Dimple's Discoveries

We have a patient right now who has severe special needs. In my almost four years of CNA work now, she is one of two patients I have taken care of that have had special needs, and they require a whole different kind of care. They don't understand what we are doing to them, and often push back on the busy caregivers who try to quickly come in and out to do their work, which causes frustration on both ends. For a busy caregiver, this can be a huge frustration! We only have so much time to complete so much work, and if we don't get it done, patients suffer. On the other hand, you have a patient who can't understand why these strangers rush into her room, pull down her pants and want to change her bottom or have her roll on the bed. As you can see, conflict can arise, as such has been the case. The other day during report the shift coming on was told by the previous shift that they couldn't get this patient to cooperate, she was fighting them, unpleasant, and should bas...

I went home and worked this weekend for the Thanksgiving break, and what a treat that was to be able to don my scrubs and get going again at something I love. Since finals week is coming soon, I have to keep it short today, but I had to share this story, as it changed my perspective. I was getting report from evening shift as I was coming on to work the grave, and heard a patient's name that sounded familiar. This is pretty common, most of our clients have been to us at least once, and we're honored that they enjoy the experience with us so much that they keep returning when they need that care. Anyway, I asked a couple questions to see if this was actually the patient I was thinking of, and it was, only she had gotten drastically worse since her last time with us, and it isn't looking great for her. After report I slipped quietly into her room to do her vitals. Vitals at night consist of taking pulse and O2, which can all be done with an oximeter, which can be slipp...

The Certified Nurse Assistant Our Prayer As I enter into my place of calling I ask for strength as I help those in needing Hide my tears for the sick and aging and let my smile be the hope they're seeking. Guide my hands as they do for them The things they cannot do, and we take for granted Allow my eyes to see those things that make my stay with them a blessing Provide the words I need to speak To let them know I love them so. As I do my work throughout the day It is for my residents that I stay, and for my residents that I pray

As caregivers, we tend to be loving people. This means that we frequently get hurt. You'll find that caregivers across the board will have the biggest hearts of anyone you could ever meet. Who else could care for patients who can be crude, harsh, cruel, and even abusive for hours on hours without mirroring the same? The weakness of the caregiver is that they feel too much, care for too many, they give of themselves to so many people that they are often getting hurt by those they care for. Why is that big of a heart a problem? Well, patients die. People change. Friends walk away. It's all a part of life. Caregivers have a hard time letting go, even when it is time. I was sent a forwarded email one time that this reminds me of, it's called "A reason, a season, a lifetime". It talks about how we are sent others in our life for a reason, such as to help us through a problem, a season, to guide us through a season or period of change, and finally, once or twice a lif...

Today's post is a long time coming, I've been up to a lot lately, namely campaigning for Mitt Romney and starting a new class, along with a few hard core anatomy exams. Today's post is also going to be very different from what I usually post about. Today's post is going to be about my class I started this week. In order to get into the nursing program I need to have a lot of service on my resume. Ironically, for a year now I have been trying to get into a volunteer position at the community crisis center as a victim advocate. This is wonderful because I can serve doing something I have been wanting to do for ages, and use it as a step into something else I love as well. Last night I attended and am enrolled through Dec. 11th. I will be working as a sort of counselor for domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault victims, working with local law enforcement as I arrive on scene to talk to and try to guide these victims and help them. I will even be meeting up with some...

Not everyone gets along with everyone else: That is life. However, in the medical field, it can cause more problems than it normally would. You get any bad combination, be it nurse-aide, aide-aide, nurse-nurse, aide-patient, patient's family-administration, (dizzy yet?) and it can cause a lot of headaches on an 8 hr shift. We see it a lot-you get a patient who doesn't like an aide, and suddenly they are rude, demanding, nagging, and in return the aide will be slow to answer the light, put their calls and questions last on priority list, and give minimum effort for that person's comfort, and the vicious cycle continues. It's so hard to break that vicious cycle, and makes it hard for staff as they have to switch patients, etc. in order to adjust to the circumstance. In order to illustrate, I will tell you about a patient we have had for long time at one of my facilities. She came as a hip patient, and we quickly learned she would be a needy patient, not out of necessity...

