This Thing Called Life

     Yesterday was a sad, frustrating, and hectic day as was the day before. It was my weekend to work and we are ALWAYS short. I had been working on the memory care side for the last month and then yesterday when I looked at the assignment sheet they had put me on the assisted living side by myself for the first time in for ever. So all day I was running around getting people washed up and ready for breakfast and lunch. I did some laundry, changed some bed sheets, and so on. But by 1 p.m. I was exhausted. My feet and legs were killing me from working short Saturday and all day yesterday and they are still hurting today. I basically make around $260 a month since I only work every other weekend. My dad told me on Saturday after work that I could make the same amount of money or more working for him doing landscaping jobs with him. So yesterday I really debated about it and I wrote my notice for the DON saying yesterday was my last day. I was sad because I LOVE my res...

     With 19 days left until my state test, everything is annoying me. I hate coming to work and sitting here. I hate spending all of my time at work instead practicing. Work really just annoys me in general. I hate not having enough supplies to practice with too. Yesterday at my grandmas house I found a basin, an emesis basin, and a toothbrush just like the ones we used in class. I plan on practicing with those. I get paid this week so maybe I will go to some thrift stores in hopes of finding some more things to use for practice. It would be nice if I could find a mannequin like the one we had in class. 19 isn't a long time and I need to get in as much practice as possible. I really want to pass and leave this desk job so bad! I know I complain about my job all the time, but I'm over it. I'm ready for a change. I'm ready to have a different daily routine.      This morning I paid tuition for my fall semester class. It is on Mondays only, which i...

     My cna testing date FINALLY arrived in the mail! My test will be on August 24 starting at 8 a.m. This is so exciting for a couple of reasons. One, being that most of the girls in my class also test on this day, and two, it means that my time is winding down at my desk job. I'm feeling pretty confident that I will pass on the first try (skills part) but you never know. I could start my skills and then immediately start drawing blanks and making an ass of myself. The main thing is that I've made this far and I don't want to fail. Plus I paid $94 for this test and if I fail the skills portion, it is like 60 some dollars to re-test. My wallet hurts enough paying for general classes and then this class on top of them. The countdown is officially on! I have 26 days until my career is either started or pushed back. I'm praying I pass because I want to stop working this desk job so badly and start helping people!

     After tonights clinical we only have 4 clinical days left until we can send in our stuff for state. Holy canolies, Time has really flown by. I'm kind of nervous about state only because we never know what skills we will get. I want to reward myself if I pass state on the first try but I don't know what to do. Should I have a party or go on a shopping spree? Go out to dinner or take a vacation? I don't know. I do know that I deserve SOMETHING for all of my hard work and dedication while working full time and taking care of my grandma. It's so awesome helping these people with daily tasks. It's even more awesome when they thank you and act so grateful for what you've done. I've realized that I'm kind of thankful for not being friends with some of the people I hung out with in high school because of where they are at in life compared to me. I got my life together pretty quickly after high school and some people just act like the world owes them somethi...

     Having four days off seemed nice. It would have been nice if I actually got to do nothing but lay on the beach and relax (which I did for a couple of hours). My grandma came home Thursday. I helped my mom get her into the house and situated. I left after to meet my dad and other relatives at the beach. An hour later, my mom calls and says my grandma went back to the hospital because she was having breathing issues and turning grey/blue. So I ended up leaving the beach because that was all I could think about. She came home again and was fine until Saturday. Saturday morning I did my usual routine of draining her catheter bag, making her coffee, giving her medicine, and helping her get up. She did pretty good. Then later that evening, my gut instinct told me to check on her. I'm glad I did. Somehow, her catheter tube came out. Not the entire catheter because there wasn't blood everywhere, so I knew that the balloon was still inside. But she freaked out when I tol...

     Last night was great. We took a tour of the wing that we would be doing our clinical in. We met tons of clients and we even jumped right in with helping the nurse aides complete tasks. Everyone in class was divided up and partnered with a different nurse aide to shadow. I helped with two peri cares, made a bed, and helped a lady move into her new room with a roommate. She was very nice. I think everyone there was nice. It made me kind of nervous at first but after the first half hour I got more comfortable and I was ready to do work. It was nice being able to watch and apply skills we had learned previously before coming to clinical. One thing I did learn fairly quickly was how demanding older people are. When they want their ice cream, they want it. If they ask for an extra pillow or blanket, get it or else you will see a side of them you don't want to see.      I know I talk about this program a lot but I can't help it. I'm so proud to be ...

