County sponsors LNA students to help fill positions

LACONIA — Tears come to Jessica Hahn’s eyes as she explains what it means to her to become a licensed nursing assistant.

“I love caring for people," she said. "I used to volunteer at nursing homes when I was 10 years old.”

Now 31, the Laconia native was never able to afford the cost of the training to become an LNA. Instead, she took a job working in the dietary department of the Belknap County Nursing home, preparing and serving food to the residents.

That changed for her this year, thanks to a program designed by Carol Brody, who oversees staff development for the nursing home. The nursing home had been having a hard time keeping enough Licensed Nursing Assistants on staff, so she asked the county legislative delegation if it would sponsor a six-week, on-site training session, and cover the costs for participants. In return, the newly licensed LNAs would commit to working for the nursing home for one year.

Seven people answered the offer, and graduated from the program on Thursday. They will bring the nursing home to nearly full staff — something that hasn’t happened in several years.

Brody said the nursing home has 125 nursing positions, 71 of which are LNAs.

“They’re the frontline, direct-care people,” Brody said.

Until those LNA students joined the staff, the nursing home has been dealing with nine LNA vacancies.

The shortage of nurses is a nationwide problem — one that doesn’t appear to have a widespread solution in the foreseeable future.

“What happens when we’re understaffed, our LNAs are at risk of fatigue, burnout, we have to be concerned about the level of care, because they don’t have the time to deliver the level of care that they want and the residents deserve,” Brody said. “It’s been an issue for Belknap County — for all [nursing] facilities — for at least three or four years.”

It seems that she has found a solution, though, with the on-site training program.

“We had an amazing response to it. The county is investing in them in return for [them] working for us,” she said.

The first class, which began in late October, filled quickly through word-of-mouth advertising.

One of those students was Hahn, who has already started working with residents as part of her training. She is enjoying the chance to get to know the residents better.

“I get to be more one-on-one with them,” she said. “I can’t wait to be out here on the floor regularly.”

Hahn said she would love to one day become a registered nurse. That would be several steps away for her, but at least she is now on the path.

The cost to the county is $1,557 per student, or $10,899 for the class of seven. Deb Shackett, the county administrator, said it’s money well-spent.

“If we can’t fill the positions, and we end up hiring agency nurses, like a temp agency for nursing, that ends up costing us anywhere from $10,000 to $26,000 for just one nurse for 15 weeks. So if we can get seven, and get them to commit to working with us for a year, that’s well worth it for us,” Shackett said, adding that the nursing home will likely offer a similar class in the future, once more positions open up.

To Anita Landry, a resident of the nursing home, the program has brought some welcome new faces into her life. She has gotten to know all the students through their on-site training sessions, and she enjoys friendly teasing with them as they provide her care.

“I think they’re all going to do good,” she said. “They all seem to really care. I think they’re doing very well.”