Florida Health Care Association is pleased to recognize Laura Munoz, Certified Nursing Assistant at Centre Pointe Health and Rehabilitation Center in Tallahassee, as the Third Place winner of FHCA’s 2019 CNA Essay Contest. This year’s contest focused on the theme, “CNAs: A Caring Touch That Means So Much.” Participants were given six topics to choose from – Dignity, Respect, Compassion, Listening, Communication or Standards of Care – and write about how these words translated into the caring touch they offer to their residents on a daily basis. Laura has been a CNA for over 6 years and shared in her essay how the residents have become so much more than just people who receive care, they become family. Read her submission below.
All in a Day’s Work
“Good morning, what you like to wear today?” “Would you like for me to set up your makeup?” “Which shoes do you think match your outfit?” Most mornings start off like this, from setting residents up for their morning routine to assisting them with their showers and getting ready for bed are the daily tasks that as a certified nursing assistant become rewarding. Being at their side and encouraging independence is a vital part for maintaining their quality of life and knowing that I am a key factor in that is something I don’t take lightly. All these tasks are an important part in carrying out the standards of care that the residents deserve.
No task is too small in providing the best standards of care. Setting a resident up in the dining room for them to enjoy their meals, and providing conversation while they eat is what they enjoy. The feeling is mutual, the residents sharing their memories of the past and comparing how social life and electronics have changed in their lifetime are stories worth listening to. Even though the job at hand is to take care of the residents, the “caring” part takes on a whole new meaning. The resident isn’t just someone that gets their coffee served to or gets another order of bacon, because we know how much they love bacon. No, they become the reason why the love to care for them is very present. This is why the standards of care are not only an expectation to up hold, but the
only way to provide care.
As the day goes on, offering water, snacks, or just a lending ear to the residents are all parts of the job in providing great care to the residents. The task may not seem like very much at times but seeing a smile on the resident’s face when you’re able to join them to sit outside while they enjoy the afternoon sun gives me a warm feeling. They like to share stories about their family and how they fell in love with their husband or wife of sixty plus year. Sitting with them and listening to them tell the stories are as important as assisting them with their activities of
daily living.
Every day may seem routine because it starts with helping the resident get ready for the day, but every day is a new experience. Observing the resident is an important part in caring for them, it is us as a CNA that can notice a change in the resident. It is our responsibility to report the change to the nurse. Working with the residents daily we get to know them fairly well. When there is a change in them it doesn’t go unnoticed and knowing that reporting the change is aid in ensuring they remain healthy or comfortable is a great feeling.
In the past six years of being a CNA I have not only learned how to work in a health care setting and how important it is to be observant of the residents, but I have grown to love to care for others. The residents become much more than just people we give care to, they become family. Caring for the residents is all in a day’s work and it’s something I would not change it for anything in the world.