Paulette Harper named 2015 CNA of the Year

Paulette Harper named 2015 CNA of the Year

West Memphis health care worker receives AHCA award

From Becca Swarna Arkansas Health Care Association

LITTLE ROCK— The Arkansas Health Care Association/ Arkansas Assisted Living Association has named Paulette Harper as Certified Nurse Assistant (C.N.A) of the Year for 2015.

Harper has served the residents of the Health Care & Rehabilitation Center of West Memphis in West Memphis, Arkansas, for more than three years.

Named for the late Dr. Virginia Vollmer, a Fulbright scholar and researcher, the Dr. Virginia Certified Nursing Assistant of the Year award honors these professionals who are dedicated to providing care and service to those in need. The award is based on nominations by facility administrators, directors of nursing and charge nurses, as well as recommendations from co-workers, residents or resident councils, and residents’ family members.

Criteria include demonstrating a passion for caregiving; going above and beyond in the performance of duties through work on the facility floor, volunteer work or leadership roles among staff and residents; promoting dignity among the facility’s residents; and having a positive impact on co-workers, residents and their family members.

Harper’s supervisors and co-workers praised her rapport with residents and her desire to make them comfortable and “at home.”

“Paulette provides care to the residents with the respect and dignity that they deserve,” said Belinda Looney, administrator of the center. “I asked Paulette why she was a C.N.A. Her reply was, ‘Because I love being able to be used by God to help people who cannot do for themselves.

They need my help, and while I am able to help them, I am going to give it my best.’” In addition, Harper suggested changes to help reduce the number of falls experienced by residents of the facility, including strategic positioning of supplies so that care staff could better fulfill patients’ needs without leaving the floor in search of specific items.

“Paulette is ‘about her business’ of taking care of the elderly that are in her care,” said Tomeka Johnson, a charge nurse for the center. “She is kind and soft-spoken to them. Even when she may be spoken harshly to due to a resident’s dementia, Paulette always remains calm and respectful. She will tell the other staff, ‘They don’t mean to be that way; it is just their disease.’” Sylvia Woods, director of nursing, praised Harper’s ability to form bonds with and meet the specialized needs of each resident.

“It is not easy to satisfy every resident,” Woods said. “But not for Paulette.

I have not come across a resident yet that was displeased with the care they received from Paulette.”

In addition, Harper’s fellow C.N.A.s look to her for leadership and support in any situation, and is described as a “team player,” always willing to help others when needed.

“I started at Health Care and Rehab last year,” said Cheree Middleton, C.N.A.

“After my training, when I needed help, there was always one person I could count on. That person is Paulette Harper. She helped me learn things about the residents that you don’t get taught in training — things like how to get them to cooperate and to do what they need to do in providing their care.”

About AHCA/AALA: The Arkansas Health Care Association, established in 1951, is the state’s largest organization of long-term care providers, representing 93 percent of the licensed long-term care facilities in Arkansas. The AHCA is responsible for educating, informing and representing its members and member facilities before government agencies, other trade associations and related industries. AHCA provides training, education and assistance to care facilities throughout Arkansas, promoting high-quality care for patients and strict professional standards for the staff of those facilities.

AHCA also strives to cooperate with Arkansas state legislature and the Office of Long Term Care to improve the quality of life for residents in the state’s nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.