Yesterday counted for my second day of clinical in the CNA program. I’ve had much education even beyond this CNA class, but I don’t think anything can really prepare you for the real life experience.

Luckily for me, I’ve helped take care of my sick mother and I have had to do many things I didn’t imagine doing such as toileting, cleaning after toileting, or cleaning after incontinence just to name a couple. I am grateful for those experiences and for that, I didn’t have to go into my clinical blindly.

Although it’s only been 2 days, I am in love! I know, I am going to have some difficult days and I’ll be alone when I am actually working as a CNA but I quickly fell in love with the Resident-CNA contact, I am a people person and I love that I get to interact with the residents!

CNA’s do the tedious, and sometimes (or most of the time) the dirty work. We are in contact with the Residents or Patients more than anyone else sometimes. My first days of clinical were an amazing experience. I got to hold the hand of the elderly who were confused, I got to hold the hand and console a new admitted resident, who you can imagine is going through quite a huge change.

Our jobs are to make these residents and patients as comfortable as we can while maintaining their dignity. This is a big responsibility, but I am up for the challenge. I see my mother or my grandmother every time I look at these residents and my heart fills with love and compassion for these wonderful people. We have to remember that they are going through huge changes and they are no longer able to do the independent things that they were once used to.

My first two days consisted of toileting, clean up after toileting, re-positioning residents who are not able to move on their own, dressing residents with an affected side, feed lunch to a wonderful lady whom I was able to make laugh, and so much more.

It is hard work, and it takes a special person. I am a Nursing Major and continuing my education, I am hoping to enter an RN program by next Spring and I have told myself, if I did not like my CNA experience, I’d have to really re-evaluate my educational decisions. I am pleased to say that I am in love with my CNA experience so far. There will be hard days, and there will be easy days but we must maintain a positive connection with our teams and continue to work hard for these residents or patients, they need us and sometimes we are all they have.