Today marks my official last day working as a certified nursing assistant in a nursing home. Over this past year and a half I've learned so much, and I've seen so much more. Being a CNA has been quite the experience to say the least. It was my first full time job, and my first time working in a job in healthcare. As I sit back and recount all of the crazy situations and hilarious moments, I know that I will never get any other job like one as a CNA. I went in not knowing what to expect, and I came out humbled and extremely appreciative of the nursing field, specifically of nursing assistants.To those of you who are not aware of CNAs and what they do, allow me to now educate you.
CNAs work in nursing homes and hospitals and are responsible for all of the activities of daily living of patients such as feeding, bathing, toileting, and transferring. We are the arms, legs, eyes, and ears for all of our patients and we are usually the first ones to detect and report any changes in our patients' health because of how much time we spend with them. I've heard plenty of times that CNAs are the backbone of the healthcare system; after working as one I can fully attest to that statement.
The job is not glamorous. It is stressful and it is a very physical line of work. Many times it seemed like I was never doing enough even though I was constantly giving so much of myself for my residents. CNAs are underappreciated and very much underpaid for what they do for other people's loved ones. Although it is hard work, I can say that it is one of the most important and fulfilling jobs out there. It felt good knowing that I helped make my residents feel clean and comfortable at the end of the day. (Also, I am proud to say that I can deal with almost any type of body fluid and still be able to sit down and eat my lunch afterwards as if nothing happened.)
My most eye-opening experiences have happened within this past year and half. I watched residents peacefully leave this world with their families surrounding them and I've accompanied others while they were slowly passing away without any family at all. I held my favorite residents' hands as they were taking their last breaths.
But it hasn't all been depressing. There were plenty of beautiful moments that I can remember with my residents and coworkers. Singing "You Are My Sunshine" with a lady who has severe Alzheimer's Disease. Seeing my residents light up and giving me a hug when I come in to get them ready in the morning. Hearing one of them tell me, "I just wanted to let you know that you are a great friend of mine, thank you," after lying her down when I saw that she was exhausted. These are a few of the many moments that have stuck with me during my time as a CNA.
This post is for the nurses, nursing assistants, and residents that have made an impact on me during my time as a CNA. Thank you for teaching me everything that I know now, and I will forever take the experiences that I have learned with me not only as I further my career to become a PA, but with me for the rest of my life. For everyone else reading this, make sure you thank your nurses and CNAs that you come across, because they have dealt with so much more than you will ever know.
"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."
-Lao Tzu
-Lao Tzu
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