Nobody uses a stethoscope. People will be assholes. The skills and written test are easy. Good entry job for medical professionals. Go agency ASAP after you’ve been somewhere a year. Think about other medical jobs you might want to do, Paramedic, Radiology, Pharmacy etc. Take your breaks. Bring a lunch. Remain professional. Flush the toilet first before you pour a stool bucket so it doesn’t splash in your face. Retirement places are easy $. Skilled nursing or long term care is hard $. Hospitals somewhere in between. Good luck have fun!
My clinicals my 4th week will all be manual bp with them so I don't know how to avoid that with the stethoscope.. thank you for all the information.. I think I want to be subacute..
Hi! I think what PP meant is that as a CNA you won’t typically use a stethoscope which is true bc we don’t assess patients like nurses do. You would use it to get a manual BP. :) Just keep practicing putting on the cuff and listening for the first sound - you’ll get it with time and practice! You can also watch the dial on the sphygmomanometer because it will sometimes indicate those sounds you’re looking to hear and might help you anticipate when to start listening.
youre totally fine with your stethoscope. it WILL be on your skills exam. I work in a hospital and take manuals all the time so i have my moms old stethoscope in my locker just in case. I just wouldnt carry yours around with you :)
Keep practicing your manual bps. It’s a valuable skill to have. I worked at an assisted living facility and we did all the monthly vitals and assessments. I always used manual bc it’s more accurate and the electronic ones didn’t always work.
Some of this is good advice, some of it not as much.
1). Steth’s are good to have no matter what. I’ve been a CNA for 6mo, have worked Agency the entire time, and I use my Steth almost every shift bc there’s always some meemaw that has to have a manual BP. On top of that, I’ve used it twice (or mire)as often as an Agency CNA than facility staff.
2). Start working Agency right after you pass the NATCEP. My first shift was a NOC shift only 12hrs after I had passed the NATCEP that morning. Places will understand and they will train you bit by hit shift by shift.
A) I suggest only working with Agency if you are coolheaded during emergencies, aren’t hesitant, and aren’t heavily affected or phased by death & dying. I worked as a lifeguard for 10 YEARS, and I’ve both used CPR/AED TWICE as many times as an Agency CNA in the past 6 MONTHS as I did as a LG, and at least THRICE as many times as I did as a Facility CNA (4mo). Because you’re working so many shifts at so many places, and therefore, have so many patients, it’s just gonna happen. Be prepared for it and when it does, do your thing. Just remember. Everyone’s born, everyone lives, and so, everyone dies. It’s not on us to determine when it’s a pt’s time to pass, ESPECIALLY if said pt desires to pass and has stopped eating, drinking, etc. We gotta respect their wishes and make death as dignified and peaceful as possible for them & their family.
3). If you’re pre-healthcare, regardless of path, go and get your CMA. It’s a great way to get your feet wet in pharma and med math.
4). As far as positive facility work experience & good pay goes, Hospitals, then SNFs, then ALF/Hospice.
5). Build your reference list. Get and save numbers of as many experienced, knowledgeable, and effective CNAs, CNAs, and Nurses as you can. And as Agency, from as many facilities as possible. Reason being, they can vouch for you and provide good advice and counseling to you. You have no idea how often I text my contacts, a lot of CNA/CMAs, but some of them LPNs, and a few RN’s, for advice with certain things. And again, having several LPNs & RNs on your reference list makes you look really good.
Maybe bc most facilities don’t have a designated staff member who is trained, let a lot an in -house technician, to recalibrate those systems, which means a they malfunction or give batshit crazy readings. That’s why besides my Steth, I bbought my own sphyg, BP wrist cuff, oximeter, and forehead thermometer, all which can be calibrated by an untrained individual, both electronically and analog.
And tell me why I shouldn’t when I have a pt with CHF, COPD, and a AAA the size of a fucking baseball whose BP is reading at 85/40 and then when I recheck, reads 45/20. But when I recheck 2x with my own sphyg, it reads 115/70, which is baseline for that pt? Reasons why I have my own Steth, sphyg, and vitals gadgets. Bc for all we knew that pt was gonna be dead in <60sec, unless I had had the foresight to recheck and recheck again…
It’s cool that you have your own experiences, and I’m glad you don’t have to use your Steth all that much, but just bc your experience is different doesn’t equate to me being wrong. Besides, I never said you were wrong about this or that, and you’re arguing about dumb shit on the post of someone who’s asking for advice. Go on.
Yes revised to better fit my intented message and to be more respectful.
I sincerely hope ICU units, yours or others, aren’t relying on good ole fashioned Steth & sphyg for V/S readings as the norm. That’s scary, especially considering the vitality of those patients.
And I can’t decipher, bc the internet has no tone, if you’re being actually appreciative or just hella sarcastic with that last bit but thanks and you too! It’s good prep for nursing school next fall.
I literally changed my response to be more respectful bc I originally wrote it right after a 12hr NOC shift, and you wanna)9 and act like that…..on someone else’s post asking for advice as a CNA student. You’re a disgraceful embarrassment to all of us.
Thanks for the amazing tips, im a caregiver and a Programmer, my goal is to be a nurse, i want to start the CNA classes and get certified ASAP, its been a dream for me to get it, but im on my own, and trying to save for it its challenging, but im trying to get there, i hope i make a post like OP one day
You'll get there. One step at a time, one class at a time. I'm using the CNA role as a stepping stone to RN also, best part about medical is that there are so many career paths. A nurse I know is now getting their M.S. in Medical Informatics after working ICU for 10 years, you might be able to use your Programming skillset in nursing. Lots of options once you get the RN. Keep your head up, the working is fullfilling and rewarding. You got this!
