One day, we were talking about gifts of nursing Assistants’.  Lou, an experienced nursing assistant said, “I am good at cleaning up messes. The trick is to not make them feel bad when you are doing it.”  Lou was using the soft skills of Respect and Encouragement in a potentially difficult situation. .. 

In the past decade, we’ve witnessed a nationwide effort to bring more respect, decency, consideration, and kindness to the fabric of everyday life.  We all deserve to work and live in pleasant surroundings and with others who care about, and for us.  Nursing Assistants’’ Week provides a timely opportunity to join together to foster Respect in the health care settings for workers, and for residents or clients across the country

Each day of National Nursing Assistants’ Week ‘08 addresses various aspect of the “Specialists in the Art of Caring ©” and provides ideas, discussion guides, program plans and other resources that can be used for NAW and throughout the year.  Cross sectional to all projects are the following aspects of RESPECT:

o        Day 1 - Service:

o        Day 2 – Wisdom in practice:

o        Day 3 – I Choose RESPECT ©

o        Day 4 – Encouragement: The Language of Caring ©

o        Day 5 – Humor in Caring

o        Day 6 – Honoring Differences                                                                         

o        Day 7 – Reaching Out to Peers

o        Day 8 – Growing my Own Career: A Place at the Table

Career Nursing Assistants’ Day, June 12, 2008 - The first day of NAW is designated as National Career Nursing Assistants’ Day to recognize nursing assistants with longevity of service. These “Wisdom Keepers” © play an important role in the “Art of Caring” because they are the “Historians of What Works.”   They have developed a wide repertoire of Soft Skills for dealing with difficult situations.

Nursing Assistants with twenty years or more years of service are also invited to become members of the National Twenty Year Club now in its 31^th year nationwide. The 20Yr Club is the Nursing Assistants Honor Society with an aim to recognize and validate the caregivers who provide consistent long term services to the people in their care over time. .

Who are Career Nursing Assistants?

Nursing assistants are key players in the lives of the people in their care. Each day, more than 2.5 million caregivers provide hands-on care to our nation’s frail, elderly, or chronically challenged citizens in nursing homes and other long term care settings.  These important workers have various titles including: Nursing Assistant, Nurse Aide, Care Assistant, Caregiver, Hospice Aide, In-Home Care Aide, Resident Assistant, Hospice Assistant, Geriatric Aide, Restorative Aide, Health Care Assistant, and others.

Because they "stay" in care giving positions, Career Nursing Assistants provide predictability and stability to care. This in turn enhances the feeling of security for our aging, frail, or physically challenged citizens.

Career Nurse Assistants bring wisdom, patience, humor, and a general attitude of caring to the daily lives of these people. The Career Nursing Assistant also provides a role model for new nursing assistants and often recognized as the health care expert in their own families.

Here are some ideas for planning your Nursing Assistants Week events

• Ask your local newspaper to write a story about your NA who has the most years of service
• Plan a group project to submit to the National Nursing Assistant Authors Club
• Invite your local congress man or mayor to discuss NA related issues with a group of NAs.
• Plan a style show featuring your NAs as models
• Collaborate with the Ombudsmen or other local groups to plan an Award or Recognition Program.
• Purchase t-shirts, lapel pins or certificated to commemorate this event to your NAs.
• Involve NAs in planning
• Offer a belly dancing or Tai Chi Class for NAs