Career Nurse Assistants Week 

By Kyle Ramsey

Posted: 6/9/10

With increased attention in the medical field now being directed toward the care of our elderly and disabled citizens, so too must increased attention be paid to the workers who provide care to those citizens. I'm speaking, of course, of Nursing assistants. To this end, Pain.com presents to you the 33rd National Nursing Assistants Week (June 10-17, 2010).

Health Care work is one of the most dangerous in the world. That said, nursing assistants and other direct care providers are 7 times more likely to be injured on the job than other health care workers. The technology exists to prevent many of these injuries but we need better lifting practices if we are to decrease worker injury. In order to promote this, the focus of this years Nursing Assistants Week is on Safe Lifting and Safety Committees. 

Nursing assistants can play an important role to foster better understanding of the need for safer lifting practices to prevent injuries to workers and residents alike. In this regard, NA Week Projects for 2010 include Recognition events, Mayor Proclamations, memos to families and news releases (such as this one); and include programs such as the "Achy Breaky Back" and the "Stop Signs" events. 

In order to make a difference, we need to seek out and involve our role models, peers, supervisors, clients, families, community, legislators, public policy officials, media and others.

The 33rd annual National Nursing Assistants’ Week provides a timely opportunity to foster and showcase the wonderful things that can happen for residents and workers when we join together in planning your special Week, “Nursing Assistants Handle with Care.”

CAREER NURSING ASSISTANTS DAY

June 10, 2010

The First Day of Nursing Assistants and Direct Care Workers Week--June 10, 2010--is designated as National Career Nursing Assistants’ Day to recognize nursing assistants who have dedicated their lives to the well-being of others for 5 to as many as 58 years according to the NNCNA.

PLANNING TOOLS

The NNCNA has developed a “PR Kit and Planning Guide 2010″ and other materials to help employers organize Nursing Assistants Week (NAW) activities and events to show appreciation for nursing assistants. Among the suggestions are:

• Organize safe lifting activities;

• Ask the town’s mayor to proclaim NAW (download a free proclamation);

• Invite public officials and community leaders to attend an event; and

• Promote NAW events in the media.

“Nurse aides are the heart of what we do,” said Maureen Bertrand, administrator of the Woodridge Nursing Home in Vermont. “We depend on them to tell us exactly what is going on with the patients every day, so that we can provide quality care.”

Nursing Assistants Week “has grown to include thousands of facilities and organizations joining together each year to recognize and honor nursing assistants in long-term care services,” according to the NNCNA.

There is more information to be had on this topic at the NNCNA website here.

SOURCES: NNCNA, PHI