National Association for Health Care Assistants

NAHCA The Arizona Health Care Association has established a partnership with the National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA) to create a model especially for AHCA members. NAHCA is a non-profit association of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and assisted living caregivers providing experience-based, peer-driven solutions to long term care. By member facilities joining NAHCA, CNAs and caregivers become members of NAHCA. Membership includes: t-shirts, NAHCA lapel pins, membership card and monthly PEP Talks by Lori Porter. What a great way to recognize all the hard work CNA’s and caregivers provide to residents in long term care!!

For more information about joining NAHCA, please click here or contact Karla Averill, at 602-265-5331 or kaverill@azhca.org. To visit the NAHCA website click here.

NAHCA/ACHP Newsletter

December, 2008

NAHCA Conf header

in this issue

NLTs In Action
GCS - Learn More, Lead More
Caregiver Spotlight
Facility Membership Model Announced
NAHCA Offers Members New Insurance Benefits

As this year comes to a close, we at NAHCA want to wish each and every member, Facility, and Organization a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday Season, and a very Happy New Year. This year has been a great year for NAHCA. Our membership has grown to nearly 25,000 and we have gained even more ground nationally. Our continued efforts on capitol hill have not gone unnoticed. On three separate occasions in 2008, we took nursing assistants to testify before congress and sub-committees. Several of the interviews with co-founders, Lori Porter and Lisa Cantrell, were published. There has been both television and newspaper interviews held with our members across the nation.

As we move forward into the new year, we are preparing to increase our presence even more. Our Education, Research and Program Development team is dedicated to advancing our web based education system and working nationally with certain initiatives such as the Advancing Excellence Campaign. Our Sales Team is working tirelessly with state health care associations to develop partnership relations with each state and increase our membership base. Our Shared Learning and Membership Services team is focused on organizing State Caregiver/CNA conferences in each individual state along with handling membership enrollment and questions.

All NAHCA/ACHP's dedicated staff is here to assist our members and ensure the successful professionalism of the frontline of care. Everyone has heard quality begins at the bedside. The NAHCA team is here to make certain the front line of care believe it, and has the tools they need to continue to provide the best quality care possible.

Enjoy this issue!

Caregivers In Action!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Team Cheer Pinecrest Medical Care Facility in Powers, MI is keeping themselves warm (which isn't an easy task when you live as far north as they do) holding inside activities. They recently held their 6th annual Christmas bizarre which made a lot of money and caught the attention of the local television news. This "Power"-ful team has been so active, they have gained much deserved notoriety within their community. They have also been busy with the residents. They hold a "buck hunt" each year and have residents compete by throwing "ammo" at their target. This year, it turned into men vs. women for the prize, but everyone had a blast! It is so great to hear how our nation's caregivers are taking time out of their own time to make a difference not only for themselves, but also the residents. This chapter uses a "star board" to help improve attendance. Because of this team's continuous effort of this project, they recently awarded one of their CNAs with a $10.00 gas coupon and a $25.00 Wal-Mart gift card. She hasn't missed a day in 5 years!

Galena Nursing Center in Galena, KS adopted a needy family and donated baskets of food, household products, and personal care products to this local single mother of two. Of course, the mother broke into tears as all this was quite unexpected. This well intentioned team has also adopted a grandmother raising grandchildren for Christmas. Through the fundraisers this team has been doing, they were able to take each of the three children on a shopping spree for new coats, shoes and toys. The children were very excited and the Grandmother was ecstatic. Way to go Galena team!

The Missouri Veterans Home of Warrensburg, MO recently elected a new team. The new team are following the footsteps of the last team, keeping the motivation up by holding a "Monday Night Football" party tossing Nerf footballs around throughout the evening, then, held a special drawing to give the footballs away to lucky winners. "I had more fun than the Residents did", said Donna Adair, NLT chair. They recently donated $200.00 for breast cancer awareness in memory of Susan G. Coleman.

