Approximatly six years ago I started working as a CNA. As a CNA I work closely with the patients.

I am responsable for the basic care of the patient, which may include, grooming, bathing, oral care, feeding, incontinent care, tioleting, transfering, ambulation, range of motion, activities, or what ever else it may state in there care plan. CNA's spend the most time with the patients as appose to an Lpn or Rn, I never thought it would be the kind of field i would ever work in. But here i am six years later.

I enjoy caring for the elderly. They contain a lot of knowledge and are interesting people. A lot of the elderly at the nursing home have dementia or alzheimers which causes memory loss, impaired judgment, difficulty thinking, faulty reasoning, disorientation of time or place (some often ask where there parent is), neglect there personal care and hallucinations and easily agitated. I am not allowed to mention any of there names on account of HIPPA law. HIPPA requires any health information has to be kept confidental or i could be in big trouble. I have came to realize that as the patents get older its like they become a baby again. On one of the wings at the nursing home alot of the patients carry around baby dolls which really seams to calm them. The patients also believe that these baby dolls are real babys.

Quality of Life

Nobody ever expects to be in a nursing home. And it may also be the hardest decision a family has to make to place there loved one in a nursing home but, there becomes a point in there lives where they can no longer take care of themselves. People have different views of what they may think there quality of life should be or in other words someones life satisfaction. For most people it may be family, friends, or being able to do things for themselves. The patients view on there quality of life may not be the same view that the family has. In the nursing home so many patients loose a lot of there ability to do things for themselves and it can be very frustrating for them when they can no longer do the things they did when they were home, and there choices are often limited. At times I feel so bad for some of the patients. They work there whole life and then the state can take everything they own when they are put into a nursing home. I find it unfair. There are so many young people who are able to work and they collect medicaid for years and most never pay it back. These elderly people are treated so unfairly.

I currently work for the county nursing home in Olean NY, called The Pines. At the time i went to work there the facility had a program that offered the training right there. i was payed minumum wage while taking the course at the facility and after it was completed my wages dowbled. This is no longer that option on account of budget cuts. Anyone wanting to go into the field now has to attend vocational training school.

I would not work for any nursing home that wasn't county payed because the wages are considerably lower. The work is very hard and frustrating at times. CNA's deserve the best pay for the work they do.

I only work part time on account of all the mandatory overtime that the full timers have to do. I don't like the mandatory over time and think it should not exist. It makes the workers very drowsy at times. My best friend works third shift. She was mandated to stay over in the morning, after working all night. When she finally was able to leave work and drive home, she hit another vehicle as she was pulling in her driveway.

My friends and I have so much fun at the nursing home. We enjoy goofing around and making the patients lauph. After a few years of working as a CNA i went into the activities department where I get too carry out alot of the events. Theres always an event for every holliday. We also take some of the patients out on trips, like out to eat, too the casino, and during the summer we take them to carnivals.

Benifits of being a CNA

Being a CNA is very hard work but there are many benefits. The hours are flexible, a person can work any shift, and part-time or full-time, although the appreciation the patient truly feels for my help is always my greatest benifit.

Recently the nursing home purchased some birds for the patients. They love to site and watch them everyday. Pompi is one of my favorite patients. He isn't afraid to tell anyone what he thinks.