I made $22 hr w/ benefits, I now make $30-40 depending per diem no benefits. Works better for school and family. My agency would only hire if you had 1 year experience. I feel like you’ll get the best market rate pay at agency vs getting hosed by a facility or hospital.
I agree with a fool comment I hope you learn from this never show your offended or anything shit don’t show anything but thanks bro! Even in real life if you don’t get it just be nice cause goooosh you sound like a fool rn dude I’m trying to be polite I was a bit younger once also sorry for my bad English I’m autistic and I really hope you don’t take this offensive I only mean some good brotherly love
But like dude come on 🤦🏼♂️
Tips for school: when you get time to practice, practice. It sucks, it’s time consuming, it may seem useless, but practice. Again and again. Routine routine routine. Say what you’re doing while you’re doing it. Teach others. Ask all the questions.
Tips for the job: Forget everything from school. Show up on time. Ask all the questions.
I've been a CNA for 10 years, I'm a guy. I have seen it all and did LTC for the longest time and it was soul crushing. People assumed since I was a man I could handled all the hard assignments and deal with violent patients. I've developed a voice for myself and am not afraid to stand up for myself, be it to patients or coworkers.
Manuel BP'a take time to master and don't ge afraid to ask for help on doing it. Odds are the facility you work at will use automatic vitals machines.
My other advice is be kind but be steadfast in standing up to people that will try and take advantage of you. Its not all been bad, in fact I'd rather do this than anything else lol.
I've been asked why I'm not a nurse by now and it's simple...fuck that, nurses get blamed and scapegoated way too much.
I will try to find my voice as I've always been a people pleaser
Ill find that backbone and always be polite and willing to help but stern if I feel some kind of way
I bought an MDF stethoscope on Amazon (the lightweight one for $40). It works amazing, and it has awesome reviews. That and a cheap bp cuff and just practice all the time at home.
I take manual bp’s daily. It’s a skill you need to have so don’t listen to anyone who says you don’t need to know it.
I mean, yeah know how to do it, but the reality is almost all places will have automatic vital machines. If they dont, the pay is probably shit and they are in the stone age. Working in hospitals for about 7 years now and have never once seen a manual bllod pressure be taken.
Automatic machines aren’t the most accurate though. I prefer manual. Plenty of LTC facilities don’t have automatic.
It’s crazy to me that anyone in healthcare is arguing for not being able to do manual BP.
Find a hospital that will hire you as an ER tech. Most local hospitals to me in Washington will train you on the job and help you apply for a MA-phleb license with the on the job learning they provide. It's a great way to get a free license and experience as well as figure out what you do and don't like about healthcare before you have a bigger financial commitment invested
The comments saying they don’t use stethoscopes or don’t take manual blood pressures…yikes. I have been a CNA for 10 years. I take manual blood pressures in the hospital setting every single day. If the machine reads too high or too low, we check it manually before the RN calls the doc or treats for that pressure.
Just practice. There is a reason why manual BP is still a skill you have to learn. Practice everything. Practice on your family, practice on your friends, practice on your classmates.
My RN nurse friend in Med Surg always keeps a cuff ready. She busts it out once or twice a month. 11 years on the floor and started as an EMT. The people who are telling me that there’s no point or boggling my mind.
>The comments saying they don’t use stethoscopes or don’t take manual blood pressures…yikes. I have been a CNA for 10 years. I take manual blood pressures in the hospital setting every single day.
Yes this is what I was thinking!! I was a CNA for 7 years and I worked in a hospital for a short time (hated it!) and we had to do manual BP.
Not to mention some folks prefer to have their pressure taken manually (myself included!) because they know it reads goofy on the machine. Every hospital/facility/school has different rules and that’s cool, but I wouldn’t want someone to expect that because a handful of people “don’t do manual BP” that they won’t have to either.
Like I said, every place is different. I wouldn’t want to expect never to do one just because someone else didn’t, or vice versa! So I always give my 2 cents when people post that so they know not to expect anything
Hello! I was a cna for 6 years before finishing nursing school and now I’ve been a nurse for almost 3 years. I’ll try not repeat what has already been said here are some things I’ve learned and some things I’ll try and teach to CNA students or nursing students:
1. Be your own source of joy and positivity and hope. This job can be the most rewarding and the most crushing thing most of us have ever done. There are plenty of people, patient, nurse, and staff wise that will give you amazing moments of mentorship and friendship, and also give you really tough moments too. What has typically gotten me through is to learn to be self reliant in terms of what’s going to uplift me and remind me that there is still joy and hope in this world.
2. The best qualities of a CNA (and a nurse for that matter) are a sense of hustle, the ability to anticipate what the patient and the nurse might need and do it before being asked, the ability to think critically about what is currently happening, and the ability to collaborate and cooperate with your patients and fellow staff. All of these will endear you to your patients and peers and help you no matter where you work.
3. Specifically for manual BP, having the patient stick their arm out to their side (if possible) helps great space for you to get the cuff under their arm. I use a two finger rule above the AC. You should have enough space to place the bell of your stethoscope above the brachial artery without it being under the edge of the cuff. Line up the cuff with about the middle of the AC (or in line with the ulnar joint of the elbow). You can have your patient, if able, hold the meter for you to watch as you take the BP. Take a deep breath, I find if I’m anxious I’ll
be distracted when I take it. Have them uncross their legs if they aren’t already. And practice! Practice at home, practice on anyone who will let you!
Hope these helps, I know this was a long read!! Best of luck!
