June 15th through 21st is National CNA Week 2023, a time to appreciate Certified Nursing Assistants and all they do. If you’re a healthcare employer, you already know the value of these amazing workers in your facilities, and so do we! As the nation’s leading nurse staffing and recruitment company, we invite you to join us in giving America’s CNAs the recognition they deserve.
> Need CNAs for your facility? Request staff here
Why National CNA Week 2023 Matters
So, why is National CNA Week important for healthcare facilities? For starters, it’s a great opportunity to celebrate and recognize one of the most unsung essential workers. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are the foundation for great care in any facility. And they’re also essential in helping RNs and other clinicians do their best possible work.
In fact, CNAs provide about 90 percent of the “hands-on care” that’s delivered in nursing homes. That’s according to the National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA), a nationwide advocacy group for medical assistants that’s quickly growing in influence.
Needless to say, 90 percent is a huge slice of the patient care pie. For that reason alone, it’s worth our while to take some time to recognize these important clinical workers. Doing so could also continue to provide the care that’s important for the continued success of virtually every healthcare organization.
CNA Week 2023: “We’re Unstoppable”
Yet CNAs too often struggle to get the recognition for all that hard work. It’s a tough, physically demanding job. Yet CNAs often work near the bottom of the pay scale, and are usually overlooked in decision making. Even worse, they’ve traditionally been thought of as replaceable, at least compared to other, higher-priced workers.
But all of that is finally changing. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, leaders and fellow healthcare professionals have quickly realized just how valuable CNAs truly are. Additionally, as we’ve seen in recent years, it isn’t always easy to find reliable CNAs when you need them!
Indeed, that’s the focus of this year’s CNA Week, complete with its theme: “We’re Unstoppable.”
“The last three years mark an incredible moment in history for CNAs, who have had an incredibly positive impact on older adults and those who work in and manage nursing homes, assisted living communities, and in home care,” as the NAHCA explains on its CNA Week hub.
4 Ways to Appreciate Nursing Assistants for CNA Week 2023
For employers interested in helping keep their CNAs happy and working to the best of their abilities, National CNA Week is a great time to show some appreciation. But what can employers do to help the cause?
#1: Show Some Love with CNA Week Events & Decorations
It may be the easiest and most obvious option, but getting festive for CNA Week is a great way to show some love to the nursing assistants on your team. A good place to start is the NAHCA, which offers a whole library of resources to celebrate at your facilities. Their National CNA Week toolkit has printable banners, social media images, tips for celebrating in your facilities, and much more.
#2: Rethink CNA Benefits and Compensation
Recognizing CNAs by boosting compensation or other benefits is a more challenging, but ultimately more long-lasting option. As states begin to pass laws mandating higher pay for these workers, it’s worth keeping in mind that employers who get an early start in doing so could gain a big advantage over their competitors when it comes to CNA recruitment or retention.
#3: Provide Resources to Support CNA Career Growth
When CNAs feel appreciation and support in their careers, this can lead to better continuity of care for patients. One solution is to provide access to training and development opportunities. This can include continuing education courses, mentorship programs, and leadership training. Additionally, healthcare organizations can offer career advancement opportunities, such as promotions to supervisory or management roles.
#4: Support Your Staff with Contingency Workers
Another good way to show CNA appreciation at your facility is by supporting shift coverage and work-life balance. One way to do that is partnering with a healthcare staffing and recruitment company that can help provide the workers you need to stay fully staffed, at all times.
Especially if they’re working long hours or receiving little time off, having backup workers on-call can help ease increased patient volume or otherwise stressful shifts. That’s something they’re sure to appreciate and could have the bonus of boosting job satisfaction and CNA retention, too. This, in turn, can lead to cost savings and other benefits for facilities, with reduced overtime and improved patient care.
> In need of contingency staff? See our solutions here
Nurturing the Future of the Nursing Workforce
When it’s all said and done, the most important thing is to show CNA appreciation. After all, they’re the foundation of today’s clinical workforce, and often, they’re the future of your nursing staff too.
“To be a great nurse, you need to be a CNA first,” the grandmother of the NAHCA once said.
But even CNAs who choose to remain Certified Nursing Assistants are essential workers. As such, National CNA Week 2023 is the perfect time to start showing them how important they are to your organization.
Celebrate National CNA Week 2023 with CareerStaff Unlimited!
Happy National CNA Week 2023 from CareerStaff! If you’re in need of experienced, hard-working Certified Nursing Assistants, you’ve come to the right place. Here at CareerStaff, we specialize in connecting facilities of all types with the healthcare professionals they need to meet their patient and resident care goals.
You can learn more about our nurse and CNA staffing services here. Or, if you’re seeking workers right now, you can get the ball rolling by submitting a staffing request here.