Country View Living, the long-term living facility in Dimmitt, TX, has dedicated time in educating young professionals on how to be a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). They have held four CNA classes, with a 100% passing rate. These classes are taught by two Registered Nurses (RN) who work at Country View Living (CVL) and have worked for the Castro County Hospital District (CCHD) for many years.

 

Raneta Patton, a RN and Charge Nurse, was an instructor for the CNA course. She has been working with CCHD as a nurse for six years, but also began working with CVL when they opened in March 2019. Patton states that she knows how important and difficult a CNA’s job can be, and she decided to teach these classes to make sure they were all well prepared for the job. She takes a lot of pride in being a part of something that is really making a difference at CCHD.

 

“As a nurse, you depend heavily on your CNA’s to assist in resident care,” said Patton. “They are with the residents more often than anyone else and are the nurses and doctors ‘eyes and ears’ during their shift.”

 

Patton did not teach alone, Tonya Ethridge, RN, also dedicated her time to teaching the CNA class. Ethridge saw this a great opportunity for her to be able to give something back after her six years in the nursing field. Ethridge worked for CCHD at Plains Memorial Hospital from 2013 to 2017, and returned to work at CVL when it opened, and states, “that it is an amazing place to work.” She has enjoyed teaching and getting to know the students and watching them grow each day in class.

 

“It is amazing at the begging of class to see them unsure of themselves, and then by the end of class see how they have grown and come to love the residents and what they are doing,” said Ethridge.

 

Both women speak of the heart, dedication, and importance of CNA’s. They are the front line of our resident’s care, and nurses cannot do their job without them. “Because a good CNA doesn’t just have a job, it’s their calling.”

 

If becoming a CNA sounds like something you or someone you know would like to do, you can come to the facility and fill out a CNA class application any time or watch our Facebook page (@countryviewtx) for updates on our next class. For more information call 806-647-2984.