     Last night was the last class for the lecture portion of my nurse aide course. We start clinical on Monday! I'm so excited and nervous but I'm ready to put the skills I've learned to work. My classmates are awesome. Last night we practiced for our state exam and we all did very well. It was kind of nerve racking. I tried not to think about everything all at once or how much time I was spending on a skill. The one thing I did notice as I started each skill is the fact that all of the steps started rolling into my head as soon as I was done with the steps. I was hoping I wouldn't draw a blank and I didn't. I am so proud of myself and I think everyone else in my class should be proud of themselves as well. We worked hard for this. We juggled jobs, kids, and other every day life things along with completing this part of the course. Now we are onto to bigger and brighter things. We actually get to start helping people and start our healthcare careers.   ...

     Tonight in my cna class we will get checked off on the last 2 skills we have left. We're also getting a six foot sub to eat as a reward for our hard work. Tomorrow is our last lecture class ever and we start clinical on Monday! I'm pretty excited and nervous at the same time. I hope I don't screw up too bad at the home where we do our clinical. I just wish I knew for sure if I was going to pass state because I need to register for my fall classes soon. I think I may go ahead and stick with evening classes for that semester just in case I fail. That way I can still work here at this job and attend school while practicing for my re-test. It's kind of nerve racking. You don't know what skills they are going to test you on and you only have 25 minutes to complete all 5. Hopefully I don't mess up because every minute counts.      I have everything ready to go for clinical. My scrubs, shoes, and underwear. I bought nude colored because they are RE...

     Work gets in the way of a lot of things. School just so happens to be the one thing it always interferes with for me. I was looking at the fall semester schedule for the general biology class I need to take just in order to take Microbiology. The days work out great. There is a Monday-Wednesday class in the evening just in case I don't pass my cna exam on time. But the lab is only offered in the morning or during the time on day when I would have lecture. What kind of crap is that? That doesn't help me out at all and I'm not ready to take Anatomy and Physiology 1&2 yet so that is a no go. So I went ahead and put Child Psychology in my cart just in case I fail the state exam. The only issue with me taking Child Psychology now is that it will throw me off and add another semester to my schooling because I planned on taking that and Social Ethics in the same semester.      Today at work I looked at the calender trying to  figure out when my...

     We are moving right along in my cna course. It is a lot more fun when we get to practice the skills instead of doing the chapters in the book. Most of the book is common sense. The tests we take are pretty easy and the terminology quizzes are a breeze. I figured I'd go ahead and tell you what skills we have learned and which ones I find easy and more complicated. Here is the list: Hand washing (simple) Apply knee-high elastic stocking(simple) Assist to ambulate using a transfer built( not to bad) Cleans upper or lower denture(simple) Donning and removing PPE/gown and gloves(fairly easy) Give modified bed bath to face, one arm, hand, and underarm(a lot of steps. I'm still practicing this one) Measure and record weight(simple) Perform Passive Range of Motion (PROM) for one knee and ankle(fairly easy) Perform PROM for one shoulder(easy) Positions on side(a lot of steps but is isn't too difficult) Provide catheter care for female(easy) Foot care on one...

     My first nurse aide lecture was awesome! We learned hand washing and she showed us how to do range of motion with arms and knees. We filled out some paperwork saying we promised to be good nurse aides and always follow policies and procedures. We went over our calendar for the next 3 months as well. I can't wait to go back tomorrow and learn more skills. My instructor likes to introduce the skills early so we can get enough practice for clinical and the state board exam. She says the written part is fairly easy and the skills part is where people tend to flop sometimes.      There were only 7 people in my class and I know of one girl who plans on dropping it as soon as possible since it won't work with her schedule at work. My instructor called the other people who never showed to see if they planned on showing up or if she could give their spot to someone waiting. They all told her they changed their minds. Why would someone wait until the ...

     The nurse aide program starts in 5 days! I have never been so excited and nervous at one time in my whole life. I already have my books and a notebook. I plan on getting my TB test and background check done before my clinical portion of the program starts. The one thing that is great about this is the support I get from my parents and other family members. Nothing makes me feel better about myself than hearing "I'm so proud of you" from my loved ones. Along with this excitement has come some stress too. I'm stressing about how to tell my boss if he asks what class I'm taking. I don't want him to think I'm going to get my certification and leave him high and dry. Another thing I'm stressing over is my school schedule after I receive my certification and start working as a cna. I got to school during the evening as of now because it works well with my full time work schedule during the day. I would like to work three 12 hour shifts at a hospital or ...