I am LDS, and this weekend we were blessed to hear from Pres. Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency. His talk was fantastic, but he caught my attention especially when he said the word caregiver. :) Here is what he said: “You have observed and felt that blessing, whenever you have cared for someone for even a short time you have felt love for the person you served...Because caregivers are mortal, that love may also be interrupted by feelings of frustration and fatigue. That is another reason why the Lord lets us have the help of others in our service to those in need, that is why the Lord has created societies of caregivers. Even though extended and loving service to people is richly rewarded, you have learned that there are physical, emotional and financial limits to what is possible, the person giving care long enough can become the one who needs care.” Pres. Eyring knows us pretty well. Burn out is VERY common among caregivers. Here are some easy and easy ways to give your...

This blog post is an original post written by Christopher Berry, whose mom has been an RN for almost twelve years. This is his perspective of the work his mother does, and how it has affected his life.  "It was a lot of poop" my mother said as we all sat around the dinner table eating chicken and dumplings. "It took me a lot longer than usual to clean him up, but I was able to get him showered and back in bed without much problem." We smiled and laughed a little, but continued eating our dumpling-filled soup as if all was normal. Because it was normal. While most would find this kind of conversation at the dinner table rude, disgusting, and outright horrid, this was normal for my family. And it's probably normal for any children whose mother is an RN. I remember when she was still in nursing school, my mother would have her study group friends come over to our house to study. None of us kids minded that, 'cause they were some of the nicest pe...

Working healthcare, as with any profession, requires a certain uniform or code of dress. However, CNAs have very specific requirements to their outfits, even if their boss doesn't specify them. Here are mine, from the top of my head to the bottom of my shoes, and everything (well, almost everything haha) in between. Hair: Any hair length above the shoulders can be worn down, however I like having my hair out of my face and off my neck. I use the no slip grip ponytails (2 packs usually are $8, I get them anywhere, Walmart, grocery store, wherever) with Suave Extreme Hold hairspray power 10. This combination means my hair doesn't bother me a bit, whether it gets wet in a shower or not. :) Walmart-$2.17   Earrings: Your CNA book will tell you to wear stud earrings. Both my jobs allow me to wear whatever earrings I would like to work, so it will depend on your job. I recommend simple yet colorful earrings that match your scrubs.I get my earrings from craft stores when the...

I'm sorry posting has been so sporadic, working full time has me absolutely drained by the time I get home at night. Anyway, here we go! :) Some wise person once said " Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away ", and I believe they were right. If I have learned anything at my job, it is that life is precious, and every moment should be enjoyed, because we never know if the one we are in will be our last. I am heading back to school this week, and again, taking a break from my job, although not from this blog. The moments in the last seven weeks that have taken my breath away: A patient asking me to send the missionaries from my church to come visit her As per tradition, getting all gowned up into PPE (personal protective equipment used for contagious patients) and taking pictures as coworkers (I'm the girl on the right) Getting to spend 20 minutes in a patient's room just doing her nails and spendin...

"A nurses’ aide (Certified Nurses Aid – CNA) is the unsung hero of the nursing world. When someone asks what you do, never simply say “I’m just the aide”. When we speak of bedside care and we refer to the ‘team effort’ this part of the team is probably the most under-appreciated, yet most needed team member. They are the silent majority. When they are doing what they do best, you sometimes (more often than we like to admit) forget they are there. But, when they are absent it turns your whole world upside down."-Scrubs Magazine

I have a hard time when people get angry at me. I can feel my body shutting down. My throat closes off, I can't think, and all I want to do is run. Although this is my first response, I have to quickly alter that reaction for my own safety and well-being, as well as for those around me. When patients get angry at caregivers, (which is a VERY common occurrence) we have to be ready for anything. I have been hit several times with different objects, had things thrown at me, let your imagination wander. Usually patients are frustrated when medication isn't functioning properly, whether they haven't had it or it isn't working, and staff feel the heat of the anger pretty quickly, and it burns pretty bad. I had a patient this week at one of my facilities that was in agonizing pain, and I called the nurse to administer Percocet to her. I watched the patient intake the medication, and then went in about two hours later, and she complained of a headache. Again, I called for...

