National Nursing Assistant Week is coming up. The original idea behind this week was to honor those CNA’s who have chosen this work as a career. It now includes all nursing assistants, with June 12th being specially designated for CAREER nursing assistants.

The annual observance of Career Nursing Assistants’ Day and Nursing Assistants’ Week began in Ohio in 1977 as the Ten Year Club, and expanded nationwide by request in 1985. Since that time, this popular nursing assistant recognition program has grown to include thousands of facilities and organizations joining together each year to recognize and honor nursing assistants in long-term care services.
The title, Career Nursing Assistant © was developed by the Nursing Assistants’ Representatives’ Committee of NE Ohio in 1977. Today’s nursing assistant is proud to be designated as a Career Nursing Assistant, and the terminology is now in common usage to identify the experienced nursing assistant.

Nursing Assistant Week should be cause for positive reflections of the work CNA’s do. Too often, we are looked down upon. Too often, we’re an after-thought and our input is rarely asked for. We’re the most supervised group in the medical/nursing setting yet we are expected to deliver most of the hands on care, at dirt wages. Others have high expectations of us- not for our skills and education, but for our warm bodies and names on a schedule. More emphasis is placed upon our attendance than our skills; our pay reflects society’s overall disrespect of elderly and disabled people.

The Best Way to Honor CNA’s for National Nursing Assistant Week
Spread the celebration over time…Are we only to be recognized one week a year? How hard is it to recognize our good work and value all the time? Asking for our ideas and input isn’t difficult. Saying “Thank You” every so often isn’t hard, either. Both of these ideas cost nothing in terms of money; but would be considered priceless to most CNA’s.

One thing I hear all the time, from management, is how much these week long “events” cost; the strain on the budget…well, honoring the aides doesn’t have to cost a penny. At the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants’ web site, there are many things that management can do, that might require the expenditure of a stamp or two.

…these are just a few ideas.

Also consider:

…these ideas are what MAGNET hospitals call Best Practices- and there designed to attract and keep the best nurses.

When people are involved in their work, and feel their opinion counts, they will give feedback and participate. If you’ve had problems with attendance or attitude at these celebrations, blame yourselves. Once a year isn’t enough. It’s doesn’t feel real, or honest. It’s a slap in the face. Many aides compare it to the dreaded survey illness that infects nursing homes once a year…all’s crazy and phoney for a week than life goes back to normal.

So, what about the actual EVENT? The CELEBRATION?
Here’s where these things get testy. It’s NEVER a good thing to SHARE the celebration of the work of CNA’s, with Nurses, or Housekeepers, or Dietary Staff. Each group is a very valuable part of the big picture. Each contributes it’s own important set of skills and work. Each deserves their own time to be honored. To lump everyone into one big party, once a year, is not only disrespectful of the employees, it’s disrespectful of their work.

NCNA WEEK is 7 days long for a reason. Seven days are listed with events for each day…as a guideline.

No one expects a nursing home to spend seven days celebrating. Hardly..what is expected is a concentrated effort to truly honor ALL the CNA’s employed- on all shifts including third shift and weekends. This might mean coming into the facility at midnight, or on a Sunday afternoon.

When planned ahead of time, seven days will not be necessary. When planning a major event where we want to include as many CNA’s as possible it would help to get creative with the schedule. Nothing stinks more than not being able to go to the one event designated for the aide- when he or she cannot leave the unit to attend.

A facility I worked at filled up three DAYS with events to honor the CNAs: One day was scheduled to target third shift aides; the next day was for second shift and weekenders and the third day was for day shift. Aides from ALL shifts did their own schedules to ensure coverage of the units…so, it did mean some slight overtime for more than a handful. But it was worth it. Attendance for these events was close to 100%- the only aides who didn’t show up were those on vacations.

As for “gifts” or tokens, one creative facility grew houseplants for the staff…the residents, with the activity folks, planted and grew little African violets and Spider plants. Another facility had the residents hand paint little plaques “awards”; and yet another facility utilized the local community with discounted and free coupons for pizza, groceries and gas. There’s plenty of opportunities in the local community- management just needs to seek them out.

Specific items for CNA Week are available, of course, and when possible, should be purchased. The NNCNA web site has a store, that has lapel pins, T shirts and little TIPS booklets designed just for this event.

This post was written for the management of nursing homes…I will have another post for the CNA’s on THEIR part in this.