I Hate Being a CNA | What CNA Burnout is Like in 2024

Hi guys, we generously usher you to an enlightening read on why I hate being a CNA.

Certified nurse aides, who provide much of the hands-on patient care in hospitals and long-term care facilities, face a severe burden. 

In this article, you’ll understand what CNA burnout is and what it takes to heal from job burnout.

Here’s a short highlight of the items you’ll learn in this post:

• CNA Burnout (What it is and How to Prevent it)
• Causes of CNA Burnout
• Consequences of CNA Burnout
• How to Avoid and Stop CNA Burnout
• Real-life CNA struggles

Let’s get this fascinating article started without further ado!

What is CNA Burnout?

Nurses’ aides, also known as certified nursing assistants, give basic nursing care to patients in nursing homes, hospitals, and other long-term care institutions. 

They’re in charge of assisting patients with daily tasks like eating, dressing, exercising, and maintaining basic hygiene. 

They’re frequently the first point of contact between employees and patients. 

CNAs bear a significant amount of care and mental health ailments resulting from this. 

Burnout can occur when employees are forced to do more with fewer resources regularly. 

Finding ways to avoid burnout as a CNA is critical to providing quality care and avoiding emotional relapse.

Staff members and co-workers become jaded and cynical, lose efficiency and devotion to the patients, and are more likely to quit or take sick days. 

Only 28% of nursing assistants continue in their professions for five years or longer, according to the NNCNA (National Network of Career Nursing Assistants), and only 12.6 percent stay for ten years or longer.

Causes of CNA Burnout

A jumble of factors can cause job burnout:

• Lack of command. Job burnout can occur when you cannot influence decisions that affect your jobs, such as your schedule, workload, and assignments. A shortage of the resources you need to complete your assignment could also be a factor.

• Expectations for the post are unclear. You are unlikely to feel at ease at work if you are unsure about your level of authority or what your supervisor or others expect of you.

• Workplace dynamics that aren’t working. Perhaps you work with a bully in the company, coworkers undercut you, or your employer micromanages your projects. This can add to work-related stress.

• Extremes of physical exertion. When working in a boring or hectic environment, it takes a lot of energy to stay focused, leading to exhaustion and job burnout.

• Social support is lacking. You may be more stressed if you feel isolated at work and in your personal life.

• Work-life balance is a problem. You may easily burn out if your work consumes so much of your time and effort that you don’t have the energy to spend time with your family and friends.

CNA Burnout Symptoms You Should Know

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Burnout is an occupational condition that affects workers in various industries and affects 12–27.3% of the active population.

Burnout is characterized by growing physical and mental tiredness, emotions of cynicism, alienation, unfavorable attitudes toward the workplace, and a reduction in professional efficacy as a result of the work environment.

Consider the following questions:

• Have you gotten jaded or pessimistic at work?

• Do you dread going to work and finding it difficult to get started?

• Have your co-workers or patients made you angry or impatient?

• Do you lack the stamina to be productive regularly?

• Do you have trouble concentrating?

• Are you dissatisfied with your accomplishments?

• Are you dissatisfied with your job?

• Are you relying on food, drugs, or alcohol to make you feel better or feel nothing?

• Have your sleeping patterns shifted?

• Do you suffer from stomach or intestinal issues, undiagnosed headaches, or other physical ailments?

You might be experiencing job burnout if you responded yes to these questions. 

Consult a doctor or a mental health practitioner if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, as they could be related to a medical issue like depression.

Risk Factors of CNA Burnout

The following factors may cause CNA burnout:

• You have a lot on your plate and work a lot of hours

• You’re having trouble managing your work-life ratios and striking a balance

• You work in a field that helps people, such as health care. However, meeting so many people with different health problems can wear you down quickly.

• You have the impression that you have little or no influence over your work or that the quality of care you provide is substandard.

CNA Struggles (Job-related Challenges)

Let’s relay the tale of a CNA who experienced burnout.

“I’ve worked as a certified nursing assistant for two years and as a home health aide for three years. This is my first time experiencing burnout. I wondered if I’d made the incorrect caregiver career choice (I’m a nursing student) and why I no longer want to be a CNA.

I was employed at a nursing home with a negative reputation yet paid well. In addition, I was making $6 more per hour than at my previous job working as a nursing assistant. So I decided that regardless of the healthcare facility’s reputation, I needed the money.

I received poor instruction from a healthcare professional on my first workday. The nurse aide continued about her work, assuming I was familiar with the care facility and its staffing. Instead, she kept complaining about how she needed to train me. 

They attempted to place me in a psychiatric facility where I had never worked before, with no additional aid or training on my second workday. When I declined and stated that I would not work in the hall without an Aid, the registered nurse advised me to seek employment at Walmart.

They had to transfer a CNA from another hall to work in that one. Unfortunately, due to my school schedule, I only worked weekends and had been there for about two months, and I had no idea where the nearest supplier was or a thing about my work environment! 

Whenever I inquired, whoever I was dealing with would dispatch me to provide patient care and obtain everything I required. I’m not complaining about providing patient care, but knowing where to find the supply closet is necessary.

Every shift, I was rotated to a new hall/side of a hall or the unit. I didn’t have an exact protocol for anywhere other than the unit because this institution used two CNAs per hall, one for each side of the hall.

I was working in a hall where I had previously worked, but on the opposite side, I had previously learned. The CNA in the corridor where I worked requested if I could assist her with a 2-assist. When I attempted to assist her, my back completely gave out, and I collapsed. 

Fortunately, she could sustain the patient’s weight and complete the transfer without my assistance. I went to the nurse in tears, explaining that I needed to fill out an incident report and that I needed to get to the hospital right now.

