Saluting Our Graduates – Earning While They're Learning
We are so excited to share news about the new NAC (Nursing Assistant Certified) Training Programs that are becoming available across the WDVA!
WDVA took the question of What do we do when we don’t have enough NAC applicants to fill vacancies? and found a solution: train our own! This new and creative approach to NAC recruitment means we’ll have new NACs who are trained from the very beginning in the WDVA Way. The training is at no cost to the new NAC, and they are hired by WDVA as a NAR (Nursing Assistant Registered) where they spend time learning the basics while working on the floor with experienced WDVA NACs! We are already seeing the result with a newly trained team of NACs who are ready to pitch in and serve alongside are other WDVA staff members!
Where is the training offered?
The Spokane Veterans Home is home to WDVA’s very first NAC training cohort! Students enrolled in this new program, in partnership with DSHS, that launched in August at the Lakeland Village Academy in Spokane. Our first two NARs, Rebecca Johnson, and Noel Jacobs passed their National Nurse Aide Assessment Program and received their official certification in September. The second duo of NARs, Jessica Beirl and Lillian Henley, began the program in September and passed their exams on October 26th. All four are working full time at the Spokane Veterans Home. For the SVH Team, please welcome these new faces when you see them! They chose the Spokane Veterans Home and our welcome and mentoring will show them that they made the right choice! The SVH is planning a graduation ceremony for November 10th at 2:00 PM where all of these graduates will be celebrated by our WDVA Team and their family members! Please plan to attend if your schedule allows.
The Washington Veterans Home in Port Orchard has implemented a similar program in partnership with Olympic College, and there are four NARs who also recently graduated. Christopher Hickey, Rowena Lacson, Alexandria Liristis, and Isaiah Siegrist are all working full time at WVH. After graduation and passing their exam, they will be certified sometime in December. WVH is also gearing up to recruit for the Winter Quarter, which begins in January 2023.
The Walla Walla Veterans Home is working with Walla Walla Community College to have a group of NARs enrolled in the Winter Quarter, as well. Recruitment for these positions here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3775711/wdva-nursing-assistant-certified-in-training-walla-walla-veterans-home
And finally, the Washington Soldier’s Home program is also in development! Our team is working out the details and we hope to have the first cohort available for Spring quarter.
WDVA has also submitted a proposal for funding from the Governor’s Office and Legislature for an internal WDVA NAC Training Program. This would allow us to hire WDVA trainers and conduct our own training programs in each of our Homes. Until WDVA can launch its own training program, we are partnering with the colleges near all four Homes to create opportunities to train WDVA staff to become NACs!
How can I be an Ambassador for WDVA’s new NAC training programs?
Spread the word! WDVA is offering an Ambassador incentive payment of $200.00 for any WDVA staff if they make a NAC referral and it leads to filling a permanent, full-time NAC. The new NAC employee must obtain their NAC credential and successfully pass their probationary period for the referring employee to receive the incentive.
WDVA NAC students can also apply for the recruitment incentive once they have received their credential!
We are committed to addressing the shortage of nursing assistants and believe that by training our own NACs, we will be able to more effectively serve the needs of WA State Veterans and Families who need our care.
To learn more about available careers with your Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, please contact recruiters@dva.wa.gov or visit: State of Washington Job Opportunities | Departments: Dept. of Veterans Affairs | Sorted by Posting Date descending | Work that Matters (governmentjobs.com)