First Class

Today I had my first class in the Nursing Assistant program. I can't even begin to describe the torture and complete boredom. It's so frustrating to attend classes that are there, for what seems like no other reason than to pay the college more money! I sat there for 6 1/2 hours listening to the instructor basically go over the topic headings of the text and ask the entire class the answer to the topic EVERY TIME. For instance, she would ask how you would respect a patient/residents privacy when she got to the topic "Respecting a Patients Privacy". If there is one thing I have learned from attending BTC it's that you can expect to sit back and mentally check out when the instructor starts asking so many question because everyone and their brother feels the need to TALK! For some reason this class is FULL of people who need therapy. Everytime the instructor asks a question they share their life story and their life experiences. I think that is fine and dandy but not when I am having to be away from my kids and pay money for it. This class could be done in half the time. We are capable of reading the text ourselves and 20 minutes of lecture and notes would have been sufficient for what we covered in 6 1/2 hours (I'm not even kidding).
The instructor was pleasant enough but she is most certainly jaded by the medical industry. I'm sure it would be hard to fine someone, anyone for that matter, who isn't but it probably isn't the best attitude to have while trying to teach and inspire people in the line of patient care.
These next 4 weeks are going to be torture but it's one more hoop to jump through so I'll manage. Clinicals should be fun?? Interesting, at least. I can't really understand why anyone would want to be a CNA. The pay is horrible ($9.00 an hour) and the work is really hard. She was explaining today what to do with a dead body (how to get their eyes to stay closed and mouth shut). Seriously...$9.00 an hour? Thank goodness they are out there but sheesh! They should get more money! One lady in class ran a retirement home and assisted living can cost around $8,000.00 per month and that is just for the basic housing. I don't even know if that covers food. It's crazy! You would think a little more of that money should trickle down to the bottom of the pool.
I realize my post isn't hiding my frustration from class today. I didn't get enough sleep and Eric is gone to a men's church thing so I'm letting my exhaustion do the talking. I'm sure there will be some interesting things we learn and I think it will be fun when we get to clinicals and get to meet the residents. I'll be working the 2-10:30 p.m. shift. I think things are a little "looser" in the evening so hopefully I'll have some fun and learn some great things but these lecture classes are going to be something to endure. Here's to endurance!