RepDaniel Davis to Honor Jacksonville Nursing Assistants

CNAs recognized for winning statewide long term care essay contest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2012
Contact: Kristen Knapp, APR
(850) 701-3530 or kknapp@fhca.org 

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Representative Daniel Davis (R-13) recently joined members of the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) to honor three Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) working in Jacksonville-area nursing homes as winners of FHCA’s annual CNA Essay Contest. Rep. Davis honored Teresa Base, CNA with Southlake Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (pictured below), as the Grand Prize winner for the 2012 CNA Essay Contest.  Other winners honored during the presentation included Second Place winner, Carolyn Thompson, CNA, Heartland of South Jacksonville; and Third Place winner Mary Juen, CNA, Life Care Center of Hilliard. Along with recognition, this year’s winner and runners up each received a cash prize.

The event took place at Riverwood Center, a 240-bed skilled nursing facility located at 2802 Parental Home Road in Jacksonville. Maya Perez, administrator of Riverwood Center, Connie O’ Donnell, FHCA District IX President, and Emmett Reed, FHCA Executive Director, hosted the event.

FHCA’s CNA Essay Contest asked Certified Nursing Assistants working in the Association’s member nursing homes and assisted living facilities (ALF) to submit up to 500 words about their personal experiences surrounding a designated theme. This year’s theme, “CNAs Talk About Managing Falls,” focused on the CNA’s role in preventing and responding to falls in nursing homes and ALFs, including their understanding of falls as a particular risk to their residents and the interventions they’ve learned in their caregiving career that may prevent falls.

“These CNAs are excellent examples of what successful long term care nursing assistants contribute to the high quality care delivered to the residents in our FHCA member facilities. We are proud to honor them for their dedication and commitment to the profession,” said FHCA Executive Director Emmett Reed.  

ABOUT THE FLORIDA HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) is a federation which serves nearly 1,000 members and represents over 500 long term care facilities that provide skilled nursing, post-acute and sub-acute care, short-term rehab, assisted living and other services to the frail elderly and individuals with disabilities in Florida. The mission of FHCA is to advance the quality of services, image, professional development and financial stability of its members. As Florida's first and largest advocacy organization for long term care providers and the elderly they serve, the Association has worked diligently since 1954 to assist its members with continuously improving quality of care and quality of life for the state’s growing elder care population. For more information about the Florida Health Care Association or the CNA Essay Contest, visit www.fhca.org.

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