Blog Author: Annmarie Vaccaro

My name is Annmarie Vaccaro RN, MSN. I will be a contributor to your blogs and look forward to giving you some help or advice as you journey through your CNA bootcamp.
Just a little about myself. I am presently retired, but have worked in the nursing field for 40 plus years. I started out as a medical assistant taking care of patients in their own homes, this was the foundation that I knew I wanted to go further in my professional career. The ability to be able to help someone to improve their quality of life or to help make them as comfortable towards the end. I actually became an LPN in high school graduating as a nurse. Then decided that I wanted to further my education and proceeded to take my journey through the Nursing Associates program through Farmingdale College. I received such a great foundation of education and knowledge that I would go further on for my BSN and when Farmingdale added the extra education to the Program I was granted and proceeded to do so. It was not without struggle and hating to take tests but I wanted this so much. I finally decided that I wanted to improve my knowledge and continued on and received my MSN of leadership through Stonybrook University. I persevered. No matter the obstacles in my way.
I worked in many areas from medical surgical to icu and the cardio thoracic units. But the best part of me was the education I would give to the patients to improve their lives no matter the small steps to get there. Knowing how much I loved to educate I became a preceptor mentor to many nurses and have enhanced their lives where they have journeyed on to become legal nurse consultants, nurse practioners, or educators as well.
I do hope that I can help you all through your journey in some way because CNA’s are an integral part of the team in taking care of patients. You are the eyes, the ears and the touch and even the smells, for the nurse when they are not around. Remember no question is silly and if you feel it in your gut and need to say something whether good or bad do so. It is all part of the learning process.
Good luck to you all and look forward to communicating with you. I can be reached at [email protected].