 AANHR Hosts 3rd Annual CNA Award Luncheon
Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents (AANHR) held their 3rd annual CNA appreciation luncheon on June 11th, at First Assembly of God church in North Little Rock. All those in attendance agreed it was a festive and exciting affair. Everyone entering the room commented on the appearance of the room with the colorful baskets of flowers on each table. AANHR invited each nursing home in Arkansas to send two CNAs nomninees to represent their nursing home at this award luncheon recognizing the vital role CNAs play in the hands-on care of Arkansas' frailest citizens. Each CNA received a complimentary lunch, a merit award certificate, a CNA lapel pin, and a monetary award. In addition, Danielle Collier, CNA, from Golden Living Center in Harrison, received a special one-hundred dollar award as the winner of the surprise appreciation drawing sponsored by an AANHR benefactor.
The luncheon's special guest speaker was Ms. Carol Compas, Nursing Home Quality Initiative Project Manager for Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care. Ms. Compas works regularly with CNAs as she trains them to deal with the problems addressed by the Nursing Home Quality Initiative – the initiative dedicated to improving the nursing home experience for both the resident and the employee. She referred to the “skin police” and “freedom fighters” as she mentioned previous programs to reduce pressure sores and the use of restraints.
Ms. Compas said that Culture Change, which is Person Directed Care, requires team building. She suggested that with the CNA working with a resident in consistent assignments, the CNA and the resident become a family. In this way the resident can express likes and dislikes which the CNA can share with others and work out solutions to simple problems before they escalate to major problems. She asked the CNAs what they personally enjoy each day and then asked them to imagine life without being able to do that thing. She pointed out to the CNAs that that is exactly what happens when one becomes a resident in a nursing home. You suddenly are on someone else’s schedule, you no longer direct your own daily activities. You share a room with a stranger and you bathe with strangers at a time that is decided for you. No more sleeping in each morning because you like to watch the late news. No having “brunch” or late night snacks. With each CNA working to become part of a resident’s family, adjustments in schedules can be made. The interesting thing is that caregivers have more time because they are not dealing with hostile non-cooperative residents. CNAs attending the luncheon agreed that they like having consistent assignments and being a friend to their residents.
An interesting fact is that with happy working conditions there is a low rate of employee turnover. One fact we were given indicated that in twenty-two homes with 109% employee turnover in one year, the cost to the industry was $4 million dollars. AANHR advocaes hope to see more Person Directed Care in Nursing Homes, which make work “play with a purpose” .
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