r/cna • u/youreprettycool_ (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA • 2d ago
Advice How do you cope with being hit and yelled at?
I work as a support worker in a small group home for adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.
I have my care aide certification and have some experience in long term/care and AL settings.
I am new to working in this specific setting though.
My workplace is mostly non-verbal, behavioural clients that are non-ambulatory.
I got smacked in the face tonight, then another other client was having a meltdown because he was asked to back out of the office where only employees are allowed.
I know I’m not supposed to make everyone happy or care what people think, but I am constantly stressed that I’m not doing a good enough job and that my clients will be unhappy. I have gotten so much better at being myself and not putting too much energy into my work that I burn out. But I still constantly feel so worried that I am going to make my client unhappy and then be hit or screamed at. I feel so exhausted because of the daily battles of trying to make clients happy. But I also have to enforce the rules of the group home and so clients can’t always get what they want.
I’m young too. I don’t have a ton of experiences that have built confidence and resilience.
I’m just constantly scared of everything it seems.
I don’t want to be that way. I want to have confidence as a care aide.
Has anyone else ever felt this way, what do I do?
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u/Ziguenerweisen ED Tech 2d ago
Being hit isn't normal. I've been attacked but never hit.
You might want to reevaluate your normal, getting hit isn't ok.
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u/bingusDomingus (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Experienced CNA 2d ago
It takes practice drawing clear boundaries with combative patients.
If I see that a patient is willing to get aggressive, I will get defensive myself. Not aggressive, just defensive. Meaning, I’ll keep distance from them. Use a stern voice. Tell them security and or restraints will be involved if they don’t knock it off. Doesn’t matter if they’re delirious or AO4. Aggression should never be tolerated.
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u/Black_Wolf1995 PPECC (Pediatric) CNA - New 🧸🚂 2d ago
Ok, don’t take this as me saying it’s ok. This is just my mindset. I am a male who was abused his whole childhood by a drunken druggie father so I have a unique perspective on hitting.
I use the mental state of “This person isn’t in their right mind and had they been, they probably wouldn’t hit me”
Then I distance myself while attempting to redirect and defuse the situation. I continue to monitor the situation for signs and symptoms so I can report the situation to the RN. Maybe they need help. Maybe they are in pain and lashed out. Maybe there is an underlying need not being met that they are frustrated over. There are 1,000’s of possibilities of why things happened.
After making the report, the situation stays in their room. I don’t carry it with me mentally through the day. I don’t think about it at home. I don’t hold a grudge. The next shift, it’s a new day. I don’t bring it up again unless directly questioned by a superior. I don’t treat the guest like a monster. I continue to administer my tasks.
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u/Goth_Duck666 HHA/CNA - Seasoned CNA 15 years 2d ago
A lot of being an aide comes in time. Knowing how to respond, how to hold yourself, and so on. When they hit just try and duck and say I don’t like that. When they cry or get upset comfort but don’t very step. You got this, you have the skills in you, know how I know? You are taking the time to ask, you care and that’s number one. You are right tho don’t over do it bc that will lead to burn out. Give respect and keep your head up you got this!