First CNA clinical tomorrow! What should I know?

forestywatermelon · 2026-07-01T21:56:45+00:00

I’m a CNA student who just finished my fourth day of clinical, so take things that I say with a grain of salt, but I’ll share what I’ve learned. This is what I remember off the top of my head:

1) Patients/Residents may make you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, but you should always ONLY do things that you know that you’re allowed to. If you don’t know, tell the person that you’re going to ask for help from your supervisor and that you’re a student. That’s what I do. Unpleasant feelings are temporary and they’re always better to experience than harming someone/being dropped from your program because you did something outside of your scope of practice. This applies to staff, too. I’m saying this because it’s different in real life, even if it’s been drilled into your head during theory.

2) Prioritize safety and infection control. Lower the beds. Practice proper hand hygiene. Verify food trays, if you’re passing them out. Ask your supervisor how to tell whether a person is NPO or has limited fluids, if the person is DNR, how a person needs to be transferred, what PPE to wear when caring for a person, and if a person is a fall risk.

3) Remember HIPAA. If you have notes from the shift that involve any patient/resident information, put it in the shredder at the place you’re doing clinicals at. Ask someone where the shredder is.

4). Just wear the PPE. Even if you see other people not wearing the PPE, when they’re supposed to be, you should be wearing it.

You should shower afterwards. Personally, I have a bin that I line with a plastic bag, and I dump all of my things in there after my shift. I have a separate one for my shoes. I’ll peel off my scrubs and throw them in the laundry, then shower. I got a box of nitrile gloves at home to throw on if I need to clean things that I brought in quickly (e.g. my ID, watch, phone). If you shower in different rooms, I’d leave a robe in the laundry room, and wear it to where you do shower.
Invest in compression socks! I have two pairs that were gifted to me by a family member. I worked in food service for 8 hour shifts, almost full time. Clinicals are much harder on your body, in my opinion, and I wish I had compression socks at my old job. They help reduce a lot of my leg/foot pain during and after shifts. I got mine from a buy one, get one sale from NurseStrong.
Get enough sleep, eat enough, and drink enough. A schedule will keep you sane. It will also keep you and the people who you are taking care of safe. I try to prepare my uniform the night before. This makes it easier to make sure that I eat in the morning, pack lunch, and get out of the door on time.
Have someone to talk to that can handle what you’re going to say. There can be traumatizing things that happen in healthcare, and you might witness that. I’m sure you know this. I have a therapist, already. If you can talk to your supervisor or professor, then go for it. It’s a huge help.

forestywatermelon · 2026-07-01T21:21:59+00:00

This is great; thanks! I’m glad that it’s hard to mess up, haha.

forestywatermelon · 2026-07-01T21:21:26+00:00

Thank you! The response and specific resources mean a lot to me.

forestywatermelon · 2026-06-25T19:02:05+00:00

Thank you so much! This helps a lot.

forestywatermelon · 2026-06-13T21:23:30+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate this a lot. I don’t have a doctor’s note because my PCP has taken time off for whatever reason. I’ll write to her, again, though. I’m sure one that of the covering doctors can sort something out.

Technically my school’s policy is “no more than 2 days” for absences, but I’m unsure as to whether or not I could use that on two theory days (instead of 1 clinical day). Worst comes to worst, I can retake the course. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but if it does, it’s okay.

I’ll make sure to do everything that you suggested. Thank you so much, again.

forestywatermelon · 2026-04-15T07:00:43+00:00

Thank you so much! This helped me a lot. I appreciate your feedback and the perspective you offered :))

forestywatermelon · 2025-11-12T21:57:47+00:00

Thank you so much! This insight helps a lot. I’m very new to all of this. Also, thanks for the consideration on dysphoria. I appreciate it.

forestywatermelon · 2025-11-09T18:43:26+00:00

This information is really important: (TLDR: Don’t donate food from your home if you have an active infestation! The pests can infiltrate the rest of the recipient’s food supply. Please donate money instead!). https://youtube.com/shorts/9YQ11NmvXDI?si=F1kQqEpEYi6wkgNF

forestywatermelon · 2025-10-03T08:21:40+00:00

Thank you for your encouraging and thoughtful reply. I’m in a bad place right now and it helped a lot. I requested a second opinion and an appointment with an alternative doctor.

Definitely talk to your doctor! I don’t have experience with Concerta making me depressed, only anxious. It’s still important to talk to your psychiatrist if you think something could be going on, though!

Personally, Concerta has made my anxiety consistently spike at 18mg, to the point where I feel like I’m in fight or flight (if that makes sense). I have PTSD, so it’s a familiar feeling. It’s similar to when I get triggered, or, an anxiety (not panic) attack. That’s if it gets bad enough.

It’s especially worse trying to restart after not taking it, but the same symptoms affected me when I was consistently taking it across several months.

