- March 28, 2024
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In homes throughout Central Florida, certified nursing assistants and home health aides tenderly care for those who need help. They are the lifelines for countless families. They provide the help that a sick, weak, recovering or disabled person may need for any and all of those daily tasks that are part of daily living: getting out of bed, walking, brushing teeth, showering, getting dressed, combing hair, eating, using the restroom, managing medications, laundry, and more. These activities of daily living require physical and mental capabilities many of us take for granted. For people with limitations, daily living requires the help of another person.
Overwhelmingly, Floridians say they want to stay at home, with help if needed, rather than live in a facility. Who are these quiet heroes of help and what preparation do they have for the challenges of the work? Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) typically take a course, such as the program offered by Winter Park Tech or several other local schools. They must pass a written certification exam and skills test, a background check, and maintain continuing education credits. CNAs are regulated by the Florida Board of Nursing, and the state maintains a health license website for consumers to review the license status of a CNA and other health care providers.
The state of Florida does not license or certify home health aides (HHAs), but it does license home health agencies that hire HHAs. HHAs have completed 40 hours of training or a competency evaluation given by the home health agency that has hired them. The agencies verify credentials, confirm health status and conduct background checks on their staff. A query of healthcare.gov/compare can show how local home health agencies that provide Medicare services measure up in quality.
Nursing registries, licensed by the state, also connect caregivers with families needing care. Registries are more like brokers; the CNAs are independent contractors. Registries check credentials but do not provide other oversight. The agency does not pay workers’ compensation insurance or taxes. CNAs that contract with a registry are sometimes called 1099 employees, because the agency issues 1099 tax forms at the end of the year.
The work can be hard. The needs of patients can be complex and can change over time. Jobs come and go as the patient’s health status changes. The best CNAs see giving such help as more than a job – it is a calling, rewarding profession. They know they make a difference in the lives of others. Families depend on them for their caring. “It is the best job in the world. I love what I do”, says Rose Peart, CNA and owner of RoseWayne Health Services, which cares for seniors in our community. She adds, “A good CNA is not only knowledgeable and reliable, but also flexible, honest, gentle, yet firm and medically inquisitive.”
Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician associates and therapists are part of the inter-professional health team, but the CNAs are the health providers with the patient day after day. They are the ones that implement the treatment plans, observe daily changes, and provide for the patient. The need for CNAs will likely grow 20 percent in the next 10 years. Will we have enough caregivers?
Maitland resident Nancy Rudner Lugo is a nurse practitioner and president of Health Action, offering workplace health consulting and nurse coaching. Visit www.healthaction.biz