We had to put Papaw back into the hospital this weekend.
So I spent Saturday night with him. Is there any amount of time that seems longer than a night in the hospital?
But I learned one thing. The certified nursing assistants have to be underpaid and I have no earthly idea what they make. It does not matter. It just cannot be enough.
Let me tell you when you are in the hospital with a 6’2” 284 pound 77 year old man with congestive heart failure, a catheter and diarrhea the three most dreaded words in the English language to hear coming from him are “I gotta shit”
I heard it 5 times Saturday night between midnight and 6:00 AM.
We made it to the bathroom 4 out of 5 times. That is an 80% success ratio but I gained new respect for the concept of zero tolerance. The sadness of that one miss far outweighed the joy of those four hits.
But I did have the most wonderful woman to help me through that long night. She always came when called and always was joyful and understanding of the situation. She never acted bothered or impatient and taught me all of the ins and outs of patient care at the grass roots level.
So to all of the C.N.A’s out there God Bless You. The service you provide is a pearl of great price. Don’t ever forget that. Don’t ever underestimate your true value to the patients you care for. You will never know how valuable you are to them and their family members.
A paycheck just cannot cover it. Believe me.
Amen to that. I work for a healthcare system, and will forward your post on to the heads of nursing (and of CNAs) at both of our hospitals.
you said a mouth full Buck,they are the backbone of the hospital,but you won`t believe how many times a day they get cussed out.
I’ll add to the amen chorus. I have a fair amount of contact with CNAs for a non-medical-professional, and I have nothing but respect for them. Of course, Mrs. Smijer is a nurse herself with friends and co-workers who do that job. All the smijer family’s hats go off to them & I’ll mention this to her to share around with her friends.
Hey man, I am sorry to hear about your Pawpaw but I am also glad to hear that you feel that he is good hands.
I was a CNA years ago believe it or not. It’s a really tough job and, no, the pay isn’t good at all. Actually the pay is very minimal especially considering the job requirements. They are always very understaffed and under the ever present microscope of the staff as well as the family members.
Buck, having a family member like you who appreciates the effort, …well, people remember that, …and work hard as they always might, well, they will even work harder for you.
I don’t mean that to sound bad. But, although the work is hard, …the REAL hard part is dealing with the family members and their emotions and trying to keep everything in check while you do your job. Sometimes it’s very thankless.
Some families, well, you just cant do anything at all to please them. I understand their grief too. It’s not really personal though it may seem so. It gets to be pretty tough and stressful on occasion.
It also takes a “special someone” …kinda like a doctor with a good bedside manner. That is hard to find and no, …you don’t get compensated for it.
I appreciate this post and also extend my gratitude to all the good CNA’s out there…all 98% of you!