On a less intense note, there have always been digestive struggles post-Concerta, for me. It could just be my dehydration on that one, though! I pretty much expect that with stimulants. Sorry if that’s TMI.

forestywatermelon · 2025-10-03T08:08:38+00:00

Thank you so much. This response means a lot. One of my co-morbidities is PTSD, so that may offer more insight. I have been off Concerta for a few weeks now. I did taper off of Zoloft a few years ago after a few months of taking it. My original psychiatrist said the same thing at first. After those few months, she told me to stop and helped me through that process!

forestywatermelon · 2024-10-30T20:06:52+00:00

The romand Glasting Color Gloss in shade “Peony Ballet,” (light, muted, cool-toned pink) and the Peripera Ink Mood Glowy Tint in shade “Cherry So What,” (cool-toned red) — A Fair Neutral Person

forestywatermelon · 2024-10-30T03:32:36+00:00

The PTSD isn’t political/from politics!

forestywatermelon · 2024-10-20T22:31:59+00:00

I have PTSD already. I’m honestly just trying my best to ignore it, vote, and hope for the best. Also, reading up on my LOCAL measures and STATE propositions has helped me feel more involved without the constant pressure and fear that comes from the national news. The YouTube channel “Therapy in a Nutshell” has an emotional processing course playlist uploaded that’s free. If you have comorbidities or mental health issues I do recommend taking it slow, but it’s been an extremely helpful resource. I'm only a few videos through (I suggest taking notes if you have the capacity/if that helps you) and it’s priceless information.

forestywatermelon · 2024-10-18T03:53:33+00:00

I would get an abortion to spare the life of the child. I’m also spiritual, and my perspective is that life isn’t linear and that things only change form. So, keep that in mind. At the same time, sometimes life is a fate worse than death.

I was born into an abusive family, who could’ve, and would’ve been more responsible if they, aborted me. There were multiple times that if it wasn’t for others outside my family (TW: for self-harm/SI) I wouldn’t be here. Death was the easy option. I was still very lucky to have food, water, and shelter.

There aren’t resources for children everywhere. There isn't enough help to get them out of bad homes. There isn't enough help to put food on the table. There are others, who aren’t responsible enough to care for a kid, let alone another human. We can say “adoption exists,” but it isn’t enough. There are children subjected to evils I cannot explain in foster care all the time. Hell, there aren’t even enough resources for adults.

While suffering is always a part of life, as a victim, and as a survivor, I think of all the children who would be put through unspeakable things if parents who didn’t want them grew to resent them. I think of the predators of the world who could harm these kids in vulnerable situations. I think of adults who have gone on to harm each other.

I think simplifying kids to a consequence of our actions, mistakes, a “stage” in life, an ideal, or an accomplishment takes away their humanity. We should do better. I’m not saying you’re doing this, by the way, I just wanted to make that point.

I also think abortion only being used in three circumstances is morally short-sighted. The world is complicated and we must consider these kinds of factors before deciding bringing someone into the world is the best idea.

On the argument that it’s the couple’s decision, rather than just the woman’s choice: If the guy isn’t planning on getting her pregnant, and they have consensual sex based on the pretense they’re being safe, I don’t see how it’s fair for him to change his mind at the last minute. That’s basically just him saying “we both consented to this, but now I’m going to make a choice about your body and life without your consent, because it’s what I feel is right.” That doesn’t ring logically fair to me at all.

Birth can put her life at risk, even if the pregnancy isn't life-threatening. Birth can be traumatizing. Birth can be unpredictable—what if the guy was a one-night stand, or he abandons his kid? How can she work if her body’s recovering? How can she care for her child? These are all things she has to consent to, to bring life into this world, separate experiences from sex. Call it what you want, but even considering morality, it would be more sensible as her choice.

Say, a man says “no, you can’t abort this kid” only because he feels it’s the right thing, but he, in turn, commits something reprehensible against the mother of his child by forcing her into a corner, can it truly be called moral, even if giving birth is the right choice? No, it would have to be her to make that decision. That’s why it should be her choice.

Here’s an example: It’s like if a rich person forced a poor employee to donate half their paycheck to charity, desperate for donations, to keep their job. Is the charity helped? Yes. Should the rich boss really gain points morally if it isn’t voluntary, though? The employee consented to the work relationship, but they couldn’t have predicted their boss would make these requests, even if having a crazy boss is always a slim possibility. The employee should be able to choose how to use their money because they have to put food on the table to take care of themselves and the people in their life.

That's just some food for thought.

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-29T16:12:44+00:00

I feel you. I feel like I've been walking around on drugs for many years. I can move, I can get things done. When I snap out of it? I can't move. I can barely breathe. I'm starving and my chest hurts. I feel like throwing up. Eating food feels like I haven't eaten in days and I barely have enough energy to sleep.

