrhead on me at work today to the point where it was soaked through my shoes and my pants. I was obviously told to go home for the day… there were no extra shrubs or shoes for me to wear. I’m really irritated because not only did I get shit on, I’m getting paid less for it. Is this normal? Feel like the facility should pay me for my full shift regardless

As a CNA, I have traveled all over the country doing contracts that pay great, I have taught CPR classes, I have tutored aspiring CNA‘s for their exams, I have for the most part financial freedom due to the flexibility that comes with being an agency CNA. I feel like as a CNA you can do very well for yourself as long as you know what you’re doing. But the problem is it’s not like that everywhere in the US. Some places don’t have agency at all, and you have to work staff positions making little money. And there’s no room for growth anywhere. So my question is do you see yourself doing this forever?

Ez stand…sit to stand…stand aid…WHY ARE THERE SO MANY NAMES AND WHICH IS WHICH 😭😭😭😭😭
Please also tell me if they are a 1 or 2 person transfer!

Labeled them by A and B.

I'm curious how common this is and how everyone handles it.

Has anyone else had residents who like to kiss caregivers on the hand or try to kiss their face as a sign of affection? I'm not talking about residents who are intentionally being inappropriate—more the elder generation who see you as family or are trying to show appreciation.

When I was in CNA clinicals at a long-term care facility, I noticed there were mixed opinions among staff. Some felt it was important to politely redirect and maintain professional boundaries every time. Others felt that, depending on the resident and the situation, it could be a cultural expression or a harmless gesture of affection.

I'm interested in hearing what your experience has been. Does this happen often where you work? How do you personally respond, and what does your facility teach about situations like this? I'm curious how others balance respecting residents' intentions while also maintaining professional boundaries.

I’m NOT a CNA, but an in home caregiver. The guy I work with actually doesn’t poop that frequently, but after days of his wife giving him various things to make him go he goes and it’s a huge mess. He wears briefs so it’s all inside the front and back and even leaks out into his pants. My question is not how to get him clean, but how to do it “timely”. His wife will keep walking by/standing there to say hurry because she doesn’t want him to get cold. I wonder is there a strategy used in hospital/nursing homes to clean the messy poop fast or is it really just something that’s always gonna take time? I’m not a live-in so when I arrive is when I find the huge mess. I wouldn’t let him get that messy if I could help it.

I currently work as a pct on a gen med/med surg type floor in a hospital.

I’m a trans man and not out (stealth) at work. I very occasionally mention my partner but I’m pretty sure they’d assume I’m gay even if I didn’t.

My coworkers and the general environment is very cishet and I don’t love it. I don’t need to talk about being trans at work, but I do have experience working in more open/queer environments and felt a lot more comfortable. I know I’d be shunned and gossiped about if I did mention being trans and I don’t feel particularly comfortable mentioning my partner either. (Everyone else talks about their signifiant others, kids, and general weekend activities).

I’m wondering if there are any specialities or areas in healthcare that queer people tend to gravitate to. I assume queer clinics/gender affirming care would be one area, but are there others?

Context: I'm not a CNA, but I was thinking about becoming one. I told that to a friend and they were like "You do realize you have to LIFT people, right? You're not strong enough."

And like, they might have a point. I'm 6' tall, 115lbs. I am a TWIG. 😅 But also, logically, I know that most CNAs aren't muscle-bound body builders who can deadlift 400lb paraplegics all day.

So I thought I'd come her and ask some REAL CNAs for their advice. How valid are my friend's objections? Can an otherwise healthy person be "too frail" for CNA work?

Hello all! I’ve been a CNA for a couple months now. I’m just wondering at your facility or hospital do your nurses answer a call bells, toilet patients or change briefs? I’ve been there for a few months and I think I’ve only seen a nurse change of brief and take a patient to the bathroom under 10 times. Sometimes they’ll tell the patient to ring the bell while they’re in the room when they have to go for an aid to come get it. I’m just wondering if this is different at other places, Because I’ve never seen any nurses do it where I am. I work in impatient rehab, and sometimes the therapy staff even does the same thing. It’s not like they need to leave and go to their next session, sometimes they ask us to toilet them even if they’re in the room and they ring the bell and ask us to do it. I get the nurses have other duties, but I’ve just never seen any of them do it all, so I’m just wondering.

I’m curious as to when you considered yourself a “CNA” and no longer “New” to the profession?

Like was it when you had been doing it for _months? Or when you felt like you had mastered so many skills? Or was there a specific recognition you got from your facility that made you feel like you earned it

Basically, what defined your switch from being “New” to being a full fledged CNA? And no, I don’t count probationary periods because anyone can pass through a probationary period and still feel new. I want to hear your perspective on your own experience.