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Career Nursing Assistants Network of N. Carolina
We love one another, through service to each other
Message Board
| Letter to Diane Findley - Iowa Caregivers |
| Posted By: Melvin Whitley (telmelvin@nc,rr,com) |
| Posted On: 8/20/2002 7:27:46 AM |
Letter to Diane Findley - Iowa Caregivers
Thank you for agreeing to speak at the Direct Care Working Group on Aug. 21 in Raleigh North Carolina. On August 30 th,2001Nursing Assistants gave birth to our own Association. Career Nursing Assistants Network is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation and we are focusing on building a diverse membership base broad enough to influence decision-making in the health community. Our focus is recruitment and retention. Out goal is to develop programs for career development, and recognition award programs. Career Nursing Assistant Network has a code or ethics for membership. We are a Chapter of the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants(a professional organization of nursing assistants since 1977).
We have asked Career Nursing Assistants members the following two questions. What would help us become better Certified Nursing Assistants and how can we improve the quality of patients care? The answer was more leadership as a member of the care team and more respect form licensed staff.
Career Nursing Assistants Network has grown from 42 CNA's at our beginning, to 982 mailing list statewide in North Carolina. I have join a working group wanting to build a statewide Association for Direct Care Worker. Each month I have had to fight to put CNA's Issue on the table. My leadership have a problem with becoming a part of a group that are not certified. All Nursing Assistants in North Carolina are certified. We must go to school and take a state test. Caregiver don't have to have a GED, take not test, and have no certification by any state board. There is a move by some state groups to push Nursing Assistants to become housekeeper, while North Carolina have a Nursing and Nursing Assistants shortages. Are we going in the wrong direction.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services/ Office of Long Term Care reported in a study that North Carolina will need more than 30,850 additional nursing assistants and direct care workers by 2008, particularly to provide long-term care. The Wake Forest University�s School of Medicine panel of experts in August of 2001 concluded that a lack of funding, training and professional respect has hindered job growth in a service that only will expand as Baby Boomers reach retirement age. The report noted that in North Carolina fewer than 300 are enrolled in the state�s community colleges to become certified nursing assistants and/or direct care workers.
The average Nursing Assistants in North Carolina make $7. dollars a hour. How do we get better pay for Certified workers while lowing our standard. Please post your responds on our Message Board. |
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