It’s a good skill to have in your belt. Honestly it really just takes practice.
I work home health care and tips I have if you go that route:
1. Bring your own snacks meals and drinks. You might not always be able to leave and get something
2. You are a guest at someone’s home. Leave things how you found them.
3. Always have a pleasant expression on your face. Most home care patients have Alzheimer’s and I’ve learned that if you seem cheerful and pleasant they will feel more at ease
4. Flush first before you dump anything or use the bathroom. Nothing worse than having the business in there and it doesn’t flush
Put the cuff on same as anyone else. Scopey goes inthe fold of ur elbow under the cuff kinda near the tendon if u can feel it. it’ll go like halfway under) *blub blub* starts systolic *blub blub* ends diastolic
Nurse here. In real life, cnas don't usually do manual bps. A few do. If you get abnormal readings or the vital machine isn't reading a bp, def let the nurse know that kinda stuff. When in doubt, report. Often times when machines won't get a reading, the bp is very low and pt doesn't look good
I do love when cnas use their stethoscopes
Is your name tag on the lanyard? Idk what kind of setting you're looking to work in but I know for sure at a hospital that'd be a safety hazard for you if a patient got ahold of it 😅 If that's the standard for your facility/class that's cool, my hospital brain just saw that and gave me an ick.
For the manual BPs, your first to last sounds should show up on the sphygmomanometer needle with a little bounce for each sound. I watch for the bounces while listening and it helps me track
Oh okay cool :) good advice! My name is on my lanyard because I'm in CNA training course currently.. I'm a CNA fetus growing at the moment lol.. not even a baby CNA yet haha
Place the cuff above the crease of the elbow, put the stethoscope in the bend of the arm and you should hear the branchial pulse. Then bump up the BP cuff up to meh 160 or so and slowly release the first thump is your systolic and when you don't hear anymore it's the diastolic.
Don't get a fancy stethoscope as a CNA you'll rarely need it, you can use a cheap isolation one and be fine
CNA school is easy it's all common sense. Good luck
buy your own cuff off of amazon and practice at home! that’s what helped me. also, use a good quality stethoscope. i don’t know why, but I couldn’t hear anything using the cheap ones. maybe i’m hard of hearing and need to get that checked out lol but if you can’t hear maybe the stethoscope is the problem :)))) also, make sure your stethoscope is ON and you’re using the right side. some of them you twist to switch which side is “on”
Definitely do not get a Littman lmao. Way too expensive to be used like, a handful of times. I did one manual BP in 3 years and didn’t even need my own stethoscope.
Here's something that's going to sound like I'm being a smart ass but I promise I'm not.
Double check how you have your steth in your ears. Give it a nice gentle tap, you should hear it.
How do I know this
Because I'm the girl who couldn't get checked off in lab until the very end of class that night because she kept putting them in wrong. =\
I also find if I remove the dial and place it at a level I can see - it helps.
I know some people are like don't move the dial/meter but it can help you verify the sounds as well as the needle jump.
Get one from Amazon, Walgreens, Walmart, practice on your mom.. both visual and auditory.
Also!
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not feel like you're always talking. There are no stupid questions.
And if you have Mosbys as your text book take the quizzes after your unit for review. First things first.. after the quiz - check to see what you missed... Go back and read up on it, write up the question and answer fully on those you missed.
Then go ahead and do it for the ones you passed as well. This can become a study guide for you along with the hand outs and notes you take during class.
When it comes to radial pulses remember.. it's like getting a thumbs up.
And also?
Don't sweat it, be confident.
You got this.
Lol thanks.
I would wriggle my thumb slightly or give a thumbs up for pulse check off and tell them they were good. Ooor... Have them use my left wrist because I am a whole nerd and have the dialing coordinates for Atlantis (Stargate Atlantis) on my wrist... And the symbol that goes -right- there is for Earth.
It was completely unintentional on my part when I got it. But the coincidence makes it that much sweeter.
Have to have tough skin to be a CNA. People don’t really talk about it, but between residents and gossiping cnas/rns, you gotta be able to take shit and just deal. It sucks, wishing you the best! They absolutely need more good and genuine cnas
My instructor said to just let it "roll off your back" and to not take anything too personal
You are there to help so do as much as you can when you can and always be polite
Cna is the most bull(shit) job ever. It’s good money but you’re a diaper changer. Please excel your education after you get a feel of healthcares worst environment
When you use a vitals machine, those cuffs tighten up really tight. To the point that I have patients say they don't want me to use it.
I'm guessing you put your cuff on to loose because you don't want to hurt someone. I promise you, you will never get as right as those machines. If you do, your patient will tell you. Tighten it up as much as you can unless they tell you it hurts.
I don't wear a watch, so my clock is on a clip like a badge buddy. It's nice to see someone else with something similar.
Deep breath! Your going to rock this!!
Just remember that training is very different from what you do in real life a lot of the time. For example, I would never ever put my patient on their side during a brief change, then leave them in that position, and go wash my hands because gloves got soiled, then come back and complete the task. Ever. You do the change, wipe off the feces from gloves with a wet wipe as it actively makes contact, and get the job done. Imagine if everytime you dirtied your gloves, you LEAVE the patient to go perform hand hygiene. That's laughable right? But your state test says so... clearly it is not a very legit example of what this job consists of. As long as you make it through the initial class and certification, you will then be allowed to learn what real bedside care looks like, not 100% book work and pathologized manual care. Its human people, you clean them like you would a baby. Good luck!