There are many reasons for grieving and hurting in this life-heaven knows we have all experienced some pain on varying degrees, whether it be a dull aching pain or a stabbing agony, we have all felt some sort of discomfort. It's a part of life-a necessary part, however hard that lesson is to learn. Over the years I have watched thousands of family members deal with some sort of frustration when it comes to a loved one-from the frustrations of a parent who refuses to shower to the loss or crippling illness of a beloved family member, I've seen it all. Psychologists have decided on five steps people go through when grieving in some way, it's called "The five stages of grieving" (go figure) In a psychology class I took they showed us a youtube video that has always helped me remember these stages as well as laugh in the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Z3lmidmr In all seriousness however, grief is real. I'm going to list the five stages of grief, as ...

As CNAs we have codes amongst each other to talk about patients in order to not violate HIPAA laws for privacy but still be able to communicate. We also have terms for different situations and things that happen, so here are a few: AJU = All Jacked Up (multiple issues) FTF = Failure to Fly (usually head-bonks, but can be used throughout traumas) ATS – Acute Thespian Syndrome (the patient is faking illness) FTW – Friggin Train Wreck (patient with multiple problems). LOBNH – Lights On But Nobody Home SALT – Same As Last Time TMB – Too Many Birthdays TUBE – Totally Unnecessary Breast Examination (Usually involuntarily done to the CNA's) Christmas-lots of call lights going off Brown Cow- A mix of Milk of Magnesia and Prune Juice (made to kick out any constipation) Blowout- (use your imagination haha) when a patient explodes out of their brief  Coworkers-comment with more, I will edit this post as I receive input or ones that I have forgotten! :)

I got to go back to work this week after finishing finals, hence why there was no post last week. I’ll post twice to make up for it. Here is a picture of something fun I did while I wasn’t posting-bridge jumping! Super fun, what a rush! I’ll even make this a “ Do Not Try This At Home ” photo. ;) I have noticed something this week that I had never really paid close attention to before, and that is how aides are treated by those around them, be it family members or nurses or the patients themselves. I will share two experiences of this, the first is a negative response, and we’ll end on a happy note, I promise. :)  We were having one heck of a night. We have three aides for over 20 patients, and for some reason this batch of patients are very extensive and demanding. In lieu of that comment, as you can imagine, we were running our heads off, literally running from light to light to catch up. Showers didn’t get done, we clocked out really late that night, it was cra...

Every aide has had scary moments on the job where they were in danger. I had never imagined when I first started my CNA course that I would ever be put in any dangerous situations. I thought it would all be very predictable and boring work. I was wrong. The first time I ever even knew we could be in danger was a patient who was 6'2'' if memory serves me right, his wife had recently died, and he was determined to die. He had quit eating and drinking as well as taking his medication, and would just lay in bed all day and night. He was refusing to shower or go to the bathroom, and changing him was a nightmare. I came into work one day with a note in the book to see the med tech before I hit the floor. I soon learned that one of our older aides had gone in his room to help him into the shower, and he was livid. She wasn't backing down and he got up, knocked her backwards where she hit the wall, grabbed an oxygen tank above his head and went after her. By a miracle our tra...

So every CNA has poop stories, and I am no exception. Disclaimer: I am not responsible for your body's reaction to the following post. A year ago on the 4th of July I was at the assisted living center for the holiday. This was a lot of fun, we had special flag services, we got to take all the patients, many of whom are veterans, out to the road to help them watch the parade. As we were slowly bringing in the patients, all of a sudden the activity director came running over to me telling me that my patient needed to go to the bathroom really bad and that I should hurry if we were gonna make it in time. Unknown to me, he had had some magic medicine called Miralax, a stool softener. I got him into the building as fast as I could, even choosing the main bathroom instead of heading all the way down to his room. What I hadn't remembered to be cautious of was the timing of pulling down his pants and getting him on the toilet. The entire floor, which was a 10ft x 10 ft room, was lit...

