when i was new to the business, i was obsessive about details to the point where it made me a bit slow. the RNs weren't crazy about it, but because the families were, the RNs left me alone. On the date of one of our resident's discharge, the family approached me with a private duty offer, and said they were looking for a "quality" CNA like me because the last person they employed didn't mow the lawn often enough, and were unimpressed by the CNA's lack of attention to the tile on the kitchen floor. This was the mid 1990s and the offer was $7.00 per hour and nothing else, not a single perk. A horrible wage even then. There was absolutely no guarantee on the number of hours you would receive. It could be anywhere between 0 and 40, and this family expected me to be on call if they wanted to go see a movie and come right back, and then I would be expected to leave. Imagine waiting for the telephone to ring all day. It might not ring that day. If it was movie day, perhaps you would receive two hours pay. Yes, $14.00 for sitting around the house all day, and being run off of the premises when they got home. this was the most outrageous offer i received, and i picked this one to make a point. when i completed my very first shift as a CNA, i immediately understood why unions existed. get this straight in your mind. you are in a licensed profession that can never be fully automated, and you will never have to participate in a recession while you are licensed. claim your power and never let people abuse you. don't be fooled. there are people out there who will take your kindness, and leverage it to get you into a weak position that you can't get out of. this does not have to happen. once again, when in doubt, check it out.
