HARRISBURG, PA – Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA), issued the following statement after Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 1268, which will enable temporary nurse aides hired in nursing homes, personal care homes and assisted living communities during the COVID-19 pandemic to seek full-time employment as certified nurse aides (CNAs):
“On behalf of long-term care providers across the state, including nursing homes, personal care homes and assisted living communities, we are extremely grateful for the leadership of Governor Tom Wolf, as well as the members of the House and Senate, for prioritizing Pennsylvania’s long-term care providers and supporting Senate Bill 1268.
“We especially wish to thank the prime sponsor of this legislation, Senator Judy Ward, for her steadfast leadership and guidance throughout this legislative process.
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic began, long-term care providers in Pennsylvania faced the greatest workforce crisis in the history of the sector. But since the temporary nurse aide program was formally approved in April, nearly 4,000 Pennsylvanians have completed the training required to care for our most vulnerable population.
“Temporary nurse aides are being hired by long-term care providers every day, and their commitment to patient care, coupled with the lessons they’ve learned during an unprecedented public health emergency, has strengthened a workforce pipeline that had been careening toward disaster for years. This vital legislation, which is now law, will ensure their continued role in our facilities and communities.
“We look forward to working with the Wolf Administration and the members of the state House and Senate to support our healthcare heroes in long-term care, and the vulnerable Pennsylvanians they care for each and every day.”
