Consider Me Entertained...

Today I was surprised to have a voice mail from my CNA instructor informing me to read 4 chapters for Monday (thanks for the update!) and that no scrubs are required the first day (bummer!). It looks like I am going to have to hit the ground running. :) I am so excited actually, and thankful that God has His timing right for my cold (I would so rather be sick this week than next!) that I am slowly starting to get over...I think.  I had already read the first 1 1/2 chapters of my textbook just out of excitement (I know, I know nerd alert here!), so I am already almost done with the required reading today. The textbook is pretty dry, but it is still exciting to put myself in those Nurse Assistant shoes as I read. I have to admit though that my sarcasm has gone into hyper-drive. Every time I read rules that seem like such common sense, I think to myself wow, you actually have to put this one in writing? Does that mean someone was stupid enough (and by stupid I mean insanely moronic) enough to require this becoming a rule? For example, I now consider myself well-informed of the following things that I cannot do as a CNA:

• hit, push or pinch a patient
• restrain a patient
• withhold food from a patient
• remark about a patient's genitals (wow, really??)
• distribute pornographic material (including explicit cartoons)
• diagnose a patient
• use profanity or racial slurs

There were plenty of other don'ts, but I found these to be pretty comical and no duh kind of things. I also particularly liked the section on my hygiene and the fact that bathing and brushing my teeth daily is necessary to instill confidence in the patients of myself as a professional. Consider me entertained. On the other-hand  all joking aside I have learned about patient rights and my scope of practice as a CNA, the things I can and cannot do, and a code of ethics in healthcare that is right up my alley "Life is considered precious. Death is a natural process of life, and in the case of impending death, comfort and dignity shall be of the utmost concern." I love it!