MONROE — A report from Pleasant View Nursing Home Director Terry Snow to the Green County Board of Supervisors recently highlighted a dire need for nursing assistants.

“There is a workforce crisis all around, but especially in health care,” Snow said, adding that the county has plans to implement more radio and billboard advertising and small ads in local businesses.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupation of certified nursing assistant requires someone physically active to work at long-term care facilities to provide basic care for patients. It also projects 11% growth from 2016 to 2026, which it notes is higher than any other occupation.

Snow said Pleasant View has 40 nursing assistants working daily shifts. There are full-time workers, but the facility also employs 70 part-time CNAs as well. 

There have been ongoing efforts to recruit people, Snow said. However, CNAs are not seen as a long-term occupation for a number of people looking to go into a healthcare profession. 

“Employees can be in school so they move on after finishing,” Snow said, adding that there are a number of people successfully completing programs. “They don’t necessarily go on to work in that field.”

Competition at other facilities has also been a factor in Pleasant View struggling to recruit and retain CNAs. Snow said she plans to request the base wage for the position to be increased to more than $14 per hour. Other facilities in places like Verona can offer up to $18 to $20 per hour for CNAs.

With a lack of qualified, trained professionals, Snow said Pleasant View began a program roughly four years ago for a position called resident assistant. The RA takes on everyday tasks not associated with patients usually reserved for CNAs. The position can be more easily filled because it does not require the 120 hours of basic training for certification.

Snow said part of recruitment and retention efforts won’t just include advertising. In addition to attempting to raising the base wage to more than $14 per hour, she noted that the facility is looking to determine the feasibility of offering a nursing assistant course in the fall much like one recently implemented at New Glarus Home. There are other possibilities, she said, like paying for tuition in exchange for a student to stay with the facility for a certain amount of time. 

Supervisor Herb Hanson said he has read of trends of facilities closing because of staff shortages. Fewer workers means a decreased patient amount, which leads to depletion of state aid and an eventual shutdown of the facility. Snow said of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, there are slightly more than 30 government owned nursing homes. The majority are run by counties, though five are owned by local municipalities.