The Unseen Importance of CNAs & How They are Adjusting from the Pandemic

It’s All About the Human Experience

“What we do is all about the relationships we build with those we care for. That’s what has kept me in it.”

Sally joined FleetNurse during the pandemic and has been a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) for almost 13 years. A CNA helps patients with direct health care needs including bathing, grooming, feeding, and moving patients. Her career gives her a sense of purpose and joy. She admits that she didn’t have much of an opportunity to think about switching to different positions between working and raising a family.

Once the COVID pandemic hit, just as many experienced, the day-to-day of the healthcare world became straining to say the least. Over 420,000 nursing home workers have left the industry since the start of the pandemic, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sally found that switching up her work environments was a good solution for her, which is what brought her to FleetNurse; a mobile marketplace that provides local PRN shift coverage to all types of healthcare facilities. Historically, CNAs were some of the lowest paid healthcare workers but as Sally was able to adjust her career and incorporate PRN work, she was able to continue to find joy and financial security in what she does. She said, “In the eyes of my patients, I am priceless.”

While Sally has found peace with her career and work-life responsibilities, there are others still struggling to do so, forcing them out of the field. 

The Need for Care Is Now

There simply aren’t enough people in the industry to ever have the same kind of workforce that we’ve seen before. The industry has changed. Costs have risen for talent, training has become more specific, and the mindset of a healthcare worker now requires work-life balance.  

While a change of environment could be the solution to burnout for some, many others are leaving the industry, and the career they love, after continuously being undervalued and overworked. CNAs represent an essential part of the patient-care team, providing around 80 percent of care in nursing homes; not only providing physical care for patients but also emotional and spiritual support, truly making a difference in the lives of patients and families.

Caregivers give light to the darkness of the lives of who they care for. Everyone’s aging experience is different, but everyone deserves quality care. Aging, illness, and death are topics often avoided or even feared – even to the extent that we don’t value those who dedicate themselves to that population. FleetNurse strives to recognize and bring value to the profession and recognizes that it is time to treat, compensate, and advocate for caregivers as a professional.

Investing and empowering direct care workers could lead to a re-amendment of not only CNAs but all the patient care roles. Caregivers have the power to change the lives of the people they care for. By empowering caregivers, and giving them the compensation, support, training, and appreciation that they deserve, we would see a greater number of people embracing that career opportunity and unlocking the potential of the healthcare system.

To learn more about FleetNurse, visit us at fleetnurse.com