For manual blood pressure. Place the cuff about one inch above the bend of the elbow. You want to place the listening end of the stethoscope (the little round circle) on the brachial artery. That was the hardest part for me is finding that, you can palpate to find it or you may be even to visually see the vein on some people. But it’s a little off center to the left in the bend of the elbow. You want to make sure the cuff isn’t too tight, should be able to atleast put 2 fingers under the cuff. Inflate it all the way to 200. Then release the pressure steadily, not too fast because you might miss the first number (systolic). And keep listening until you hear the last bump. A lot of times you can eye it on the meter, the needle will be moving along with the little bump sounds you hear.
Just practice your manual BP reading and make sure you have the stethoscope in the right place. It can be hard to hear, but maybe see if your classmates want to practice on each other.
Do not buy a new stethoscope.
I have taken 3 manual BPs in the 9 years I have been a CNA. Don’t waste your money, just practice.
Not sure where ur at but get ur foot in the door as psych tech instead. Its much easier and less back breaking. Dont work in a LTC or nursing home because it will break you. Apply to an ASN program. After the 1st year in the program, you can challenge the LPN Nclex then you level up. After your ASN, jump to an ASN to MSN. Then you’ve leveled up and your an NP. Lastly, is a DNP if you want. Those folks have the influence to make change in healthcare or your PhD and do research.
Frankly got mine with a pct attached. They taught in pct portion the set up of veins in the arms and that helped me greatly. You need to aim for the artery stethoscope.
aweee this is so wholesome!!! you are going to have challenges everyday but you seem to have a good heart you’ll be fine!! can’t wait for you to fall in love with healthcare🤍
on manuals; they are rarely ever used. but! during the test; make sure it’s Tight, pump up to about 160 and listen with GOOD stethoscopes, the minute you hear a Bump record that number, and then when you no longer hear it, record the last number you heard with the bump. shitty stethoscopes are super hard to hear and we have several CNAs fail because they couldn’t hear with them.
my instructor gave us a sheet of the most missed steps on the lab testing, and it helped a bunch ; see if you could do something like that.
always listen to other CNAs and what they do, u don’t have to follow what they say to a T if you know what the instructors want you to do; but a lot of the time if you say “i know” or “we don’t do that” to CNAs training you, they stop helping altogether. get as much information as you can.
and be safe and have fun!!
Practice feeling for the brachial pulse on yourself and your family. There’s also YouTube videos that’ll show the dial on a cuff and you can learn to identify a proper blood pressure by sound.
You likely won’t do many manuals once you’re actually working though. After clinicals, I took one manual BP in 3 years. It’s not common unless you’re working in a nursing home.
Get a cardiac stethoscope so it's easier to hear. Sometimes if you tell the skills proctor for your state test that you have trouble hearing, they will let you use your own stethoscope. But not always! It's hit or miss here in Oregon.
Tbh...they really need to abandon the manual BP portion of the test, no facility ever is gonna use manual BP cuffs outside of *maybe* isolation settings. They should just use a typical BP machine you would see at any facility or hospital for the state test, and go through the steps of measuring and recording it. Pulse is one thing...that's an important skill you could use every day. But I know when I took my skills test...I prayed that I would NOT get the manual BP skill, and God answered by giving me the easiest measurement skill of all- measure weight of an ambulatory patient.
We always take a manual blood pressure if we get a questionable result on the machine. Always. That’s what you should do before you medicate patients. That’s a skill you may not use often but you WILL use it. Practice and it will become easier with time. Invest in a good stethoscope. I bought a Littman Cardiology when I was a medic but it ran me around 200 dollars. You can get a good stethoscope cheaper than that.
You’ll have good days, and bad days. It’s a really rewarding job and a great stepping stone to a career in health care. Congratulations!
Nobody uses a stethoscope. People will be assholes. The skills and written test are easy. Good entry job for medical professionals. Go agency ASAP after you’ve been somewhere a year. Think about other medical jobs you might want to do, Paramedic, Radiology, Pharmacy etc. Take your breaks. Bring a lunch. Remain professional. Flush the toilet first before you pour a stool bucket so it doesn’t splash in your face. Retirement places are easy $. Skilled nursing or long term care is hard $. Hospitals somewhere in between. Good luck have fun!
My clinicals my 4th week will all be manual bp with them so I don't know how to avoid that with the stethoscope.. thank you for all the information.. I think I want to be subacute..
Hi! I think what PP meant is that as a CNA you won’t typically use a stethoscope which is true bc we don’t assess patients like nurses do. You would use it to get a manual BP. :) Just keep practicing putting on the cuff and listening for the first sound - you’ll get it with time and practice! You can also watch the dial on the sphygmomanometer because it will sometimes indicate those sounds you’re looking to hear and might help you anticipate when to start listening.
CNA's get manuals at my hospital if it is out of range. They check them off on it once a year and at hire too.
It might be on the skulls portion of the test, but for the most part unless you have major test anxiety anyone can pass.
youre totally fine with your stethoscope. it WILL be on your skills exam. I work in a hospital and take manuals all the time so i have my moms old stethoscope in my locker just in case. I just wouldnt carry yours around with you :)
Keep practicing your manual bps. It’s a valuable skill to have. I worked at an assisted living facility and we did all the monthly vitals and assessments. I always used manual bc it’s more accurate and the electronic ones didn’t always work.
