Red Cross & Goodwill graduate the 100th student from its Nurse Assistant Training Program: For many, this training is the beginning of a new life

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Theresa House
Public Relations Representative
American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter
Office: 804.780.2297 § Cell: 804.396.0186
Email: houset@usa.redcross.org
http://www.greaterrichmond.redcross.org/


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Highlights

• Red Cross/Goodwill will graduate its 100th student from its Nurse Assistant Training Program; the ceremony takes place on Friday, Oct. 17
• This nurse assistant training program offers low-income students skills to get a stable job with benefits
• As the population ages, there’s a growing demand for nurse assistants
• Nurse assistant student Paula Southerland illustrates how the program is changing her life
• Red Cross instructor Sue Fowler, RN, grew up poor and worked as a nurse assistant at night as she put herself through nursing school
• The program is a result of a Red Cross/Goodwill partnership—the only partnership of its kind in the Richmond area

October 10, 2008

Red Cross & Goodwill graduate the 100th student from its Nurse Assistant Training Program
For many, this training program is the beginning of a new life

RICHMOND, Va.—On Friday, October 17, the American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter and Goodwill Industries will graduate its thirteenth class of students to complete its Nurse Assistant Training Program. Along with this commencement comes the milestone having graduated 100 students.

The six-week training program includes classroom, lab and hands-on clinical experience at McGuire VA Hospital. Exceeding national and state guidelines, the 150-hour program prepares students for the state Certified Nurse Assistant exam and incorporates not only nursing skills, but life and career skills as well.

“Many of our students have been working a series of part-time jobs and not getting very far,” said Sue Fowler, registered nurse and course instructor. “After taking this course, many can get stable jobs that pay a living wage and have benefits.”

Across the United States, nurse aides generally earn about $9 per hour (about $20,000 per year). Some can earn less; some can earn more.

Nurse assistants help care for ill, injured or disabled people in hospitals, nursing care facilities or private homes. Their duties can include bathing, dressing, feeding, setting up medical equipment and performing simple treatments.

Because the demand for nurse assistants is so great, employment prospects are excellent for those who graduate from the Red Cross/Goodwill program.

Nurse assistant student Paula Southerland says the program has been a blessing. “It sure hasn’t been luck,” said Southerland, “The only luck I’ve had has been bad. This program is a new start for me.”

Southerland, age 41 and the mother of six, worked for eight years as a certified nurse assistant in North Carolina. When she moved to Virginia she couldn’t get her certification here and her job prospects were dim.

“In this economy, it’s very difficult. For more than four months, I’ve been unemployed and living below the poverty line,” says Southerland.

“Thanks to a scholarship from the Department of Social Services, I’ve been able to attend this class and that includes learning new skills that I was never taught before. Best of all, soon I’ll have a job that’s not just a basic survival job. I’ll be able to improve my housing situation, and open new doors for myself and my family.”

According to the 2008-09 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the national demand for nurse assistants will grow steadily, particularly in the field of home health care. Currently, there are about 780,000 home health aides; by 2016 that number is expected to increase to 1.2 million. Today, there are about 1.4 nurse assistants working in hospitals and nursing homes; by 2016 there will be 1.7 million.

Giving others the ability to earn a decent living is a big part of what motivates Fowler. She is known for working with students on scheduling, overcoming language barriers and working out transportation issues.

“Many of our students are low income, and they’ve been struggling. I’ve been there myself. I grew up in a poor family, and when I got out of school I was told to go work in a factory,” said Fowler.

“I wanted more for myself, so I worked at night as a nurse assistant and put myself through nursing school. Now I’m a registered nurse, and I’m happy to be able to give back.”

According to Southerland, there could be not better teacher for this program, “Ms. Fowler is a mother, friend and instructor,” she says. “She’s bright, and funny and committed to her students. She does more than teach us skills; she lifts us up.”

About the Red Cross
The American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization whose mission includes helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to disaster. An initiative of the Greater Richmond Chapter’s Center for Community and Corporate Education, the Nursing Assistant Training Program is part of the chapter’s efforts to address the projected needs of the growing senior population in the Greater Richmond area.

About Goodwill
Founded in 1923, Goodwill Industries is a nonprofit provider of career development and support services for individuals with obstacles to employment, providing them with the skills they need to maintain long-term employment and gain an improved standard of living. The local agency serves 39 cities and counties across Central Virginia and Hampton Roads.

About the Nurse Assistant Training Program
In this partnership, the only one of its kind in the Richmond area, the American Red Cross provides the curriculum and the instructor, and Goodwill provides the classroom and job preparation training at its Career Center on Midlothian Turnpike.

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