God Bless Certified Nursing Assistants

In yet another scathing "watchdog report", Friday's local newspaper carried a lead article with the headline: Nursing home Aides can put residents at risk.

The article went to great lengths to share examples of aides who have been charged with kicking, neglecting, tying up, stealing or sexually abusing residents. If that wasn't enough to strike the fear of God in people, the article went on to say that safeguards for hiring certified nursing assistants, to fully protect nursing home residents, are insufficient.

The remainder of the article went into great detail to outline a few of the worst examples to support this claim and to cast a very negative image on nursing homes and nursing assistants in general.

I don't deny that there are some "bad apples" out there, nor do I deny that the system for purging these bad apples is flawed. But please, can we stop the generalization that suggests all nursing homes are unsafe or that all nursing assistants are evil!

Here are 5 good reasons why we should:

First.... is there any field or industry that doesn't have its share of issues or problems. We live in an imperfect world where crime and criminals exist everywhere. Eventually, it will show up wherever you are: in your neighborhood, at work, in our political system, in business, at school and even at church.

Second..... can we spare some time and newsprint to talk about the many, many wonderful examples of loving care that nursing assistants provide every day. I am always so impressed and proud of the caring relationships that I witness between residents and their primary caregivers. Time and time again, we receive letters of appreciation that give accolades to the nursing assistant and how thankful family is for the love and care they give.

Third..... the work of a certified nursing assistant is one of the most difficult professions one can choose. It is strenuous work with lifting, bending and the need to be on your feet all day. Many of the residents they care for have extensive needs with activities of daily living like: dressing, toileting, bathing, grooming, ambulation, eating. Additionally, many residents have acute or chronic medical or behavior issues that complicate the care giving process.

Fourth.....society has a peculiar system for how it values individual worth and compensates ones contributions. In a world where professional athletes, entertainers, corporate VIPs can earn millions of dollars a year in salaries, bonuses and perks, the average nursing assistant earns between $20-25,000 per year where the only "perk" is earning extra income by working weekends, holidays and overtime.

Fifth.....what would we do if we didn't have the dedicated, caring individuals who have chosen to take on the challenge of being a certified nursing assistant. For these angels are the real faces of the nursing assistant. The ones who go above and beyond the call of duty. The skillful professionals who take on the challenges and work endless hours. The generous souls who give of their emotions and hard work, not for the pay but for the simple perk of knowing they are making a real difference in the lives of the residents they serve.

Thank you and God bless you Nursing Assistants!

I hope we can all remember these 5 points the next time we hear about the bad apple and that we don't allow our nursing assistants to be defined by the few, but instead by the Great!