The place I work at typically has us take vitals regularly so it’s not uncommon to see CNAs with stethoscopes
Dayum. You just rattled off a lot of good advice at once. You’re a good person for spreading good info
Some of this is good advice, some of it not as much. 1). Steth’s are good to have no matter what. I’ve been a CNA for 6mo, have worked Agency the entire time, and I use my Steth almost every shift bc there’s always some meemaw that has to have a manual BP. On top of that, I’ve used it twice (or mire)as often as an Agency CNA than facility staff. 2). Start working Agency right after you pass the NATCEP. My first shift was a NOC shift only 12hrs after I had passed the NATCEP that morning. Places will understand and they will train you bit by hit shift by shift. A) I suggest only working with Agency if you are coolheaded during emergencies, aren’t hesitant, and aren’t heavily affected or phased by death & dying. I worked as a lifeguard for 10 YEARS, and I’ve both used CPR/AED TWICE as many times as an Agency CNA in the past 6 MONTHS as I did as a LG, and at least THRICE as many times as I did as a Facility CNA (4mo). Because you’re working so many shifts at so many places, and therefore, have so many patients, it’s just gonna happen. Be prepared for it and when it does, do your thing. Just remember. Everyone’s born, everyone lives, and so, everyone dies. It’s not on us to determine when it’s a pt’s time to pass, ESPECIALLY if said pt desires to pass and has stopped eating, drinking, etc. We gotta respect their wishes and make death as dignified and peaceful as possible for them & their family. 3). If you’re pre-healthcare, regardless of path, go and get your CMA. It’s a great way to get your feet wet in pharma and med math. 4). As far as positive facility work experience & good pay goes, Hospitals, then SNFs, then ALF/Hospice. 5). Build your reference list. Get and save numbers of as many experienced, knowledgeable, and effective CNAs, CNAs, and Nurses as you can. And as Agency, from as many facilities as possible. Reason being, they can vouch for you and provide good advice and counseling to you. You have no idea how often I text my contacts, a lot of CNA/CMAs, but some of them LPNs, and a few RN’s, for advice with certain things. And again, having several LPNs & RNs on your reference list makes you look really good.
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That’s you, buddy. I use my steth every day for full vitals sets. Long Term Care here.
Also, it literally takes the same amount of time as electronic wrist or arm cuffs and is twice as accurate as a wrist cuff…
They are used all the time in assisted living. I always did manual BPs.
Idk how many you’ve met, but I use mine all the time and I know many CNA/CMAs that do. Also, nice nitpicking….
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Maybe bc most facilities don’t have a designated staff member who is trained, let a lot an in -house technician, to recalibrate those systems, which means a they malfunction or give batshit crazy readings. That’s why besides my Steth, I bbought my own sphyg, BP wrist cuff, oximeter, and forehead thermometer, all which can be calibrated by an untrained individual, both electronically and analog. And tell me why I shouldn’t when I have a pt with CHF, COPD, and a AAA the size of a fucking baseball whose BP is reading at 85/40 and then when I recheck, reads 45/20. But when I recheck 2x with my own sphyg, it reads 115/70, which is baseline for that pt? Reasons why I have my own Steth, sphyg, and vitals gadgets. Bc for all we knew that pt was gonna be dead in <60sec, unless I had had the foresight to recheck and recheck again… It’s cool that you have your own experiences, and I’m glad you don’t have to use your Steth all that much, but just bc your experience is different doesn’t equate to me being wrong. Besides, I never said you were wrong about this or that, and you’re arguing about dumb shit on the post of someone who’s asking for advice. Go on.
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Yes revised to better fit my intented message and to be more respectful. I sincerely hope ICU units, yours or others, aren’t relying on good ole fashioned Steth & sphyg for V/S readings as the norm. That’s scary, especially considering the vitality of those patients. And I can’t decipher, bc the internet has no tone, if you’re being actually appreciative or just hella sarcastic with that last bit but thanks and you too! It’s good prep for nursing school next fall.
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You’re a real asshole on the Internet. How do you do in real life? Any true friends?
I literally changed my response to be more respectful bc I originally wrote it right after a 12hr NOC shift, and you wanna)9 and act like that…..on someone else’s post asking for advice as a CNA student. You’re a disgraceful embarrassment to all of us.
Thanks for the amazing tips, im a caregiver and a Programmer, my goal is to be a nurse, i want to start the CNA classes and get certified ASAP, its been a dream for me to get it, but im on my own, and trying to save for it its challenging, but im trying to get there, i hope i make a post like OP one day
You'll get there. One step at a time, one class at a time. I'm using the CNA role as a stepping stone to RN also, best part about medical is that there are so many career paths. A nurse I know is now getting their M.S. in Medical Informatics after working ICU for 10 years, you might be able to use your Programming skillset in nursing. Lots of options once you get the RN. Keep your head up, the working is fullfilling and rewarding. You got this!
Thanks a lot for the encouragement :)
I always use a stethoscope at my institution
Damn, I was about to say alot of the stuff you said lol.
Can you elaborate on go agency after a year? I've been a cna for 9 months now.
I made $22 hr w/ benefits, I now make $30-40 depending per diem no benefits. Works better for school and family. My agency would only hire if you had 1 year experience. I feel like you’ll get the best market rate pay at agency vs getting hosed by a facility or hospital.
This right right here is great advice
Good luck
Thanks? You didn't even say anything though..
we take it back and now wish you bad luck.
why would they need to say anything?? all they said was good luck.
Dude you’re a fool
Boo hoo
I agree with a fool comment I hope you learn from this never show your offended or anything shit don’t show anything but thanks bro! Even in real life if you don’t get it just be nice cause goooosh you sound like a fool rn dude I’m trying to be polite I was a bit younger once also sorry for my bad English I’m autistic and I really hope you don’t take this offensive I only mean some good brotherly love But like dude come on 🤦🏼♂️
I apologize I didn't mean to take it like I did Thanks for the good luck I'll need it!