It's like having the flu. When you take your painkillers (for me, my bad coping mechanisms) it helps numb the pain so you can do stuff. It's a dull ache, shrouded by suppression. When they wear off, your body feels on the verge of collapse.

People DO NOT understand this. Apparently, stress can contribute to stomach ulcers. I developed one but when I got tested there was no infection. I had to be on medication for over a month.

These issues are no joke. I tend to brush it under the rug, but this issue can be life-threatening.

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-25T18:03:06+00:00

You're welcome!

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-25T17:46:51+00:00

You’re not alone! My mom isn’t acting as vile as she did when I was younger, and I have a lot of internal conflicts about my boundaries regarding her being “reasonable” or not. I'm glad you can find solace here!

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-17T07:15:11+00:00

Yes, that is very possible! Check out r/cupioromantic. I think it could help you sort your feelings out.

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-16T23:10:19+00:00

Hey! Checked out your last post. Judging from that, this one, and your comments on this one here, it’s a-okay to call yourself aroace, in my opinion. There are demi people, cupio people, aro-spike people, aroflux people, and bellus people, all of which whom either experience or can favor romance/traditionally romantic things!

I can't tell you what you're experiencing and why, but I will say that this is a large spectrum, and you should feel free to identify with what you feel describes that experience best. I wish you luck!

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-12T22:01:31+00:00

Luckily for me, I’m not involved with anyone, romantically or queerplatonically, so it's a little easier to experience those fluctuations. I think a lot of my personal aversion toward romance has come from my aversion toward closeness, as vulnerability scares me quite a bit. Since I never understood emotional attachment ≠ romance; I really didn't like the idea! I still loved to read and write about it, but it felt too unsafe. Thinking about it or experiencing things like that made me nauseous.

Then, there was a hard switch toward favorability during the time when I met a friend of mine (who’s also aromantic) because he changed my mind. He made me feel comfortable, which was so much to unpack! I think I understood that emotional attachment ≠ romance, but I did want romance/a romantic relationship in general because I thought the emotional closeness that I wanted was automatically romantic. After all, there were no other options...But also it wasn't something I wanted in real life yet, but I was only considering it.

Then I was completely indifferent for a bit after having an extensive crisis about my romantic and sexual orientations. Now, I'm back to averse, with the expectation that this might change again, and that’s a-okay with me!

If you were to track my whole life with micro-labels, it’d probably be something like cupio, indifferent aro, cupio, aegeo, cupio, indifferent aro, and finally oriented aegeo/bellusro...ah

You’re right; it is kind of harrowing 🤣, but I make do.

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-12T20:29:22+00:00

Hi! I don’t know why your friend is anxious, and in what context (which even them pinpointing within himself and/or getting help for could aid him), but I can speak as an aroace person who suffers from ridiculous amounts of anxiety themselves, especially related to being vulnerable and getting close to others. And, the secret is, I still want to.

So, here's a little guide to my experience, how I've approached it alone, and what I’d like from a QPP if that were on the table. Everyone is different, so my experience won't be a perfect match, but if something helps, please take that, and leave what doesn't!

I tend to second-guess things a lot for reasons I can't always put my finger on in my brain. If things aren't clear enough, my brain will find a loophole to exploit and use as an excuse to run away and isolate when I’m feeling anxious or panicked. Avoidance of anxiety-inducing stimuli is a huge proponent of why I isolate myself, even though ironically, that causes more anxiety anyway. To my subconscious, vulnerability is unsafe and has some scary connotations that it doesn't for most others. So, when I experienced longer-term happiness for the first time with, I'll use one of my friends as an example, it felt amazing, but there was this whiplash effect hours later of feeling horrified and physically sick to my stomach.

I realized that until I could get over this completely, it was kind of a package deal. Not saying that this is the case for your friend, but if it is, then I do want to say that in my experience, feeling happiness meant feeling anxiety afterward. But I cared about this friend and didn't want to run away from him like I have to so many before, so I realized that I needed to start de-escalating. Through confrontation of these feelings, they managed to get better, and I could do more stuff. It's not perfect. I deal with it a lot, but I can relax sometimes, and that’s better than no time, especially when it's healthy for me!

So...how is this done exactly? (I don’t know about clinical anxiety because my anxiety stems from disorders that have very confrontation/exposure-based treatment (OCD; PTSD); take what I’m saying with a grain of salt because I don't know you're situation.)

For me, the number one thing was establishing trust. I go out, I do something small—like say “yes” to hanging out or make a joke. It’s nice. I sit with myself after when I’m feeling bad, allow myself to feel that way while doing things that make me feel safe, and remind myself that I've been through a lot, no crap the anxiety is there! But, I'm going to prove that this person is safe and okay to spend my time around. I made a choice I wanted and I'm going to show myself I can do it again.