Tuesday night was a pretty exciting night. My roommates, my close friend and I were trying to decide what to do for the night's entertainment. Wrestling matches ensued, and we were having fun Indian leg wrestling each other. Indian leg wrestling is laying side by side with your heads opposite each other, link arms and connect legs and try to flip each other over. I threw one roommate twice, then challenged another roommate. I flipped her once, and then we went one more round. This one didn't go quite so well. I got pinned in fetal position on my neck for a few seconds, and when I sat up, I knew something was wrong~I had full movement, no tingling or anything, but the pain was dizzying, from the crown of my head down to the bottom of my shoulder blades. I sat for a moment, then carefully laid back down. After a few minutes we started the movie and I started cryotherapy in an attempt to numb the pain and lower any swelling. By the end of the movie I knew I needed a priesthood ble...

I have a nasty job. A job that, like Michael from My Best Friend's Wedding so eloquently puts it "Unfortunately, I happen to love!" Like any normal person, when I come home after a long day, I want to tell someone my funny stories, or the yucky things that happen, things like that. My mom is a good sport to always listen to my stories, even though I know she doesn't like knowing some of the details I consider a crucial part of the story. :) I am not married yet, and the man I do marry will have to put up with my stories, no question. That has definitely been a make-it-or-break-it on dates, and I've found it's best to get it out of the way on the first date so we don't waste any time. Now, I don't normally throw it out over dinner (although I won't deny it has happened before!) but I'll usually try to slip it in the conversation how much I love my work, or that I got to work a shift last night or something. "Wait, doesn't that mean th...

We’ve been taught since we were very young the combination 9-1-1 for emergencies. Our parents would carefully bring the phone over and let us pretend to push the buttons, and teach us the importance of calling it if there was ever a problem. We knew the gravity of that, and it was always a dreaded prospect if we ever had to.  As a caregiver I have often been put in a position where I have had to call EMS (emergency medical services) whether it be for a diabetic patient who hadn’t eaten and their blood sugar drops dangerously, a patient who has fallen, or a patient who’s O 2  levels are hovering in the 60-70%, or any other number of problems we can’t take care of at my facility. By the time we have to call EMS, we are in some trouble, and we need them to be fast, efficient, and kind. I have met at least a hundred EMTs, paramedics and sheriffs over my years of work, and had almost all fantastic experiences. They are so good about addressing our concerns, quickly evaluating...

Sorry I missed last week guys, life has kept me on my toes these past few weeks.  If I had to pick a favorite out of all of the people I have ever cared for, she would be it. This patient had Alzheimers, final stage, and she was a sweetheart. She was the most kind woman I have ever met, which speaks volumes for her because Alzheimers changes most people's personality for the worse. When I first became a CNA and met her she was wandering with her walker aimlessly down the hallways, circling for hours until she accidentally went into someone's room or we needed her for something. By the time she passed away her physical condition had worsened to the point that she fell every time she tried to walk without help, but still had that urge to roam, so we had to keep a very close eye on her. Her daughter had brought in a desk tray that we could strap to her wheelchair to keep her in it, but just a day before my story we had been told to get rid of it because it was considered a rest...

I knew from the day I started my clinicals that this was the job for me. I had studied and practiced skills for months, but the day I donned those scrubs and entered that first facility was the day I knew I had found a job doing something I love. After I finished my clinicals and had been bitten by the bug, all I had to do was pass the state tests: one is written and the other is a skills test performed in front of an instructor. The written test went well, I passed with flying colors, and was on to my skills test. This exam includes a test of your ability to take vitals and finishes with a simulation picked from a stack at random with you doing certain cares for a dummy in a bed. I was scared to death doing those vitals. You are sitting next to a woman who has worked in the medical field for years, and you have done your list of 30 required vitals sets, and maybe a few more for practice. She has a two headed stethoscope and hands it to you and tells you to get started. On blood pres...