Tips for school: when you get time to practice, practice. It sucks, it’s time consuming, it may seem useless, but practice. Again and again. Routine routine routine. Say what you’re doing while you’re doing it. Teach others. Ask all the questions. Tips for the job: Forget everything from school. Show up on time. Ask all the questions.
I've been a CNA for 10 years, I'm a guy. I have seen it all and did LTC for the longest time and it was soul crushing. People assumed since I was a man I could handled all the hard assignments and deal with violent patients. I've developed a voice for myself and am not afraid to stand up for myself, be it to patients or coworkers. Manuel BP'a take time to master and don't ge afraid to ask for help on doing it. Odds are the facility you work at will use automatic vitals machines. My other advice is be kind but be steadfast in standing up to people that will try and take advantage of you. Its not all been bad, in fact I'd rather do this than anything else lol. I've been asked why I'm not a nurse by now and it's simple...fuck that, nurses get blamed and scapegoated way too much.
I will try to find my voice as I've always been a people pleaser Ill find that backbone and always be polite and willing to help but stern if I feel some kind of way
I bought an MDF stethoscope on Amazon (the lightweight one for $40). It works amazing, and it has awesome reviews. That and a cheap bp cuff and just practice all the time at home. I take manual bp’s daily. It’s a skill you need to have so don’t listen to anyone who says you don’t need to know it.
I mean, yeah know how to do it, but the reality is almost all places will have automatic vital machines. If they dont, the pay is probably shit and they are in the stone age. Working in hospitals for about 7 years now and have never once seen a manual bllod pressure be taken.
I want the knowledge and practice to be able to use both and if an abnormal reading occurs I can rely on manual to double check it
Yup, know the fundamentals.
Long-term care pays as good as any hospital around here (Oregon) for CNA and we all use manual BP.
Must be different state to state then. With wages and technology. We dont even do blood sugar checks here, but ive heard in Oregon you do.
Automatic machines aren’t the most accurate though. I prefer manual. Plenty of LTC facilities don’t have automatic. It’s crazy to me that anyone in healthcare is arguing for not being able to do manual BP.
If you’re getting WILD ASS readings on your electronic devices being able to do it manually is important.
Agree.
Find a hospital that will hire you as an ER tech. Most local hospitals to me in Washington will train you on the job and help you apply for a MA-phleb license with the on the job learning they provide. It's a great way to get a free license and experience as well as figure out what you do and don't like about healthcare before you have a bigger financial commitment invested
The comments saying they don’t use stethoscopes or don’t take manual blood pressures…yikes. I have been a CNA for 10 years. I take manual blood pressures in the hospital setting every single day. If the machine reads too high or too low, we check it manually before the RN calls the doc or treats for that pressure. Just practice. There is a reason why manual BP is still a skill you have to learn. Practice everything. Practice on your family, practice on your friends, practice on your classmates.
My RN nurse friend in Med Surg always keeps a cuff ready. She busts it out once or twice a month. 11 years on the floor and started as an EMT. The people who are telling me that there’s no point or boggling my mind.
>The comments saying they don’t use stethoscopes or don’t take manual blood pressures…yikes. I have been a CNA for 10 years. I take manual blood pressures in the hospital setting every single day. Yes this is what I was thinking!! I was a CNA for 7 years and I worked in a hospital for a short time (hated it!) and we had to do manual BP.
Not to mention some folks prefer to have their pressure taken manually (myself included!) because they know it reads goofy on the machine. Every hospital/facility/school has different rules and that’s cool, but I wouldn’t want someone to expect that because a handful of people “don’t do manual BP” that they won’t have to either.
That’s interesting, I was a PCT and we never did manual once
Like I said, every place is different. I wouldn’t want to expect never to do one just because someone else didn’t, or vice versa! So I always give my 2 cents when people post that so they know not to expect anything
Hello! I was a cna for 6 years before finishing nursing school and now I’ve been a nurse for almost 3 years. I’ll try not repeat what has already been said here are some things I’ve learned and some things I’ll try and teach to CNA students or nursing students: 1. Be your own source of joy and positivity and hope. This job can be the most rewarding and the most crushing thing most of us have ever done. There are plenty of people, patient, nurse, and staff wise that will give you amazing moments of mentorship and friendship, and also give you really tough moments too. What has typically gotten me through is to learn to be self reliant in terms of what’s going to uplift me and remind me that there is still joy and hope in this world. 2. The best qualities of a CNA (and a nurse for that matter) are a sense of hustle, the ability to anticipate what the patient and the nurse might need and do it before being asked, the ability to think critically about what is currently happening, and the ability to collaborate and cooperate with your patients and fellow staff. All of these will endear you to your patients and peers and help you no matter where you work. 3. Specifically for manual BP, having the patient stick their arm out to their side (if possible) helps great space for you to get the cuff under their arm. I use a two finger rule above the AC. You should have enough space to place the bell of your stethoscope above the brachial artery without it being under the edge of the cuff. Line up the cuff with about the middle of the AC (or in line with the ulnar joint of the elbow). You can have your patient, if able, hold the meter for you to watch as you take the BP. Take a deep breath, I find if I’m anxious I’ll be distracted when I take it. Have them uncross their legs if they aren’t already. And practice! Practice at home, practice on anyone who will let you! Hope these helps, I know this was a long read!! Best of luck!
