cinntsp Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I echo the sentiment above that some techniques can be easily taught, but not the communication aspect that is vital to this field. Everyone has mentioned the patient themselves, but also being able to talk to family members as well, is important. I disagree with your sentiment. How is it that many docs are great communicators but don't have prior HCE? Communication skills are easily taught and learned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 27, 2011 Moderator Share Posted January 27, 2011 i disagree with your sentiment. How is it that many docs are great communicators but don't have prior hce? Communication skills are easily taught and learned. once again they have 7+ yrs to get it right....we have 2....i know a lot of docs who started residency totally clueless and 3 yrs later were pretty good docs...i have had the good fortune of working with and teaching residents at 3 of my jobs so i have some perspective on their educational process through residency Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 once again they have 7+ yrs to get it right....we have 2....i know a lot of docs who started residency totally clueless and 3 yrs later were pretty good docs...i have had the good fortune of working with and teaching residents at 3 of my jobs so i have some perspective on their educational process through residency That's exactly my point, though. Communication skills can be learned without prior HCE as a requirement. While having it may give a leg-up upon graduation, it can be built over time regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 27, 2011 Moderator Share Posted January 27, 2011 But we want grads from pa programs to have it day 1 after graduation....not 5 yrs later.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonD Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Emptying bedpans and changing adult diapers helps with communication skills??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c0untingstars Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Emptying bedpans and changing adult diapers helps with communication skills??? I believe the patient interaction required to perform these tasks requires communication skills. The experience is also humbling. You should try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJKitty Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Emptying bedpans and changing adult diapers helps with communication skills??? It certainly has taught me how to communicate with people who are in some of the most awkward, embarassing, helpless moments of their lives. After being independent for 60+ years, I would hope that I eventually have a provider of any type who can show the right balance of empathy, respect and tactfulness concerning my own conflicting emotions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 is this a rhetorical question? do you think a CNA just works and never talks to anyone? even as a CNA part of your job is to communicate with the patients, notify of changes in symtoms that they express to you, watch for physical changes and notify staff....yes a simple CNA should be able to do this. Emptying bedpans and changing adult diapers helps with communication skills??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 It certainly has taught me how to communicate with people who are in some of the most awkward, embarassing, helpless moments of their lives. After being independent for 60+ years, I would hope that I eventually have a provider of any type who can show the right balance of empathy, respect and tactfulness concerning my own conflicting emotions. Thank you.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonD Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Well shoot, they should make residents empty bedpans! Probably would do 'em good :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles9708 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 once again they have 7+ yrs to get it right....we have 2....i know a lot of docs who started residency totally clueless and 3 yrs later were pretty good docs...i have had the good fortune of working with and teaching residents at 3 of my jobs so i have some perspective on their educational process through residency This is what I meant, and just from my personal experience I know my HCE has improved my communication skills. Every job that I have held before my CNA position has been customer service related and I still strongly feel that working in healthcare in my position has improved my communication skills. I think atleast a year of HCE should be required before entering PA school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJKitty Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Well shoot, they should make residents empty bedpans! Probably would do 'em good :) I'm physically and emotionally exhausted tonight (completely unexpected death on the unit today, oh joy) so I can't tell if this is complete sarcasm or a simple jab or whatnot. But if I could come up with one impossible totalitarian rule for the WORLD to obey, it would be for every human on the planet to work one year in food service, one year in the lowest tiers of healthcare, and one year in environmental or cleaning services. Humility and simple hard work go a long way and we would all be better off from it. I do more than my fair share of bedpan-emptying and "adult diaper"-changing, but today I was the one who was physically pulling the screaming daughter from the room and holding her sobbing while her mother cored. But hey, I'm just the CNA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 They do tons of scut work from what I hear....maybe not as much as a CNA, but they do some stuff that you will never see them do again as MDs Even nurses tend to work as CNAs after their 1st or 2nd semesters because it is a learning experience Well shoot, they should make residents empty bedpans! Probably would do 'em good :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles9708 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Well shoot, they should make residents empty bedpans! Probably would do 'em good :) At one of my PA school interviews I had a program director tell me that he thought being a CNA was great experience in preparation for PA school. There are some people who work in these jobs for many years and I greatly respect them for that and by your comments you are showing a great deal of disrespect for some truly wonderful people. The job is ultimately what you are willing to make it. You have the choice to either make it just a job or one that you enjoy going to everyday, along with being a great learning experience. I am from a small town and am completely grateful for the opportunity I have had to work as a CNA and am eager to take my experiences with me as I further my studies next year in PA school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 CJKitty, countingstars, Just me, sparkles...your futures are so bright it burns my eyes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c0untingstars Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 thanks marilyn :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJKitty Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Thank you Marilyn. :) I know we're certainly appreciated by the nursing staff, but it's nice to know that the rest of the team (PA, MD) can understand that CNAs have valid contributions as well even if we're more in the shadows and our paths rarely cross. I know for sure if I wind up in any sort of hospital setting for work I'll be learning all the CNA's names and saying hello + thank you whenever I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtonsApple Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 ...work one year in food service, one year in the lowest tiers of healthcare, and one year in environmental or cleaning services. Humility and simple hard work go a long way and we would all be better off from it. I agree, some wonderfully intelligent individuals have spent so much time learning that it seems that they may have missed out, on some level, of social interaction with some constantly displaying obvious deficits. Was in a ED room as a scribe and the patient 16/f was in obvious distress. Her mother was comforting her. As soon as I entered the room the ED physician walked in and said told the patient he thinks she has meningitis and he needed to do a lumbar puncture. The patient asked what that was and the doc said I have to put a big needle in your back to obtain a sample. The patient started crying and said she was scared, with out pause... the doctor responded,"Fine, I don't care if you get it, you'll just die." and stormed off loudly mumbling under his breath. Forget for a moment he should have put a warning sign up on the door and in her e-chart. He acted like he was the one without sense. He needs to learn it is not always about him. He could have had the worst personal day ever, but should not put that on someone. To survive in the service/sales industry you have to learn that or you will fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 As I said, some health care providers never learn how to communicate with their patients.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles9708 Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Thank you marilyn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyfall Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Just to answer the topic question, yes there are some programs that do not require HCE but they, of course, recommend it. To find them, you'd have to look through the list of school and go to each individual website. I had many classmates who came straight from undergrad to the program and did very well. They were bright and amazingly fast learners. I noticed the older students and I were harder workers, but we definitely wished we could learn as fast as those young folk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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