Aide for a day

The author worked for an 8-hour shift in the role of nursing assistant at a skilled nursing facility as an additional provider over and above the usual staffing. The purpose of this exercise was (1) to demonstrate to nursing assistants the respect of administration for their work, (2) to gain firsthand insights into the specific tasks they perform, and (3) to describe potential inefficiencies and barriers to providing care. Following the shift, the author provided a written report to the administrator and the director of nursing describing the shift and making clinical and programmatic recommendations.