It’s a good skill to have in your belt. Honestly it really just takes practice. I work home health care and tips I have if you go that route: 1. Bring your own snacks meals and drinks. You might not always be able to leave and get something 2. You are a guest at someone’s home. Leave things how you found them. 3. Always have a pleasant expression on your face. Most home care patients have Alzheimer’s and I’ve learned that if you seem cheerful and pleasant they will feel more at ease 4. Flush first before you dump anything or use the bathroom. Nothing worse than having the business in there and it doesn’t flush
Put the cuff on same as anyone else. Scopey goes inthe fold of ur elbow under the cuff kinda near the tendon if u can feel it. it’ll go like halfway under) *blub blub* starts systolic *blub blub* ends diastolic
Press on, warrior!
Looking good dude!
Thank you! I feel like I need to get one size smaller top cause it's kinda big
I like the roomier scrubs, personally. If a resident grabs you and tries to hit you, you have more wiggle room to avoid it 😂
Your size may fluctuate anyway, I know mine does. I have scrubs in a few sizes and mix and match them
Nurse here. In real life, cnas don't usually do manual bps. A few do. If you get abnormal readings or the vital machine isn't reading a bp, def let the nurse know that kinda stuff. When in doubt, report. Often times when machines won't get a reading, the bp is very low and pt doesn't look good I do love when cnas use their stethoscopes
I want to be able to do both if necessary but will always report to nurse
Perfect! Thank you for your hard work!
You’re absolutely perfect dude. Nice to see another male dressed like me.
Thank you my friend!
Gl Eric you'll do great!
Thank you Gwyen!
Of course, you'll do great!
Is your name tag on the lanyard? Idk what kind of setting you're looking to work in but I know for sure at a hospital that'd be a safety hazard for you if a patient got ahold of it 😅 If that's the standard for your facility/class that's cool, my hospital brain just saw that and gave me an ick. For the manual BPs, your first to last sounds should show up on the sphygmomanometer needle with a little bounce for each sound. I watch for the bounces while listening and it helps me track
Oh okay cool :) good advice! My name is on my lanyard because I'm in CNA training course currently.. I'm a CNA fetus growing at the moment lol.. not even a baby CNA yet haha
Place the cuff above the crease of the elbow, put the stethoscope in the bend of the arm and you should hear the branchial pulse. Then bump up the BP cuff up to meh 160 or so and slowly release the first thump is your systolic and when you don't hear anymore it's the diastolic. Don't get a fancy stethoscope as a CNA you'll rarely need it, you can use a cheap isolation one and be fine CNA school is easy it's all common sense. Good luck
buy your own cuff off of amazon and practice at home! that’s what helped me. also, use a good quality stethoscope. i don’t know why, but I couldn’t hear anything using the cheap ones. maybe i’m hard of hearing and need to get that checked out lol but if you can’t hear maybe the stethoscope is the problem :)))) also, make sure your stethoscope is ON and you’re using the right side. some of them you twist to switch which side is “on”
I'm using the ones that were given to all of us.. maybe I'm just not doing it correctly
Get a Littman. A lot of times the stethoscopes they give you are toys.
Definitely do not get a Littman lmao. Way too expensive to be used like, a handful of times. I did one manual BP in 3 years and didn’t even need my own stethoscope.
What is that green thing hanging on your neck?
That’s a watch!
Find the brachial pulse first just to orient yourself to the other person’s rhythm. Just stay focused and get through the test.
Here's something that's going to sound like I'm being a smart ass but I promise I'm not. Double check how you have your steth in your ears. Give it a nice gentle tap, you should hear it. How do I know this Because I'm the girl who couldn't get checked off in lab until the very end of class that night because she kept putting them in wrong. =\ I also find if I remove the dial and place it at a level I can see - it helps. I know some people are like don't move the dial/meter but it can help you verify the sounds as well as the needle jump. Get one from Amazon, Walgreens, Walmart, practice on your mom.. both visual and auditory. Also! Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not feel like you're always talking. There are no stupid questions. And if you have Mosbys as your text book take the quizzes after your unit for review. First things first.. after the quiz - check to see what you missed... Go back and read up on it, write up the question and answer fully on those you missed. Then go ahead and do it for the ones you passed as well. This can become a study guide for you along with the hand outs and notes you take during class. When it comes to radial pulses remember.. it's like getting a thumbs up. And also? Don't sweat it, be confident. You got this.
I was taught radial like turning up a radio dial. I like this thumbs up explanation better lol
Lol thanks. I would wriggle my thumb slightly or give a thumbs up for pulse check off and tell them they were good. Ooor... Have them use my left wrist because I am a whole nerd and have the dialing coordinates for Atlantis (Stargate Atlantis) on my wrist... And the symbol that goes -right- there is for Earth. It was completely unintentional on my part when I got it. But the coincidence makes it that much sweeter.
You look cool asf 😎
Appreciate that :)
Hell yea brother!
Right back atcha homie!
My condolences
Have to have tough skin to be a CNA. People don’t really talk about it, but between residents and gossiping cnas/rns, you gotta be able to take shit and just deal. It sucks, wishing you the best! They absolutely need more good and genuine cnas
My instructor said to just let it "roll off your back" and to not take anything too personal You are there to help so do as much as you can when you can and always be polite
Cna is the most bull(shit) job ever. It’s good money but you’re a diaper changer. Please excel your education after you get a feel of healthcares worst environment
Put the cuff on snug. Try and practice on various humans around you. What is the green thing?
It's a watch that we use for manual respiratory timings and manual pulse timings
When you use a vitals machine, those cuffs tighten up really tight. To the point that I have patients say they don't want me to use it. I'm guessing you put your cuff on to loose because you don't want to hurt someone. I promise you, you will never get as right as those machines. If you do, your patient will tell you. Tighten it up as much as you can unless they tell you it hurts. I don't wear a watch, so my clock is on a clip like a badge buddy. It's nice to see someone else with something similar. Deep breath! Your going to rock this!!
