Amie Holt Care Center, like many long-term care facilities across the nation, has been navigating significant staffing challenges, particularly in recruiting and retaining Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). To mitigate the impact of these shortages and ensure consistent, high-quality care for its residents, Amie Holt Care Center has implemented several strategies, including the utilization of traveling nurses. However, a more sustainable, long-term solution lies in fostering local talent through comprehensive programs like the Amie Holt Care Center Nurse Aide Training Program.
The staffing shortage at Amie Holt is not a new issue, but factors such as federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates and the increasing cost of living in Buffalo have exacerbated the problem, according to Brenda Gorm, the care center’s director. This challenging environment has prompted the center to take unprecedented steps, including hiring traveling nurses to fill critical CNA roles. As of early December, five traveling nurses from various agencies were working at the facility alongside two local nurses employed on an as-needed basis.
The impact of the CNA shortage is evident in the reduced capacity of the care center. For almost a year, one wing of the facility has remained vacant, limiting occupancy to 33 residents in a 44-bed building. Luke Senden, CEO of Johnson County Healthcare Center, explained the measures taken before resorting to traveling nurses: “Before we started bringing travelers in, we’ve been paying extra shift incentives and just trying to do what we can to get those CNA shifts filled. Nurses have worked a ton of shifts in the last year and it’s really been a group effort, but it just got to the point where we could no longer sustain caring for the residents without getting some assistance.”
To return to full operational capacity, Amie Holt Care Center needs to hire at least nine full-time CNAs. Reducing reliance on expensive traveling nurses would require hiring at least five permanent staff members. Recognizing the urgency, the Johnson County Hospital District board of trustees approved an increase in the starting wage for CNAs to $18 per hour, up from $15.50. This wage increase has attracted interest, particularly from high school students who can participate in a CNA course and work during evenings, weekends, and summer breaks. This initiative points to the potential of a robust Amie Holt Care Center nurse aide training program in building a pipeline of local CNAs.
The staffing challenges faced by Amie Holt are reflective of a broader crisis in long-term care facilities nationwide. Eric Boley, president of the Wyoming Hospital Association and LeadingAge Wyoming, describes Amie Holt’s situation as relatively positive compared to facilities with up to 40% of beds vacant or even closures due to staffing shortages. “It’s kind of the cart before the horse: You’ve got to have staff before you have patients,” Boley stated. “But you need patients to be able to pay the staff. What we’re seeing is a lot of empty beds, not because there’s not demand, but because there’s not supply. We don’t have enough staff members.”
While Wyoming National Guard members provided temporary relief in October 2021 during peak COVID-19 hospitalizations, this is no longer a viable option for nursing homes. The current reliance on traveling nurses, while necessary in the short term, is financially unsustainable due to labor costs averaging nearly three times that of regular employees.
Brenda Gorm and Luke Senden acknowledge the complexity of the staffing issue, citing the CMS COVID-19 vaccine mandate as a contributing factor to CNA departures. Furthermore, the competitive wage landscape and the lack of affordable housing in Buffalo pose significant recruitment hurdles. Affordable housing, defined as costing no more than 30% of gross income, is particularly challenging for CNAs earning $18 per hour, as median rent in Johnson County already exceeds this affordability threshold.
Adding to the complexity, the recent opening of the Veterans Skilled Nursing Facility west of Buffalo creates further competition for healthcare staff. This new facility requires at least 25 employees to operate, intensifying the demand for CNAs and other healthcare professionals in the region. Bruce Allison, Superintendent of the Veterans Skilled Nursing Facility, mentioned collaborations with Sheridan College for CNA courses and in-house training initiatives to address their staffing needs, mirroring the potential for an expanded Amie Holt Care Center nurse aide training program.
Despite the challenges, Gorm highlighted a positive aspect of employing traveling nurses: their experience and skill level. Many traveling nurses have noted a manageable workload at Amie Holt, and some have even expressed interest in returning, indicating a positive work environment. This underscores the inherent strengths of Amie Holt Care Center, which can be further leveraged by developing a robust nurse aide training program. By investing in and promoting the Amie Holt Care Center nurse aide training program, the facility can cultivate a dedicated local workforce, reduce reliance on temporary staffing solutions, and ensure the long-term provision of quality care for its residents while offering valuable career opportunities within the Buffalo community.