“That patient is meant to be hoyered only,” LPN interrupted me as I relaid what had transpired. I mentioned to her that I was still in training and had only worked that hall once before; she refused to fill out the report, threatening to “kiss my career goodbye” if I proceeded and that I should have requested the assignment sheet.

I never charted throughout my two months at this institution since the other aids insisted they’d take care of it, and despite my requests for assignment sheets, I was only given verbal directives. 

They also forced me to complete the last 5 hours of my 12-hour shift. Then, finally, they threatened to put me on trial if I left. After that, they stopped scheduling me due to my injury, then brought me back to the schedule after a month, with no call and no show.

I was tired of being a CNA. I burned out after two months at an institution with a negative reputation in a field where I had previously felt pleased and loved. After a year and a half of hard work, I was on the verge of dropping out of college because I thought I was heading on the wrong path.”

Burnout is common among CNAs for the following reasons:

• Poor training

• insufficient staffing

• Low aid to patient ratio

• Lack of respect or mistreatment from staff/superiors

• Wear and tear on the body

• Usually being underpaid

• Typically, under-appreciated

• Not enough time to spend one on one with patients

• Missing breaks and lunches due to patients needing care and being short-staffed/having too high of a patient ratio/general chaotic day

In this line of employment, self-care is paramount.

Consequences of CNA Burnout

CNA burnout that is ignored or treated can have serious repercussions, including:

• Excessive anxiety and stress

• Fatigue

• Misuse of alcohol or other substances

• Insomnia

• Vulnerability to illnesses

• Sadness, rage, or irritation

• Coronary artery disease

• High blood pressure

• Type 2 diabetes

How to Avoid CNA Burnout

Corrective Approaches

Allowing burnout to develop and spread can drastically impair your productivity as a CNA.

Therefore, it’s critical to detect the signs and symptoms as soon as possible. 

Burnout is usually caused by emotional exhaustion and a sense of futility rather than a heavy workload alone. 

CNAs need to know that their work is important and respected. 

Managers who deliver genuine support and praise to CNAs regularly tend to keep them longer on the job. 

Take time to rest, either through additional breaks or a quiet, tranquil “timeout” location where you can easily collect yourself when agitated. 

Interpersonal issues, bullying, and dysfunctional relationships between you and your bosses are factors in stress and job burnout.

Therefore, it’s vital to be aware of them.

Structural Measures

It’s wonderful to handle burnout immediately, but it’s even better to avoid it altogether. 

Begin by establishing a means for you to give anonymous feedback to your institution. 

This will aid them in identifying organizational or structural difficulties and concerns with supervisors or other healthcare workers. 

It also gives you the impression that you have some control over the situation and that you have recourse if you are mistreated. 

Finding ways to persuade your managers to measure your effort could go a long way too. 

Tasks that can be identified and measured are easier to manage than a hazy sea of ill-defined responsibilities. 

Burnout can also be caused by monotony. 

Therefore, strive to be available throughout job rotations and assignments to other jobs or workplaces. 

“A change is as good as a rest,” as the adage goes.

Additional Initiatives

CNAs who work in a supportive environment are more likely to stay and advance in their careers. 

Join a group like the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants or the National Association of Health Care Assistants, which provides support, networking, and chances for continuing education. 

Suggest that your facility’s managers join since the NNCNA offers a stress management training program to help managers spot CNA burnout rates and the emotional triggers that cause staff to leave. 

Another helpful option is to go for CNA jobs with increased remuneration, either through greater hourly rates or a system of attainable bonuses. 

Low-paid CNAs sometimes perform numerous jobs, resulting in exhaustion and stress. 

A higher wage would almost certainly minimize emotional exhaustion and relapse.

Typical Treatment/Solution to Burnout

Make an effort to act.

To get started, follow these steps:

Consider your alternatives

Talk to your boss or healthcare supervisor about any specific concerns or wellness issues you have.

Perhaps you can collaborate to alter expectations, reach compromises, or find solutions.

Make a list of what needs to be done and what can wait

Seek assistance

Whether from coworkers, colleagues, or loved ones, support and collaboration may help you survive.

Take advantage of appropriate resources if you have access to an employee assistance program.

Engage in a soothing activity

Consider engaging in a relaxing activity.

Examine stress-relieving programs such as yoga, tai chi, and meditation

Exercise

Make an effort to exercise.

Regular physical activity can help you cope with stress more effectively.

It can also help you forget about your work

Sleep

Get some sleep.

Sleep improves your mood and protects your health.

Be mindful

Mindfulness – the act of focusing on your breath flow and being acutely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling at any given time, without interpretation or judgment, is known as mindfulness.

This strategy entails approaching circumstances with patience, openness, and a lack of assessment in the workplace

Overall, consider your options with an open mind.

Try not to let a stressful or unsatisfying job affect your health.

Conclusion

CNAs can employ several tactics such as training and developing communication skills, yoga, and spiritual programs focused on teamwork, meditation, computer programs, staff recognition, and coping strategies to combat burnout.

The most effective approaches for reducing burnout in CNAs are training and enhancing communication skills.

The effects of burnout prevention are related to mental health improvement.

However, more follow-up research is needed to track the changes’ durability.

Furthermore, burnout in CNAs is a complicated issue that should be addressed, and if possible, combination and multidimensional approaches should be used. 

On the other hand, the complete execution of these methodologies can be costly. 

Therefore, ensuring the necessary conditions, such as crucial individual commitment and participant preparation prior to it, is critical. 

As a result, space, time, and feasibility constraints are the most pressing concerns when implementing such measures.

Nurse burnout can occur in any specialty area, according to our study and information from our experts, but it affects oncology and emergency care CNAs disproportionately.

FAQs

Reference

NCBI 

Work 

Mayo

Nursejournal

Nursecode