Assistant loves job

Jeannie Boggess, CNA, started as a certified nurse’s assistant more than 10 years ago and she said she still loves it to this day.

Boggess has tried her hand at other jobs, but she said she would not do anything else now.

Boggess received her start at Romana Village in Kansas City, Mo., where she got her CNA license and worked for four years. She started there originally because she was just looking for work, but ended up loving it.

“I guess it was just meant to be,” Boggess said.

She started at John Knox Village, a retirement facility in Lee’s Summit, Mo., about six years ago. Boggess said she likes John Knox because of the constantly changing activities and improving facilities.

She said that the most important part of her work is being there for the residents. Some residents don’t have family, or their family doesn’t come and visit them, Boggess said.

The work load and tasks get tough sometimes, Boggess said, but the hardest part for her is when a resident passes away. She said she becomes attached to the residents.

Boggess said she loves talking with her residents.

“They feel like your grandma,” Boggess said. “You know, you just have a connection. You talk about stuff in your life.”

Boggess said companionship is the most important aspect of her job.

When Boggess first started she said she had no idea what she was doing and the training wasn’t sufficient to let her know the right way to do procedures and difficult residents. She said training has improved but she believes that following an older or more experienced CNA can help immensely.

“They just jump you into it, and that scares a lot of people away,” Boggess said.

Although the job is hard at times, she emphasized that it’s all worth it.

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