Working as a CNA can be tough. It's not always easy to care for clients. Some may even say that a CNA job is a rollercoaster.
The job can have many ups and downs. In this blog, we will outline what the top three challenges and rewards of working as a CNA are. We also will discuss our advice on ways to tackle the challenges.
Read below to find out more about the top three challenges and rewards of being a CNA, which are:
Challenges:
Rewards:
Challenge #1: Dealing with patient discomfort
The first challenge is dealing with patient discomfort. Many patients are elderly people with health problems. They are people who need to hire a CNA to live comfortable lives. They cannot live on their own. With that said, patients may experience discomfort due to:
Lack of mobility may result for patients due to age-related conditions. These conditions may be arthritis or joint pain. This can cause them to feel uncomfortable when it comes to getting up and moving around. As a CNA, it's important to always be conscious of this.
Recent procedures, like a surgery, may also make the elderly feel uneasy. Medical procedures can be hard on the body and mind. As a CNA, always pay extra care to your patient if they have had a recent procedure. Make sure you respond to any new needs they may have.
Loss of independence can be uncomfortable for patients as well. Having a CNA can mean a loss of independence. They may cause the elderly to feel as though they are losing control of their own daily activities. As a CNA, always be cautious of this.
Challenge #2: Handling challenging situations
Another common challenge of being a CNA is handling challenging situations. When you care for another person, it can be difficult. The most common challenging situations CNAs may face are:
Dealing with an upset patient is hard. Sometimes patients may become upset. This can happen for many reasons, such as:
If your patient becomes upset, do your best to help make sure they are okay. You can do this by asking your patient if there is anything you can do to make them feel better. This will go a long way.
Maintaining patient privacy can also be difficult for some. Some people have friends and family they share a lot with. As a CNA, you must maintain patient privacy according to your contract.
If you tell a private fact about a patient to someone, it can be harmful to them. It also can be harmful to you if your employer finds out. Always make sure you maintain patient privacy and keep it professional.
Handling a medical emergency can also be challenging. If your patient shows signs of a medical emergency, we recommend you:
Challenge #3: Working long hours and shifts
Another common challenge caregivers face is working long hours and shifts. This is challenging for many reasons, which include:
As a caregiver, it's important to make sure you don't work too many long shifts per week. It is very impactful on your health and safety. If you feel you are working too many hours, talk to your employer about your concern.
This can lead to a decrease in productivity and a decrease in job satisfaction. If you feel you are burnt out, talk to your employer about it.
This challenge of working long hours, which causes poor work-life balance is difficult. Make sure you talk to your employer if you experience it.
Reward #1: Knowing you are making a difference
Though caregiving has its challenges which we discussed above, it also has its rewards. The first reward of being a caregiver is knowing you are making a difference. Knowing you are making a difference is special because you can realize how much your work helps. Further, knowing you are making a difference has the personal benefits of:
Boosting your self-esteem is a great benefit when you know you are making a difference. Knowing that you are contributing to someone's life can be a very rewarding feeling. It can give you a sense of pride and accomplishment that you’ve made a positive impact on the world.
Creating a sense of purpose is also a great benefit when you know you are making a difference. When you’re making a difference, it can give you a sense of purpose in life. It can help you feel like you’re making a difference and that your actions are making a positive impact on the world.
Inspiring yourself is another benefit when you know you are making a difference. Seeing the positive effects of your work can be inspiring and motivating. Knowing that you’ve made a difference can help you stay motivated. It can also help you keep pushing forward with your goals.
Reward #2: Developing strong relationships with patients
Another great reward of caregiving is developing strong relationships with patients. When you develop a strong relationship with a patient, it adds to your life and theirs. Strong relationships are like having an extra friend in your life. More benefits to developing strong relationships with patients are:
Improved mental health for a patient and CNA is a great reward of a strong relationship. The relationship will cause the patient to feel more comfortable discussing their feelings.
This can help a patient to feel better. It also helps a CNA's mental health improve because they can know they are helping.
Higher quality of care is another great reward of a strong relationship. With a strong relationship:
Increased trust about medical services is another great reward. When a patient and CNA have a good relationship, the patient will trust what the CNA has to say. This is helpful because it ensure patients get the medications and help they need.
Reward #3: Gaining satisfaction from helping others
The final reward from being a CNA is gaining satisfaction from helping others. Being a CNA is truly about knowing you helped improve someone's life. As a CNA, there are many ups and downs. But, at the end of the day, you helped someone who is unable to live on their own live better.
Even if your patient or family don't say it, you should know as a CNA that you have helped another person. There is no greater reward in life than being able to help. Always make sure to take a step back and realize how your work helps as CNA.
Conclusion
Working as a CNA is not an easy job. There are many ups and downs, which is why a CNA job can be a rollercoaster.
In this blog, we touched upon what the top three challenges and rewards of working as a CNA are. We also discussed our advice on ways to tackle the top three challenges.
We hope this blog gave you a taste of the reality of being a CNA. We also hope that you feel better prepared to tackle the challenges and enjoy the rewards, which are:
Challenges:
Rewards:
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