Motivation Monday

Character

Do you remember what motivated you to become a CNA? That drive to help others? That passion to make a difference?

But day to day routines often make us forget why we are here in the first place. It’s the character, the heart, the compassion that brought you into healthcare…but do you still put the “Care” in “caregiving”?

Who did they hire? Who are you now?

Before you roll your eyes and think that I just don’t understand….believe me, I do. I am an RN who worked my way up. I felt a deep calling to be a nurse. I NEED to help others. I am motivated by a strong desire to make a difference. It is part of who I am…it’s my CHARACTER.

But, I have also dreaded going in to work. I have resented patients that took just a little too much time and attention. I have rolled my eyes at that needy pain in the butt over there. It happens.

Who are you there for?

It’s natural to get so caught up in all the day to day tasks that you begin to focus on you…what YOU need to get done, that call light that YOU need to answer, that medication that YOU need to give. But at the end of the day, even though it FEELS like it should be all about you (since you are doing all the work), it really isn’t.

See, that patient would really rather be independent. They don’t really want to be there. They are in a strange place, surrounded by strangers. Many of them don’t have family or friends that visit. They are alone, isolated and scared. They are sick, weak or injured. Or just too old to care for themselves anymore. They have to rely on strangers for the most basic of tasks. Strangers that treat them like they are an inconvenience for taking too long to eat, when it’s not their fault that they can’t swallow well anymore. They know they are slow…but can’t help it. Can you imagine how depressing that would be? Can you imagine how angry you might become at your circumstances? And then add in strange staff members that act like they don’t care. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Character check

As CNAs, we need to remember it’s not about us. We need to remember why we got into healthcare to begin with. We need to re-capture that heart and compassion. And we need to use it every day, even the tough ones. That patient needs you…but they need you to CARE, too.