A care home in Port Talbot has awarded four dedicated care workers with new Nursing Assistant status through a new programme to help address the shortage of nurses in the area.
Care Home operator HC-One has recently launched the Care Assistant Development programme across Wales to enable colleagues to develop their clinical and leadership skills and work towards a Deputy and Home Manager role.
The four care assistants from Plas Cwm Carw Care Home, Telina Lewis, Nicola Jones, Rebecca Rees and Paige Mockler, all completed the programme with the support of Nurse mentors and Managers in the home.
The 16-week programme enhances and develops new clinical skills, which will allow the nursing assistants to support the principal nurse in charge in their position.
HC-One has introduced the role in an effort to help tackle the nationwide shortage of nurses and reduction in nurse agency, whilst supporting the career development of its existing colleagues, as Alison Innes Farquhar, director of people development and engagement for HC-One explained:
“By creating the nursing assistant role we have provided a career pathway for care staff where other opportunities may not have been available. We have a number of nursing assistants who have grown in confidence to take on leadership roles such as deputy and home manager roles.”
“The purpose of the new role will be to ensure the provision of the kindest care and support of the offering continuity of care whilst releasing the nurses to spend more time with Residents. The nursing assistants will assume responsibility for delegated nursing tasks under the supervision of the nurse in charge.
“The outcome for residents is very positive and they have been very supportive of the care assistants as they studied and learnt new skills.”
The programme has been devised by HC-One with input from the Welsh Assembly, Care and Social Service Inspectorate for Wales (CSSIW). The programme was also evaluated by the Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE) over 10 months before it was launched in England in 2016.
Plas Cwm Carw Care Home provides residential, nursing and residential dementia care. Residents are able to make use of all the facilities including a courtyard garden, treatment room and hair salon.