VHS nurse-aide training program eases workforce crunch

HERKIMER, N.Y. — Valley Health Services (VHS) is overcoming a workforce shortage with its nurse-aide training program that helps resident assistants become certified nursing assistants (CNA).

Peggy Cool, a registered nurse, teaches the 120-hour course through the Center for Corporate and Community Education at Mohawk Valley Community College. The program teaches basic nursing skills that prepare students to care for residents and qualifies them to sit for the CNA exam.

This past October, five resident assistants completed the program with another three completing it in December.

“We are extremely grateful for the commitment and dedication of these students to further their education for the benefit of our residents,” Lisa Betrus, VHS president and Bassett Healthcare Network senior VP/chief strategy and transformation officer, said in a news release. “All of us at Valley Health are extremely proud of these individuals’ accomplishments, especially in this time of a global pandemic and national shortage of direct healthcare workers.”

VHS will offer more nurse-assistant training programs soon for those interested in beginning a career in health care.

Valley Health Services is part of the Bassett Healthcare Network (www.bassett.org), an integrated health system serving a 5,600-square-mile region in upstate New York with hospitals, community-based health centers, school-based health centers, skilled-nursing facilities, and other health partnerships.