As the nursing profession continues to face shortages, a new program at Northwestern Medicine is working to change that – and it starts with their own employees

BNA Training Photo

CHICAGO – MAY 6, 2024 – Patient care technicians (PCTs) are essential health care workers who assist and support registered nurses in all aspects of patient care activities such as personal hygiene, transporting, taking vital signs, answering call buttons, and more. In August 2021, with health care workers facing burn out and exhaustion from the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwestern Medicine had a large number of PCT job openings, leading to a shortage of qualified professionals to provide nursing care support. At Northwestern Medicine, PCTs are required to have a certified nursing assistant (CNA) certification upon hire. To address the internal vacancies, the organization needed a creative solution. What if they created, offered and taught their own CNA training program accessible to all employees at no cost?

The Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program was launched in 2022 not only to help fill the PCT vacancies, but to bridge training gaps for employees interested in health care careers. Northwestern Medicine created the program for employees who may be working in nonclinical roles such as food services, EVS/housekeeping, and security – but want a path to nursing. It’s available to all Northwestern Medicine employees with tuition supported by the organization. For the first time, external candidates are also welcome to apply with a payment plan available.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for nursing assistants and registered nurses will continue to increase as Baby Boomers age and the need for health care grows. From 2022-2032, employment of nursing assistants is projected to grow 4% with 209,400 openings each year, and employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6% with 193,100 openings each year. Illinois will face a shortage of nearly 15,000 registered nurses by 2025, according to a 2020 workforce report prepared by the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center.

Kiana Smith

Tacora Love, a Northwestern Medicine program director and nurse educator who helped create the Basic Nursing Assistant (BNA) Training Program curriculum, says the program can serve as an introduction to a variety of careers in health care to help address the nursing shortage.

 “What’s really great about this program is that once you get your CNA certification, it can help you become a patient care technician at Northwestern Medicine and even set you up for a nursing education in the long run. On top of that, most students don’t have to worry about the financial or time barriers that might come with programs like this outside of Northwestern Medicine,” said Love. “I’m really proud of the program we’ve built, and I truly believe it can be replicated at health systems across the country to help create a pipeline to nursing that will assist with the impending nursing shortage.” 

The 16-week training program takes place on Fridays at Northwestern Memorial Hospital with instruction in classroom, lab, and clinical settings. The instruction team works with the students’ managers to accommodate student schedules.

For employees like Kiana Smith, the BNA Training Program has been life-changing. Two years ago, she walked into Northwestern Memorial to make sandwiches at Panera Bread, then took a job as a security guard in the emergency department. Being around patients made Smith realize she wanted to work on the clinical side, and she enrolled in the BNA Training Program. After graduating in February, Smith passed the CNA exam and now works as a patient care tech on a general medicine floor at Northwestern Memorial.

“I have a passion for caring for people and my next step is nursing school,” said Smith. “I’ve always had plenty of jobs, but never a career. I’m here today thanks to hard work, determination, and this amazing program through Northwestern Medicine. My career is just getting started and I’m excited for the future.”

The BNA Training Program is approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health and is part of the NM Academy & NM Clinical Schools and Programs. Upon program completion, students are then eligible to take the Illinois Nurse Aide Competency Certification Exam and once they pass the exam, they can get hired as a patient care technician and even go on to nursing school. Most nursing programs require students to have a CNA certificate. 

For more information or to register for the program, visit clinicalschools.nm.org.

February 2024 graduation class

Recent graduate stories:

Kiana Smith – She started making sandwiches at the Panera Bread inside Northwestern Memorial Hospital, then transitioned to security services and enrolled in the BNA Training Program. After graduating in February, she now works as a patient care technician on a general medicine floor at Northwestern Memorial, and her next step is nursing school. Smith is a single mom who told her 7-year-old son at February’s graduation ceremony, “Allow no one to limit you by putting you in a box. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

Austin Garcia – He started his career as a health unit coordinator in the ICU at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital and after graduating from the BNA Training Program in February, Garcia’s now working on the same floor – but as a patient care technician. At graduation, Garcia told his classmates, “It’s not about the speed, it’s about the direction. I knew this program was the catalyst to the career I deserved.”

Katie O’Neill – She’s a member of Project SEARCH at NM, which helps young people with disabilities make successful transitions to adult life, and she volunteers with the Special Olympics. While the BNA Training Program was challenging for O’Neill, it reflects the inclusivity of the class. After graduating in February, she passed the CNA exam on her first attempt and is currently working as a nursing support specialist at Central DuPage Hospital. O’Neill hopes to go to nursing school and ultimately work with children and infants. “My advice for future BNA students is to make friends with your classmates and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Fight through the hard days and you’ll be glad you did.”  

Isaac Woodson – He started working in housekeeping at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, but his goal was to eventually work in a clinical position. Isaac wanted to provide a better life for his wife and their new baby, so he enrolled in the BNA Training Program and graduated in February. Isaac recently started working as a patient care technician at Lake Forest.

Kaiya Person – She specifically came to Northwestern Medicine for the BNA Training Program. Person wants to become a nurse but wasn’t sure how to pay for it, so she took a job as a patient service representative with Northwestern Medicine’s immediate care centers. After graduating in February, Kaiya accepted a job as a patient care technician with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital and is taking her final prerequisites for nursing school which she plans to enroll in for the fall semester. “To my knowledge, there isn’t another CNA program in Chicago that is free for employees and only meets one day per week. While the class itself can be challenging, enrolling in the program allowed me to continue my education, gain knowledge and build skills in a clinical role while making lasting connections across the Northwestern Medicine system.”