>>> HOLYOKE WORKS AND HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAVE PARTNERED
TO FACILITATE A 15-WEEK HOME HEALTH AIDE AND CNA PROGRAM FOR
PEOPLE WHOSE PRIMARY LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH.
MANY OF THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE NURSES AND DOCTORS IN THEIR
HOME COUNTRIES, BUT BECAUSE OF LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND DIFFERENT
LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS, THEY CANNOT CONTINUE THEIR PRACTICE
IN MEDICINE IN THIS COUNTRY.
BUT AS PRODUCER ALEJANDRO CAMERON SHOWS US, THIS PROGRAM
HELPS THEM ENTER THE FIELD AGAIN AT THE GROUND LEVEL.
. >> THIS IS A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE
ADULT IMMIGRANTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ENGLISH AND ALSO AT THE
SAME TIME LEARN SKILLS TO BECOME A CERTIFIED NURSE'S AIDE AND
HOME HEALTH AIDE.
THE IDEA HERE IS FOR PEOPLE WHO COME FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY TO BE
ABLE TO COMBINE THOSE TWO THINGS AND MOVE FORWARD MORE QUICKLY
INTO WORKING.
>> NURSE AIDES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IN ABOUT
1985 THEY HAD TO UNDERGO A STATE CERTIFICATION, MEANING THEY HAD
TO TAKE A PROGRAM, A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS IN CLASS AND
CLINIC, AND HAVE A STATE TEST.
HOME HEALTH AIDE AT THIS POINT IS MORE LOOSELY DEFINED.
THEY DON'T YET HAVE STATE CERTIFICATION FOR HOME HEALTH
AIDES.
IT'S UP TO THE AGENCIES.
>> I HAVE BEEN A NURSE SINCE 1985, I AM A REGISTERED NURSE,
AND I HAVE BEEN WITH HOLYOKE WORKS SINCE 2009.
IT'S BEEN AN EYE OPENER AND IT'S EDUCATED ME AND HELPED ME BECOME
MORE COMPASSIONATE AND CHANGE MY TEACHING SKILLS TO REACH A
DIFFERENT LEVEL OF LEARNER, SPECIFICALLY SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T
HAVE ENGLISH AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE.
FOR INSTANCE, THUMBS IN SPANISH ARE NOT CALLED THUMBS.
ALL OF THESE ARE FINGERS.
>> I TAKE THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE I LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE AND ALSO I
HAVE TWO KIDS.
THE LITTLE ONE HAS LOW MUSCLE TONE PROBLEMS AND THE OTHER ONE
IS AUTISTIC.
>> PEOPLE THINK BEING A NURSE AIDE IS AN EASY JOB BUT IT'S
ACTUALLY A VERY DIFFICULT JOB.
THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH THE NURSE AND THEY DO A LOT OF THE
PHYSICAL CARE.
NURSING HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS.
I HAVE HAD STUDENTS IN MY CLASS THAT ARE DOCTORS AND THAT ARE
REGISTERED NURSES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, AND THEY CAN'T
PRACTICE HERE.
SO THEY ARE STARTING AT THE BEGINNING, AND WORKING THEIR WAY
UP.
>> SOME OF MY STUDENTS SPEAK THE LANGUAGE AND I TELL THEM I AM IN
AWE OF THEM BECAUSE I SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.
>> IT'S CONTEXTUALIZED AND HANDS ON, ALL VERY RELEVANT TO THE JOB
THEY WILL BE DOING.
AS MUCH AS THEY CAN PRACTICE WITH REAL-LIFE THINGS AND PLAY
OUT REAL-LIFE KIND OF SCENARIOS, THE LEARNING WILL BE THAT MUCH
GREATER, THEY WILL REMEMBER IT MUCH BETTER.
>> I THINK BEING A NURSE AIDE IS A REALLY DIFFICULT POSITION.
PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY, SPIRITUALLY.
AND I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAINED AS NURSE AIDES AND
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HEARTFELT COMPASSIONATE CARE NEED TO BE
HONORED MORE BECAUSE IF I'M PUTTING MY MOTHER OR MY FATHER
OR MY HUSBAND INTO A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY, I WANT TO KNOW
THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE SPENDING A FEW EXTRA MINUTES
MAKING SURE THEY ARE REALLY COMFORTABLE.
>> I AM GOING TO BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP OTHERS AND TO
APPLY THOSE SKILLS THAT I AM GOING TO LEARN HERE AFTER THE
PROGRAM, AND ALSO I AM GOING TO FEEL GREAT IF I SEE THE PROGRESS
AND APPLY MY SKILLS IN THE CLINIC.
>> MORE CONCENTRATION AND COMPASSIONATE CARE.
ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY CAN SEE
THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY, AND I WANT MY
STUDENTS TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE LIKE THEY WERE TAKING CARE OF
THEIR OWN LOVED ONES.
NOT SOME STRANGER.
THAT MAY SOUND EASIER SAID THAN DONE, BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS COME
NATURALLY.