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To those posting below about becoming a nursing aide - see msg

Posted: Feb 20, 2014

What training did you take? How long was it? Was it expensive? Did you find it easy to get a job after completion?

Thanks.

Well... - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
From what I understand, there is Home Health Aide (HHA) or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

Which one do you mean?

Kind of along the CNA lines - nn

[ In Reply To ..]
I have a friend who is 66 (so semi-retired). She is an LPN, and does private duty nursing for three ladies. Not much "physical care" involved with any of them. More just making sure meals are prepared, laundry, taking them to the doctors, etc and she averages about $20-25/hour.

I was a CSM many years ago (CNA but one step further and allowed to give medications)and I believe my course was about 8-12 weeks and maybe $200. I loved it when I was allowed to dispense the medications and interact with all the residents.

Look up CNA or STNA classes in - your area

[ In Reply To ..]
In my state if you get the CNA you can do home health. There is no separate training involved. The classes range from two weeks to six weeks, maybe longer for some places. Where I'm from, the classes range from $275 to $400. I was a CNA years ago and am going back into that now.

Good luck.

my daughter is a CNA. She's 18. It took her - mykid

[ In Reply To ..]
approx. 1 school year in HS to finish the course. She got financial aid to help with the cost. She got a job at the age of 16-1/2 only because there is such a huge demand for CNAs now and the facility made an exception for her age. She loves it. She is now in an assisted living home with 16 beds where they treat the residents very well, as if they are in their own homes, which they are really. She also took her Alzheimer certification class, Medicine passing class and food prep class. All either 1 day or weekend classes but you get more $ per hour with these. Doesn't pay a huge amount but better than MT now. And is flexible enough with hours for her to continue going to nursing school.

Also, might want to try Home Health Aide. No - mykid

[ In Reply To ..]
schooling required, just a background check.

The facility may pay for it depending - where you are

[ In Reply To ..]
I got my CNA license for free. Nothing was even taken out of my paychecks. They are so short on CNAs here that they will pay for the training. In this area of AR it is 2 weeks of book work and studying policies then one week on the floor. The test took 2 days. One part was at the test location for the written part and the second part was at a nursing home designated for the testing. We used dummies for the hands on part.

I can no longer work as a CNA because I tore a muscle in my back and have scoliosis. If I had the option (and anxiety meds) I would seriously consider it.

I have been looking into this myself for a while -sm - soontobeCNA

[ In Reply To ..]
There is a big range in my area of class costs ($700-$2K). I actually chose one that is more expensive but it included CPR certification (try getting a job w/o that) and did not take 6 or more months to get or require 10 different classes/courses like at a community college. It is thru the American Red Cross, course looks excellent, have day and evening classes. Day is only 4 weeks and Evening is 7 weeks long as it is not every day unlike the day class. It was $1250. Here though they offered a scholarship program and they encouraged me to apply (income based), I got it which knocked my cost to $250. I start shortly and with any luck this Spring will go for my state certification and then apply around. Pay varies here $10-14/hour, but there are tons of CNA jobs here from the look of the want ads and a lot of them are M-F 9-5....I am all for that. Have a friend in a place that pays $18/hour....will be banging on their door once I have passed my state exam. Everyone I talk to about it is like, you do know what you will be doing? (like helping with the bathroom, wiping, etc.) I am fully aware that is one of the job requirements. I also plan to take as many "add-on" options that I can to up my skills and value (and hopefully up the pay).

Once I have become state licensed I will hopefully find a job quickly, really don't think it will take that long. Then bye to one of my MT jobs and do that maybe 2-3 hours a day (keep the higher paying one) and use it for gas money, and get my life back.

If I enjoy it I may then pursue becoming an LPN as pay for that is up to twice what a CNA makes, though that probably is not always the csse, but easily $10K more a year. So hopefully by Fall I will be embarking into a new venture.

Anybody have experience? - ANON

[ In Reply To ..]
I would suggest going to nursing homes or hospitals and talking with the CNAs there. Over a year, I took care of my mom and went with her in and out of the hospital and nursing home. I met many CNAs and they were all overworked and constantly asked for OT. They never had time to sit and take a break. After taking care of my mom, I don't think I could do that again, but that's just me. But go into it with your eyes open. It's hard work, dealing with residents, being on your feet. Maybe working as a home health aide is easier, but maybe not, depends on the clients. Don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but I've seen it first hand and understand why CNAs are short staffed. They get all the grunt work, but like I said I only met the ones in the hospital and nursing homes. It may be different in other places, but go talk to some and see if it is a good fit.