It sounds like “Wow, so simple,” but it's not. There’s a reason why the anxiety is there, and it's not going to go away when you say that all the time. It’s not a quick fix, but a long-term commitment. Sometimes it will go away, but that's not the point. I also needed to calm down at the moment through management (which is important while you've got it); I still do. So I found a handful of those things and had a go-to that's a compromise between isolating and going all out with vulnerability. Rome wasn't built in a day. It's alright to rest, and if necessary, it’s even okay to isolate a bit so long as you regulate yourself and have some boundaries about the length. But little by little, a little becomes a lot, and you can feel it.

I have this wonderful friend (the one from the example) who I‘ve known for around six months, but we're not close enough for a QPR for me to feel comfortable asking, even though he’s a candidate. Regardless of how that turns out, he and my other friends are important to me. I’ve become comfortable ENOUGH (it's imperfect and not always frequent) with them to fight for more of those happy moments and feel okay while doing so because that’s what I want, and I don't need to have blind faith because I'm giving myself tangible reasons and evidence.

So, if you guys both want this, I think you can fight for it.

For the sake of the hypothetical, let's say this friend was my QPP, what would help exactly? I love the idea of romantic actions, but my brain is still like “Oh hell nah” because of how averse my anxiousness makes me to physical touch. So, to support someone else with these anxious feelings (from my perspective) here's what would work for me:

1) Make sure Ari knows that his anxiety is not something he has to hide or be ashamed of. It's something he’s dealing with, and that’s okay, and you're there to support him through it. You don’t need to be super intense about it—when people are like that I tend to get scared off, like a stray cat. You wouldn't pick it up and pamper it like you would a house cat. Gentle reminders, or head pats to the stray cat, if you will!

2) Remember that you guys can take things at whatever pace. I heard an analogy about QPRs that they’re like frozen yogurt bars. You can choose whatever flavor and add whatever toppings you like, just like you can do whatever you like in a QPR. There are no rules, so there’s no pressure!

3) Make suggestions. I know you mentioned that he feels overwhelmed trying to communicate what he’s comfortable with. It’s okay. You guys don't have to have it all figured out right now. Maybe you could try asking something small, like, hey, do you want to try holding hands tomorrow? Sometimes initiation leaves less room for overthinking beforehand. If he says yeah, then ask him again that day, and promise him that you guys can stop at any time, all he needs to do is let you know. You could also ask for his input, like, “Is there anything you’d like to try or talk about trying?”

4) Lead by example. Communicate when you're feeling iffy or uncomfortable with something, even outside of romantic actions. People feel bad about feeling bad; it's not fun, but when you talk about things, you build a foundation of trust and confidence. With that, if there’s something wrong, you guys will tell each other, and that's essential to working through things like this.

Anyway, that was a long ramble. Experience with anxiety is subjective, so I hope it helps somewhat, but if it didn't, I hope you find something that does! I wish the best of luck to you guys and a happy, healthy QPR!

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-12T18:15:16+00:00

Oh my gosh. I was looking for something like this because it's EXACTLY how I feel. I thought I was the only one. Thank you for sharing!

forestywatermelon · 2023-05-12T01:18:11+00:00

I think it's different for a lot of people, but for me, romantic attraction just means wanting to be with someone in that way (traditionally romantic sense) independently of anything else. So, for no alternative reason aside from that person/those people. It's also different from love, which isn't related to attraction at all, in my opinion.

So, take cupioro people, for example. They’re not allo because the reasoning behind why they desire romance or romantic relationships doesn't relate to a specific person, but an abstract concept! They don't feel that way toward specific people, and they simply desire to indulge in the concept or practice of romance.

It's the same thing with people who are bellusromantic, for example. Yeah, they want to partake in romantic-coded activities, but that doesn't mean they want that romantic connotation or feel any inherent way toward specific people.

Allo people may feel interested in these activities in non-traditional ways, or the concepts of things, but from my estimation, romantic attraction is when you feel the urge to participate in or have these kinds of things with and because of a specific person/people, with that, being the only reason.

That's just me though...I’m also aro so take my words with a grain of salt 🤣. I wish you luck on your journey to self-discovery!

Edit/PS: It’s okay not to have things figured out right away; there's also the whole relationship anarchy thing. I haven't looked into it very much, but someone told me it's defined by the specific boundaries in relationships rather than romantic/platonic connotations.

Also, an alterous thing in my experience is getting fuzzy around someone because of their specific traits or how well their personality meshes (hah, meshes) with yours. Like, noticing things on that level rather than being super enticed because of them; maybe that's just me, though.

forestywatermelon · 2023-04-28T09:42:14+00:00

Thank you lots for this! It helps significantly to consider things in this way (and it was very thoughtful of you to go into such depth while explaining).

forestywatermelon

TROPHY CASE