Two years ago I was working as a CNA on the 2nd floor of Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Hospital.
We worked mostly with Knee and Hip surgeries but, our floor also specialized in Quads and
Paraplegics (sp?). I'm 26 and have been an aid for almost 10 years...ya'll do the math. I love
working in hospitals.
The nurses have always loved me. I get what needs to be done done, on time, and correctly the
first time. My parents are both nurses and I grew up around it. They would've killed me if I
turned out to be one of those lazy aids who wasn't worth their weight in dead clown shit.
This has been a problem for me at times though. You see I have 'such a mouth' on me and I
know I am the bomb, baby, yeah. So when I feel as if I've been dumped on or am being taken
advantage of I speak my mind...Especially if I'm in the right! I hate to say that when work is
concerned I usually am.
We had two head nurses (yeah, go ahead and make the joke...It is funny and I've always
enjoyed it). The one nurse I absolutely loved and the other was a complete bitch. They both
loved me. And why not, they never had to tell me it was time for my rounds as I was already in
the midst of doing them. If they needed a blood pressure on a hard patient they didn't have to
worry either. Even if I had to grab the Doppler to get a pulse I could get an accurate
reading...So they didn't have to double check my work. Even if I wasn't their aid I would lend a
hand...I learned early if you offer help, help will be given back to you and it creates a buddy
system when you're having a bad night. My rooms were always clean and I could run circles
around most of them.
Needles to say when I have had a problem I have people to back me up because nobody wants
me to quit, LOL. Even the patients loved me because I bent over backwards for them if they
did what they needed to do.
I had only worked there for about 4 months when we got a new nurse. She was right out of
Nursing School but, I must say she was not very green. Yeah, she did have some things to learn
but, she had the knowledge and the determination to get things done. One thing about her
though...She had cerebral Palsy (sp? God, I hate spelling...I should go on to be a doctor, lol) and
was slower than some of the nurses. She wasn't a sever case but, she walked with a limp and
had to do some things differently. It didn't bother me...She got things done and though it took a
few more minutes they were done properly. That's all I've ever been concerned about...Doing
things right.
The other aids and nurses were bitching about her "slowness" the one night as we walked the
"mile" to and from the adjoining hospital's cafeteria. I got pissed off. First off, if you're going to
talk shit on someone you should have the balls to do it where they can defend themselves and
not snickering behind their backs. Second not one of them was bitching about anything that
made any kind of difference as to her performing her job.
So I said as much...And shame on them for kicking someone with a disability. After all we
worked at a rehab center to help people function with their disabilities and yet they are making
fun and bitching about a nurse who can do her job with just such a disability?! They should be
praising her accomplishments because I know that several of the bitches talking smack about
her couldn't do their damned job right if it weren't for the rest of the bitches kicking in. And
here this other nurse is doing it all by herself and correctly.
They all just looked at me and no one spoke another word for the remainder of the walk. Hell, I
didn't care...They did need to think about it.
So when we got back to the floor I took "the nurse" outside and ate lunch with her. It turns out
we're both Librans and share a lot of stuff incommon. We've talked ever since...Her husband is
just like mine even.
I just got done talking with her, as a matter of fact, which prompted this post.
She had to have surgery on her leg again for her "CP" and now they've found some sort of
tumor on her ovary. She has to wait about a week before they find out if it is cancerous or not.
So I'll be heading over there for some margaritas and a shoulder to cry on tonight. Please hope
with me that it is not cancer. This woman is the one who talked me into going back to school to
get my RN and I owe her a lot. Mostly the fact that she showed me her paycheck one night and
I about fainted...Which is what made my mind up to head back to school. Yeah, I definitely want
to make about $2000 every two weeks because my husband doesn't make even as much as the
one paycheck for the whole month and we're stretching it across him, myself, and our two
children's living expenses. Sad but, it was what motivated me to go back to school...My goal is to
not have to worry about "getting the bills paid" and "having grocery money left over" and "gas
money left over." That and I'm so poor that the government is giving me all the grant and
scholarship money I need to go to school.
Hey Babs, Rathwel, Ya'll should see if you qualify for some grants and stuff...Yeah school sucks
but it means more money! Just a thought.