YES! I have been a CNA in the past - it is VERY hard work

[ In Reply To ..]
A lot of time you are assigned so many residents you never have time to sit down, sometimes not even for lunch. Many places are short staffed and, at least in my area, the pay is not that great at all - 10 to 12 an hour. You have to deal with very gross and disgusting things. You have to have the stomach for it. If you've never taken care of anyone before, you may not be prepared for exactly what disgusts you. I found that cleaning dentures at the end of the day made me want to vomit more than dealing with dirty adult diapers. However, the emotional aspect can be the hardest. You get to know the residents and sometimes you grow to love them. I became very attached to a woman who had dementia. She was very difficult and combative to everyone but me, because I apparently I looked like her sister and she thought that's who I was. When other CNAs were assigned to her they would trade one of my patients for her, because I was the only one who could get her to cooperate. I really loved that woman. Then one day I came to work and was told I was assigned to another floor and I was not to have any more contact with her because when I wasn't there she wouldn't cooperate with anyone and they thought if they removed me she would start behaving. It didn't work and they had to start restraining her. I came to work one day and saw her parked in the lobby strapped to a wheelchair she didn't need to be in. She saw me and started yelling her sister's name. I wasn't allowed to talk to her and I kept walking. She started crying. I started crying. I quit the next day.

That is just my story. I think a nursing assistant is one of the most important workers in the care homes. You have the most contact with the residents/patients and it can be very rewarding. But it can also be heartbreaking. It is not an easy job by any means.

Also, if you think you'll get more respect as a CNA than you do as an MT, you are thinking wrong. You are bottom of the totem pole as a CNA, just a smidge higher than the housekeeper.

I'll never forget the smell as long as I live - ANON

[ In Reply To ..]
My mom's ostomy bag. She would never, ever touch it. I never want to see another one as long as I live. Eww. I can still smell it to this day, 7 years now.

ANON - Lis

[ In Reply To ..]
I've dealt with ostomy bags in the past and I agree - the smell never leaves your nose, even years later. My worst nightmare is having to have one some day. I just don't think I could live with it.

Thanks, I thought it was just me-nm - ANON-NM

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

grunt work - mt2stna

[ In Reply To ..]
It is hard work, but it is also rewarding work. I do sit and take a break and I refuse to be overworked. There is a word I use quite often and it is no. You definitely have to be a compassionate and strong person, especially mentally and emotionally. For the most part I do not get looked down upon from nurses or others. I am actually told quite frequently that I am appreciated. My more educated team knows we are the sole care providers, but I work for a company who reiterates this over and over. I did this line of work 20 years ago and quit and ended up back where I started. I wish I could go back to college but at this time in my life I do not have the time. Working as an aide I have gotten feces, urine, blood and vomit on me, but more than once I looked up to the resident's face who is shedding a tear because they had an accident. I clean up walls where someone has finger painted using their feces all while they look at me with no clue asking me "what?" I block a swing from a confused patient who has no clue why she is even there and then she is sweet as can be and giving hugs. I get to see cute , fun and sad moments. I do get attached but I know people die, it is a natural process. We will all die eventually. Very few people can handle this line of work and some are wonderful care providers. You can get attached, but honestly I would rather be attached and see them through their last years or months of life and through the dying process than someone who just doesn't care at all. I like my job and apparently am suited for this line of work. The job is not pretty by know means, but like I said it is rewarding in its own way.

I am a state tested nursing assistant - mt2stna

[ In Reply To ..]
It took me 2 weeks going 40 hours a week. I did transcription after I got home from classes. So I didn't lose money while going to school. It cost me about $500. I got a job IMMEDIATELY. I went on three interviews and chose the one I wanted. I started at $10.25 and 1-1/2 years later I am at $10.60 through the week and 10.90 on the weekends. I work in a small town in Ohio. Bigger cities usually pay more. My daughter is not state tested yet and just finished her NA courses and started at $9.75. She is going to nursing school too. Jobs for this position are abundant. I work in the skilled unit in a nursing home, but there are other options such as hospitals, nursing homes, home health. Good luck to you!

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