WC Wisconsin News

Today, Congressman Derrick Van Orden introduced a bill aimed at addressing the shortage of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) across the United States. The legislation, named the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Workforce Improvement Act, proposes expanding the pool of qualified supervisors for CNA training programs. Under this act, Registered Nurses (RNs) with at least two years of nursing experience would be eligible to supervise CNA training regardless of whether their experience was gained in long-term care facilities or other healthcare settings.

The shortage of CNAs is a pressing issue nationwide, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare providers and facilities is limited. By removing the requirement that supervising nurses must have long-term care experience, the bill aims to increase the number of available supervisors and accelerate workforce recruitment efforts.

Congressman Van Orden stated, "I have heard from countless healthcare providers who are in desperate need of more CNAs. In rural Wisconsin, folks depend on these critical workers to receive timely and quality care, and when facilities are short-staffed, entire communities feel the impact. This bill removes the bureaucratic red tape and gets more boots on the ground to ensure patients are receiving the care they need."

Heather Schimmers, MBA, RN, Gundersen Region President at Emplify Health expressed support for the legislation: "Opening pathways to crucial health care careers takes creative solutions. This legislation is a step toward building the CNA workforce to aid better patient care and to train future health care professionals. We're grateful Rep. Van Orden is prioritizing this issue, and we look forward to advocating with him for its passage."

The full text of the bill can be accessed online.