     My books for the nurse aide program came yesterday! I got so excited when I saw the package. I already started reading my textbook. 17 days isn't long at all. I'm ready to begin this journey. I can't wait to help people, make decent money and work a different schedule than what I've had here for the past 3 years. I already have a friend interested in taking my spot here, so that is taken care of as well.      Patient First is usually where I go whenever I'm sick and what not. I called yesterday to see if they did TB testing and the lady said they were out of the products used to administer the testing. I thought that was rather odd. Oh well. This is like the big countdown. Hopefully by the middle of August I will be working as a nurse aide at a nursing home or hospital. I know this all I've been writing about lately but when you have had the same job that has become more and more annoying, you would be ready for this change too.  ...

     I'm counting down the days I have left sitting in this desk chair....literally! I start the nurse aide program in 20 days. I ordered my textbook and workbook today just to get a head start. I need to get my TB testing done, buy my white scrubs, i.d. holder and clip for the clinical part. I get annoyed so easily at this job now it is not even funny. The biggest thing is when customers call and ask dumb questions like "Am I still on the schedule for so and so date?" And I'm like "Yes you are" when I really want to say "Did I call and tell you we changed your date?"      I can only hope I will succeed and become an awesome CNA. As long as I get a job moving, I don't care if it is at a nursing home, hospital, wherever. I can't wait. Sitting in a chair for three years listening to my boss brag about his kids going to a prestigious school bugs me too. Even though I go to community college, I still name drop it. I'm proud to...

     On April 8, I will be registering for the lecture part of the nurse aide program! I am so excited! This semester has went by fast and I'm sure becoming an aide will too. I will be going to lecture and clinical on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. I have plenty of money in my savings to cover all of my expenses.      The only issue I've been thinking about is using math to do certain calculations. I'm not good at math at all. At work I have a handy dandy calculator to use in all situations where I have to calculate things. I hope the type and usage of math isn't too hard. Words cannot describe how excited I am for this though. This is all I have been thinking about since I went to the info session months ago. My parents support my decision and so does my boyfriend. Now it is just up to me to get it done!      As for this weekend coming up, I'm going to be having a yard sale Saturday in hopes...

     Two months and 15 days until I start the lecture portion of the nurse aide program. I know this is all I have been talking about recently, but I'm so excited. I'm finally going to be doing something I want to do. My parents support my decision to this as well so that makes me want to do it even more. The good thing about going ahead and doing this program, is that it will tell me whether I want to proceed with  a career in healthcare. I'm sure I will LOVE being a nurse someday but you never know. I'd rather find out sooner than later if I like working in the healthcare field instead of spending $20,000+ becoming a registered nurse and hate it.      The community college bookstore has everything I need and the prices are pretty reasonable. Even though I'm nowhere near the clinical portion of this program, I want to get everything ahead of time so that I'm not rushing before the clinical portion starts. I need scrubs, a stethoscope, white...

     It seems like I'm always debating things. Should I eat pizza or Chinese? Wear a dress or jeans? Now I'm debating whether or not to do my community college nurse aide program during the day (9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday) or keep working full time and go part time (4:30 p.m. until 9.30 p.m. every other week day).  The good thing is that I already have enough money to pay for my credit hours for lecture and clinical. I also have enough money for all of my supplies (scrubs, stethoscope, etc). The only big issue will be finding a part time job so I can at least make enough money to put gas in my car. Finding a part time job with enough hours to make a couple hundred dollars isn't easy. I make $10 an hour now. If I go from making that to $7.25, that will be a drastic change.      The job I've had now for the past three years has made me more financially independent than ever. I pay almost all of my own bills. My parents don't cha...

     Yesterday at the CNA informational session, I realized I'm making the right choice. The instructor told us pretty much everything we needed to know about the program. She even told us what our certification test was on. We will have a 70 question written part of the state exam. Then they call 2 people at a time to perform a 25 minutes skills part. The lecture and clinical portion of the program will help prepare us for the state board exam.      Our uniforms will consist of white scrubs and white shoes. We will also need a stethoscope, the textbook,workbook, and a 2 step TB test. They just started doing background checks so I will need to get one of those as well. The lecture part is a total of 80 hours and the clinical part is a total of 40. We go to real nursing homes to do the clinical portion. The only thing that sucks about starting this is that I have to wait until the fall semester to start. The good thing is that the evening times wi...

     On February 21, I will be attending the open house session at my community college campus for the Certified Nurse Aide program that they offer. I will need about $1000 to pay for the program. I already over half saved. Hopefully at the informational session I will be able to figure out if it will be worth it or not. The only issue with spending the money in my savings on this program is that I will have to save up even more money twice as fast in time for classes next semester.      My community college website doesn't list whether I need certain classes to attend the program or even how to apply. I wish I knew so I could be a few steps ahead. The only reason I'm choosing to stay at my community college for this type of program is because of the location (I can go right after work) and because I'm already registered with the school. I don't want to have to re-apply to schools and other programs and fill out a butt load of paper work.  ...