Wednesday is the beginning of National Nursing Assistant Week (June 14-20) and Granite VNA recognizes all of our licensed nursing assistants (LNAs) for all they do and for making a positive difference in the lives of others each and every day.

Most recently, Amy, one of our LNAs, offered a first-hand account of one of her days.

Amy started in this physical, critical role nearly 27 years ago. She was working in food service at Merrimack County Nursing Home and envisioned a future in culinary arts. While at MCNH, she also frequently visited her great grandmother who was a facility resident and felt that she had more to offer.

As an LNA, Amy provides personal care, wound care, and administers PT/INR testing to measure the time it takes for a clot to form in a blood sample.

“I have a passion for what I do,” she said. “As soon as I walk into someone’s home and see a patient and their caregiver, I’m always reminded why I do what I do.”

“A big help for me”
Amy’s first stop on this day was to provide personal care to a hospice patient who has a brain tumor. Upon arrival, the patient was sleeping in bed in the living room near the television. She smiled at Amy when she entered. “She smiles a lot considering all she is going through,” her caregiver said.

Amy spent time providing personal care which gave the patient’s caregiver some needed downtime. He is more than grateful for the help he receives from Amy and the LNAs who visit on weekends. “Once a day they show up and do this, it’s a big help for me,” he said. “There’s a lot to it. 24/7 personal care that people don’t see.”

He’s right. Earlier this year, AARP released a 2021 report estimating that family caregivers provide $600 billion in unpaid care across the U.S. This is a $130 billion increase since their 2019 report.

Multiple health challenges
Amy has been visiting her next home care patient since he suffered a stroke in 2019. He also has additional health challenges including memory impairment. One aspect of Amy’s role is to spend observe and report any changes in a patient and report back to the care team.

“He is used to Amy – the way she talks to him and treats him,” his caregiver said.

Amy bathed and shaved the patient before heading out. The occupational therapist was scheduled to arrive shortly.

Helping someone get back on their feet
During her next visit, she provided personal care to a home care patient who had knee replacement surgery last November with continued complications. It has been a long road to recovery and Amy has been with him every step of the way.

Upon arrival, he looked up from his hospital bed in the living room and told Amy he had difficulty sleeping the night before. With his Labrador retriever and his wife looking on, Amy shaved his face and began bathing him before a member of the care team, Laurie, PTA, knocked on the door.

Laurie helped Amy move the patient so she could finish bathing him while in bed. If Laurie had not been there, Amy as well as any of our LNAs, use learned maneuvers to move patients while they are in beds.

Telemonitoring installation
Amy’s last stop for the day was to install telemonitoring equipment for a home care patient who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypertension. The program is for home care patients who need additional support managing their chronic condition.

Amy set her up with a blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, a scale, and an iPad. Vitals are taken daily and they are monitored by Suzanne, RN, Telemonitoring Coordinator. If her vital signs are outside previously set parameters, Suzanne will call the patient and ask questions such as if she had something with a lot of salt and if her heart is racing.

When needed, the team contacts the patient’s physician for follow-up orders.

“The passion to help and advocate for our patients helps keep me going,” Amy said. “To do this job, you have to love it.”

For more information about our services, please call (603) 224-4093 or visit www.granitevna.org.