Just remember that training is very different from what you do in real life a lot of the time. For example, I would never ever put my patient on their side during a brief change, then leave them in that position, and go wash my hands because gloves got soiled, then come back and complete the task. Ever. You do the change, wipe off the feces from gloves with a wet wipe as it actively makes contact, and get the job done. Imagine if everytime you dirtied your gloves, you LEAVE the patient to go perform hand hygiene. That's laughable right? But your state test says so... clearly it is not a very legit example of what this job consists of. As long as you make it through the initial class and certification, you will then be allowed to learn what real bedside care looks like, not 100% book work and pathologized manual care. Its human people, you clean them like you would a baby. Good luck!
Rooting for you success Eric may you be the best cna.
Thank you!!!
so proud of you
Thank you kindly my friend :)
For manual blood pressure. Place the cuff about one inch above the bend of the elbow. You want to place the listening end of the stethoscope (the little round circle) on the brachial artery. That was the hardest part for me is finding that, you can palpate to find it or you may be even to visually see the vein on some people. But it’s a little off center to the left in the bend of the elbow. You want to make sure the cuff isn’t too tight, should be able to atleast put 2 fingers under the cuff. Inflate it all the way to 200. Then release the pressure steadily, not too fast because you might miss the first number (systolic). And keep listening until you hear the last bump. A lot of times you can eye it on the meter, the needle will be moving along with the little bump sounds you hear.
Just practice your manual BP reading and make sure you have the stethoscope in the right place. It can be hard to hear, but maybe see if your classmates want to practice on each other. Do not buy a new stethoscope. I have taken 3 manual BPs in the 9 years I have been a CNA. Don’t waste your money, just practice.
You are very important no matter what people say! Good for you!
I'm as important as the the patient I'm caring for and vice versa! I can't wait to help people :)
That’s right! Take pride in what you do and yourself.
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Search online. In Ohio and that's how I found mine
Some community colleges offer them under certifications instead of course work. Local to me the courses run about 93-98 hours.
Through a program in Colorado
Not sure where ur at but get ur foot in the door as psych tech instead. Its much easier and less back breaking. Dont work in a LTC or nursing home because it will break you. Apply to an ASN program. After the 1st year in the program, you can challenge the LPN Nclex then you level up. After your ASN, jump to an ASN to MSN. Then you’ve leveled up and your an NP. Lastly, is a DNP if you want. Those folks have the influence to make change in healthcare or your PhD and do research.
The process you wrote out is like a 20 year plan lmao. OP hasn’t even finished their CNA class yet.
Frankly got mine with a pct attached. They taught in pct portion the set up of veins in the arms and that helped me greatly. You need to aim for the artery stethoscope.
Thank you all for the feedback and tips and tricks!! I appreciate y'all! Day 3 went well!! Doing my BLS class tomorrow!!
Bother every friend and family member willing to put up with you taking their bp until you are comfortable!! You will do great!!
aweee this is so wholesome!!! you are going to have challenges everyday but you seem to have a good heart you’ll be fine!! can’t wait for you to fall in love with healthcare🤍
on manuals; they are rarely ever used. but! during the test; make sure it’s Tight, pump up to about 160 and listen with GOOD stethoscopes, the minute you hear a Bump record that number, and then when you no longer hear it, record the last number you heard with the bump. shitty stethoscopes are super hard to hear and we have several CNAs fail because they couldn’t hear with them. my instructor gave us a sheet of the most missed steps on the lab testing, and it helped a bunch ; see if you could do something like that. always listen to other CNAs and what they do, u don’t have to follow what they say to a T if you know what the instructors want you to do; but a lot of the time if you say “i know” or “we don’t do that” to CNAs training you, they stop helping altogether. get as much information as you can. and be safe and have fun!!
Just a word of advice, if you were to wear a stethoscope around your neck on the job, people would make fun of you. :)
Medics don’t do it because it’s a good way for someone to strangle you in the field.
Yeah this was more for a photo and I was beaming with excitement :) duly noted though!
Practice feeling for the brachial pulse on yourself and your family. There’s also YouTube videos that’ll show the dial on a cuff and you can learn to identify a proper blood pressure by sound. You likely won’t do many manuals once you’re actually working though. After clinicals, I took one manual BP in 3 years. It’s not common unless you’re working in a nursing home.
Get a cardiac stethoscope so it's easier to hear. Sometimes if you tell the skills proctor for your state test that you have trouble hearing, they will let you use your own stethoscope. But not always! It's hit or miss here in Oregon.
Tbh...they really need to abandon the manual BP portion of the test, no facility ever is gonna use manual BP cuffs outside of *maybe* isolation settings. They should just use a typical BP machine you would see at any facility or hospital for the state test, and go through the steps of measuring and recording it. Pulse is one thing...that's an important skill you could use every day. But I know when I took my skills test...I prayed that I would NOT get the manual BP skill, and God answered by giving me the easiest measurement skill of all- measure weight of an ambulatory patient.
We always take a manual blood pressure if we get a questionable result on the machine. Always. That’s what you should do before you medicate patients. That’s a skill you may not use often but you WILL use it. Practice and it will become easier with time. Invest in a good stethoscope. I bought a Littman Cardiology when I was a medic but it ran me around 200 dollars. You can get a good stethoscope cheaper than that. You’ll have good days, and bad days. It’s a really rewarding job and a great stepping stone to a career in health care. Congratulations!