CNA

I had to take a Nursing Assistant/Home Health Attendant class this summer. Which when finished with the course I became a CNA. The class is required for all students wanting to get into the Nursing program that do not have previous experience in the medical field.

The theory and lab portion of the class was approximately 5 weeks, then we had to do 3 weeks of clinicals at a rest home. Oh the stories I could tell of the things I saw, heard and smelled. I will spare you all the details. Your Welcome.

While it was the worst experience of my life, it was also the best. I got to help some amazing people there. Some of these people really touched my heart in ways I can't explain. After every shift I would get in my cry and want to cry for them. There was a 99 year old lady that I really took a liking to. She made me smile every day and although she had dementia she said some super funny things. She would hold my hand and tell me how much she loved me.

The picture below is of the group of us that went to clinicals together.

Toni, Me, Monique, Micha (our instructor), Robin, Dina, Nell

Every one of these girls is amazing to me. They were all so willing to jump in and help one another in the crappiest situations, literally.

Dina and I were partners in lab a lot, we made sure of it. We became good friends and not a day went by that we didn't laugh our butts off about something. I am gonna miss our half hour lunch runs together.

Nell was the first person I met in class and wouldn't you know, her husband was Logan's teacher last year and Karli's teacher this year. What a small world. Nell is 2 semesters ahead of me in the nursing program. She has given me plenty of tips about the program. I think Nell gave more showers than anyone else. She just seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when Micah was looking for people to do shower duty.

I still feel bad about sticking Robin with a HUGE poopie clean up job. I didn't do it on purpose. Monique and I walked into a man's room and he was a MESS!!! We went out to get supplies to clean him up and Robin nicely offered to help. We had to use a lift to get him out of bed and when the CNA came in she told us there were to many people in the room. Robin was on the opposite side of the bed and Monique and I were closest to the door and we bailed, leaving Robin to clean the rest.

Toni had worked in a rest home before so she knew what she was doing. I always wanted to do vitals with her because she could do a persons blood pressure in 5 seconds. It would take me a little (maybe a lot) longer and the elderly do not have patience when the life is being squeezed out of their arm. As I was taking the vitals of one elderly lady she bald up her fist to take a swing at me. Luckily, Toni was there to stop her.

Our instructor, Micah, was amazing. She really wanted us to know learn and never let us off easy. I have a feeling I will run into her again when I start the actual Nursing program in May 2011.

I am gonna miss these girls.