Helen Hanson (L) at her graduation with instructor Ida Hall
I gave this speech on December 21 to the other students in my CNA certification class. After years as a home care worker, I got my CNA certification so I’d be eligible for a wider range of direct care jobs. Our instructor asked the group to pick someone to make a speech when we graduated. The class nominated me, and I figured it would help with my public speaking skills. But speaking in front of a group is getting better for me, I must say. I wasn’t at all nervous – it actually felt good!
I want to thank the Veteran’s Administration-Togus and Augusta Adult Education for making this CNA course available. It was a grueling course of 200 hours – 50 hours more than the current state requirement. I’m grateful for the opportunity and challenge this course offered.
I want to thank Lisa Theriault and Ida Hall, our instructors, for their patience, knowledge, and expertise in the field of nursing that they have imparted upon us. Personally, I enjoyed Ida’s “old school” teaching methods and her high expectations of us. One of my high school teachers was the same way, and she’s the one that inspired me to push myself beyond my comfort zones and to do the best that I can with the knowledge I have. She’s the teacher I remember from my high school years – twenty-five-some-odd years ago.
With our graduation this evening, we now have the skills and knowledge to work as CNAs. Through this work, we all have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those in our care.
One of my hopes for my classmates is that we remember that those in our care come first and we care for them with respect and the dignity they deserve.
Another hope that I have for my classmates is that we are able to find jobs with good pay and benefits. Jobs that also offer us, as workers, dignity and respect. CNAs are the backbone of long-term and acute care.
It has been a pleasure taking my CNA training with this wonderful group of people. I hope we stay in touch.
I wish my classmates the best of luck in their caregiving endeavors.
Helen Hanson, CNA
Graduate, 2009 Voices Institute National Leadership Program
Wonderful speech! Congratulations on your accomplishment!
Excellent!!!! Great job Helen!
Thank you so much for your speech. I am taking this to read to our students. I want them to hear from someone else who as just made a great accomplishment.
I have a CNA Nursing School in Calhoun, GA and I to would like to see the respect and dignity you each deserve. You are the backbone of the medical field. You each deserve more pay and benefits.
I wish we could start a organization for CNA’s just like the other medical fields nursing, doctors, phlebotomy tech, etc. I think more people need to hear and understand what we really do. We should start a National Certification like other medical fields not just the state we work in.
Visit us at http://www.cnanursingschool.com also http://www.mtiofnorthga.com
Thank you so much for doing the speech.
Vera Wolfe
Good for you, Helen! Congratulations and best wishes.
I found a CNA school in my local area pretty easily, but I wasn’t prepared for the amount of work it would actually entail! I guess I was a little naieve in thinking nursing was easy…