• NATIONAL NURSING ASSISTANTS WEEK

Yes! It is "Time to Make it Personal" and each nursing assistant is a "Key Player" in the lives of the people in their care. In addition, every NA has an important role in working with others to create the changes that will benefit all.

The Nationwide focus for the Millennium Year is "Career Growth." In keeping with this emphasis, the official slogan for National Nursing Assistants' Week 2000 is: "Nursing Assistants Caring: Time to Make it Personal" (c) and the official logo can be found on this page.

The nationwide observance of Nursing Assistants' Week begins with Career Nursing Assistants' Day on Thursday, June 1, 2000 and continues through June 8, 2000. This observance provides many opportunities to validate the work of the nursing assistant and also to promote a better community understanding of the important work performed daily by nursing assistants. Public recognition of nursing assistants provides a valuable service, not only for making nursing assistants more visible, but also, to lessen the concern by family members when a loved one is in need of special care. We would like to recognize nursing assistants so that they will know they are appreciated, and that others also can see the caliber of these committed workers who provide hands-on care and learn about tasks of care and caring.

• WHO ARE CAREER NURSING ASSISTANTS?

Each day, more than 2,000,000 caregivers provide hands-on care to our nation's frail, elderly, or chronically challenged citizens in nursing homes and other long term care settings. These important workers have various titles including: Nursing/Nurse Assistant, Care Assistant, Caregiver, In-Home Care Aide, Hospice Assistant, Care Assistant, Geriatric Aide/Assistant, Resident Assistant, Restorative Aide, Health Care Assistant, and other titles.

Nursing Assistants provide as much as 80-90% of the direct care received by residents and clients in Long Term Care Facilities. The following are characteristics of the experienced or Career Nursing Assistants according to the "Stayers Studies" conducted in 1987-98 and in 1997-98:

• 28% stay 5 or more years in their role as nursing assistant

• 12.6% stay 10-55 years or more

• They maintain positive relationships with residents

• They value job security and peer relationships

• They are considered to be health care experts in their own families

• They had positive experiences with older people before they became nursing assistants

Because they "stay" in caregiving positions, the Career Nursing Assistants provide predictability and stability to care, which in turn enhances the feeling of security for our aging, frail, or chronically challenged citizens. Career Nursing Assistants also bring wisdom, patience, humor, and a general attitude of caring to the daily lives of these people.

• "FIFTY WAYS TO SAY 'THANK YOU' TO NAs" Samples from Public Relations Kit 2000
(go to Response Form)

The annual observance of Nurse Assistants' Week and Career Nurse Assistants' Day is a special time to celebrate and recognize the efforts of the Nurse Assistant in long-term care services. Here are a few ways to say thank you to this important worker:

• Conduct an awards ceremony and invite your mayor.

• Conduct a Millennium Gathering Dialogue Project in your facility or area.

• Provide service pins and other commemorative items as special tangible reminders of their rewards.

• Create a poster consisting of "thank you" notes from family members and staff. Include pictures of your nurse assistants. When complete, enlarge your poster to 5X8 feet and post it in a prominent place.

• Provide computer training and access to computers and the Internet in off-hours.

• Enroll eligible Career Nurse Assistants as members in the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants or the National Twenty Year Club.

• Convene a Provisional Chapter of the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants in your facility or area.

• TEN STEPS FOR PLANNING ©

1. Where to start! Decide to celebrate National Nursing Assistants' Week 2000. Get excited about the wonderful possibilities for honoring these important workers. In some areas, the Long Term Care Ombudsman or District Nursing Association may also be of assistance. Please feel free to use these ideas or contact the CNAP office to discuss specific planning or program ideas (go to email). Now is also a good time to start your scrapbook.

2. Who will be involved in planning? Convene a group of nursing assistants from your area to talk about the theme, purpose and some of the projects you may want to develop. Events are conducted by facilities, agencies, corporate offices, organizations, and groups or in area-wide committees.

3. How will you honor your Nursing Assistants? An Awards Ceremony, award pins and certificates, a presentation by the Mayor or a public official, contests, or a news article in the local newspaper are all effective methods for honoring these important workers. A special award can be given to those NAs who are members of the National Twenty Year Club. The Millennium Gathering Dialogue Project (c) is another way to join with others nationwide to discuss issues of concern to NAs.

4. Do you want to involve your Mayor? A copy of a Proclamation suitable for signing by Mayor or a public official can be obtained from CNAP at a minimal cost Your Mayor may want to participate in an awards event or publicity photo. A first step is to contact the Mayor's office to determine the correct procedure for requesting a Proclamation. Ask if NAs can be included in the presentation and if you can invite media. Plan to get your Proclamation signed in March or April so you will have ample time to distribute copies to media and others.
(go to Response form).

5. Who is to be honored? The Career Nursing Assistant is a NA who meets specific criteria. She/he may work in a nursing home, home health, hospital based long-term care unit, assisted living center, group home and any other setting providing long term care services. Service years may be compiled from a variety of facilities or settings. You also may want to honor NAs for special contributions to residents or recognize the winners of an essay contest. An important step is to decide who will be honored, and then order award pins, certificates or other award items in sufficient numbers. (Go to NA Week Catalogue)

6. How will you organize your Essay Contest, National Classroom Millennium Gathering Dialogue Project or Awards Event? Talk with the NA committee members to determine which events you will conduct. Then choose the time, place and people who will be involved.

7. How will you promote your awards event? Anticipation and involvement are important parts of a recognition program. A CNA Representatives' Committee, craft class, Resident's Council, family members or local high school can make posters announcing awards events and recipients of awards. Promoting events to the community can be accomplished through news media, radio, interviews on local talk shows and presentations to residents' councils or family groups, but you need to get your committees active as soon as possible.

8. Who will speak at the awards event? You might want to feature your Career Nursing Assistants as speakers. Others might include the Ombudsman, a local Gerontologist, the President of the Resident's Council, your Mayor, a motivational speaker, or others.

9. It is June 1, 2000 and today is the first day of Nursing Assistants' Week. Relax, enjoy and celebrate the experience and wisdom of the Career Nursing Assistant.

10. Plan for next year. What worked and what will you do differently next year? Answering these important questions now will help your plans go even better next year.

• THE MILLENNIUM GATHERING DIALOGUES ©
A message to YOU

It is "Time to Make it Personal." There is much to do and now is the time to make it personal. Each nursing assistant is a "Key Player" in the lives of the people in your care. And every NA has an important role to work with others to create the changes that will benefit all. The goal is to start the new Millennium with a spirit of good will and anticipation of the good that can be accomplished when we work together for positive change. The National Network of Career Nursing Assistants' Leadership Committee invites YOU, wherever you may be, to join with others across the country in a Millennium Gathering for Nursing Assistants which began on January 8, 2000 and continues throughout 2000. The Gathering can be held at your place or wherever nursing assistants come together.

For your Millennium Gathering, you might gather informally in twos or threes, or more formally for a candle light service, a lunch, a coffee, or a regional meeting. You may connect on a web site, message board, chat room, or email. You might also want to take a few minutes on your own simply to think about how valuable you are to the people in your care.

• TIPS FOR CONDUCTING A MILLENNIUM GATHERING DIALOGUE

• Review and acknowledge the many wonderful, sensitive and caring things that you personally do on a daily basis to make life better for yourself and others.

• Be gentle and forgiving of yourself for oversights or the things that did not get done.

• Acknowledge that NAs must combine thoughts and actions if we are to make a positive difference in our own work setting and in the lives of the people in our care.

• Acknowledge another person for her/his special efforts.

• Agree to consider positive resolutions to any problems or issues that may arise in your daily work.

• Contact other facilities in the area to conduct an area candle light service or other ceremony.

• Involve the local DON, Administrators, Activity or Medical Directors group.

• Invite your mayor or other public official to share this time with you in positive reflection.

• Contact your local newspaper, radio and TV station to discuss media coverage for your event.

For more information about the Millennium Gathering Dialogues (go to Response form)

• COMMEMORATIVE ITEMS FOR NURSING ASSISTANTS WEEK 2000

Nursing assistants have much a great deal of wisdom about caregiving and they want to be involved, but they need your assistance to support their organization.

The sale of commemorative items for Nursing Assistants Week is an important source of income to the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants. All proceeds are used exclusively for nursing assistant related projects.

Career Nurse Assistants' Programs, Inc. is the founder and official sponsor of the annual observance of Nursing Assistants Week. CNAP is a non-profit, tax-exempt, 501© 3 organization and donations may be tax deductible.

From the Board CNAP and NA Representatives' Committees NNCNA
(go to Response form)

Nursing assistants appreciate your recognition of their efforts. Tangible rewards such as certificates, pins, t-shirts and other items are an on-going reminder of this recognition and can be displayed for family and friends. Please contact Career Nurse Assistants Programs for information on ordering or to request a catalogue.

Planning Guide: Celebration Experience "Nursing Assistants Caring: Time to Make it Personal" -
Provides ideas and a program guide for your Nursing Assistants' Week Celebration. Includes a Proclamation suitable for singing by your Mayor, planning forms, tips for planning, and more.

Public Relation Kit -
Includes a Proclamation form suitable for signing by your Mayor sample memos, resolution form, sample news release, steps for planning, tips for conducting a Millennium Gathering, and additional information. Note: a Governor or City Council Proclamations can be included in Planning Guide or PR Kit on request.

Nursing Assistants as Authors Publications -
"Tips by Nursing Assistants for Nursing Assistants Booklets"

• Tips 1 - "Wisdom and Humor of the Career Nursing Assistant" - Experienced NAs share favorite tips for care giving, organizing work, communications and getting along on the job.

• Tips 2"Working with the New Nursing Assistant" - Experienced NAs share favorite tips for coaching, mentoring and orienting the new NA as she/he adapts classroom learning to individual resident care situations.

• Tips 3 - "Daily Dialogue-What do you say?" - Experienced NAs tell about special words they used in a variety of situations.

• Tips 4 - "TEAMWORKS"- Practical advise about how cooperation among coworkers makes a better work environment.

Membership

• National Network of Career Nursing Assistants for individuals or groups

• National Twenty Year Club

• Provisional Chapter

• Sponsors and Donors

Poster Information for the National TwentyYear Club for Nursing Assistants 2000

The 2000 Poster provides the official 2000 Nursing Assistants Week logo on one side and the second side features
names of more than 1,300 nursing assistants who are current members of the "National Twenty Year Club." These important workers have 20 to as many as 55 years of service, represent 225 facilities from 43 different states, and have a total of more than 29,000 years of service.
(go to response form)

Our very special appreciation to Debbie Von Straton and employees of Lakewood Health and Rehab Center, Milwaukee, WI, for submitting the slogan "Time to Make it Personal." Thanks also to the many nursing assistants who had the tough job of selecting this as the official slogan for National Nursing Assistants Week 2000.