Fairhaven Community in Upper Sandusky, OH is doing it with food! They started a food drive in October which was a great success. Then, they turned around and sold hamburgers to all their staff for lunch, and held a bake sale to net them $300.00 for future activities like those "sneak attacks" they are so popular for.

If you and your facility would like to develop a Caregiver Leadership Team (NLT) please contact Jerry Reinke, Director Shared Learning and Membership Services by email at jreinke@nahcacares.org. We have NLT chapters set up across the nation, and are eager to assist in training additional teams, and help make our existing teams even more successful. For other ideas, log onto www.nahcacares.org, click "message board" and look under Mr. Peps Activities.

Geriatric Care Specialist - Learn More, Lead More! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone knows the more you know, the more you lead. NAHCA/ACHP gives each caregiver across the nation an oppertunity to lead in the most successful and dynamic way. Our 10-module Geriatric Care Specialist Course is a great way to turn "jobbers" into career minded, successful caregivers. Through this course, each learner will undoubtedly become a leader in gerontology.

Description:

The Geriatric Care Specialist Program is a 10-module correspondence study course for certified nursing assistants. This course is designed to assist nursing assistants with enhancing their knowledge and skills in the field of geriatric care.

Requirements:

Each enrollee must be certified or have successfully met the requirements to practice as a nursing assistant in the state that they currently reside or work in. The applicant must submit a completed application, which asks for both personal and professional information. The application must also be accompanied by two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a nursing assistant or co-worker. (If you are not currently employed in a health care facility, you must attach a copy of your nurse aide certificate and attach two professional letters of reference.) The cost of this course is $100 for members and $150 for non-members plus $5 shipping and handling. Payment in the form of check or money order (no cash, please) must be submitted with the application. The course materials will not be sent prior to the fees being paid in full, nor will there be refunds on materials sent.

Spotlight on the Caregiver ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This month's spotlight shines upon the sleepy little town of East Jordan, MI. There, at Grandvue Medical Care Facility, our spotlight finds Russ Peck, CNA. Russ is always the first to offer to come in whenever needed. He works in the special care unit and loves the residents. He serves as an example for all to follow at the facility through giving of himself, resident advocacy and compassion to all. He is a committed team player and shares a clean reflection to his own dedication to everyone. All right Russ! That's the kind of motivation we all need.

A little further south, we find the spotlight in Barry, IL at the Barry Community Care Center, shining on Rosemary Michaelis, CNA. Rosemary has provided excellent care to the residents in her charge for many years. A true "veteran" of the many changes in both the facility and the profession, she has welcomed new ideas and pursued opportunities to learn and grow. She has served in every area and on every shift, always willing to do whatever is needed. She has also assisted in every department, never being afraid to step in and do her best. Rosemary has high standards and seeks to assist others to become the best caregivers possible. Rosemary has represented her residents, facility and NAHCA in Washington DC on two separate occasions where she visited with Illinois Senators and Representatives. Wow, the spotlight certainly found a star this month! Way to go Rosemary!

Standard Facility Model gets Great Reviews~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

caregiving NAHCAs most popular model of membership is our Standard Facility Membership SFM model. Many providers, Administrators and Directors from around the nation are celebrating the importance of the front line staff through membership in NAHCAs SFM program. Any facility can enroll their front line staff in this type of membership for only $500.00 annually. Some of the benefits included in this model are Lori Porter's Pep Talks, prescription and uniform discounts, a Federal Regulations handbook for the caregiver, and the availability of many other services. Take time now to enroll your facility's frontline staff. This membership would be a great Christmas gift or New Year kick-off for your staff. Click here for more information.

NAHCA Partners With Ternian Insurance Group~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mom and Son In an effort to bring the best possible benefits to our members, NAHCA has partnered with Ternian Insurance Group. Now, with coverage beginning as low as $8.95, our members can gain a greater peace of mind and ability to provide their family with an insurance