CARRIER MILLS, IL (WSIL) 鈥� Thursday is the kick-off for CNA week and at places like Carrier Mills Nursing and Rehab Center, their value is priceless.
Christy Barter is the administrator for the Carrier Mills facility and She says 鈥� CNAs play a vital role at the facility.
鈥淭hey are the front line of the nursing facility,鈥� said Barter. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e passionate. They love their residents. They鈥檙e taking care of them, day in and day out.鈥�
And it鈥檚 that passion and love that has kept Linda Nelson going for more than 12 years as a CNA.
鈥淭he residents. I love them,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淚 love what I do. Everybody鈥檚 like, why don鈥檛 you go get your nursing license but I like doing what I do now. This is probably where I鈥檒l be until I retire.鈥�
On average a CNA working in Illinois will make about $17 an hour, but that can change based on a number of factors.
Aaryanna Anderson has been a CNA for less than a year but she says it鈥檚 something she鈥檚 enjoyed every day.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what a CNA was until I started working here and when I got into the groove of it, I really liked it,鈥� said Anderson.
Barter says, trying to define what a CNA is tough 鈥� because they do so much. However, she does say all CNAs at Carrier Mills have something in common.
鈥淚 always said, if I owned or ran a nursing facility it would always be fun and a family atmosphere,鈥� said Barter.
CNAs fill a variety of jobs like dressing, grooming, bathing, and helping with feedings.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 do the things we do without CNAs,鈥� confessed Barter. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very passionate, caring, and loving. I鈥檓 very passionate about CNAs and what they do and thank god for them.鈥�
