Today’s economy paints a grim picture of the employment situation for jobseekers. But staff members at Cottesmore of Life Care Center in Gig Harbor don’t think the outlook is so bad for those who really want to start a career in health care.

The center hosted its inaugural career fair last week and invited people to take a look at what Cottesmore offers, both for job hunters and volunteers.

“We just want to get the word out that there are exciting opportunities in the health care industry,” said Jonathan Ashley, Cottesmore’s executive director.

The center offers a six-week nursing assistant certification program for free with a fee of $25 to $40 for the nursing assistant application during the course. There are still seats available for the next class, which starts March 12, plus a mandatory orientation Feb. 17.

After a student passes the state board certification, Life Care will help them find them a job.

“Our ultimate goal is to have them work here or at a sister facility,” Ashley said.

“If you go to (Tacoma Community College), this course costs $1,000,” staffing coordinator Bob Cornell said. “Life Care is such a big corporation that, if you want to, you can move somewhere else later. The state tests are on the federal level, so it’s easy to transfer from state to state. People don’t realize the opportunities for certified assistants are not just long-term care. We’re a rehab facility, too.”

Cottesmore is about to open a state-of-the-art rehab facility in its therapy department that will feature an anti-gravity treadmill.

Ashley said the staff members want to dispel the belief that care facilities only focus on long-term patients.

“We’re also a post-acute rehab center,” he said. “Our primary focus is to get people back to living at home. We help with their medical management, so when they go home, they don’t discharge back to the hospital.”

Nursing assistants help the patients with a plan to help them get back on their feet after they leave the care center, Ashley said. They offer patients tips on home improvements they will need, such as installing grab bars or handicap ramps.

“Our residents are very involved with the discharge plan,” Ashley said. “We take them home and let them know what they need to be independent.”

Kristin Alas, a registered nurse, said that, unlike some careers that lead to dead ends, there are many paths in the health care system that a nursing assistant can explore.

“Becoming a certified nursing assistant is the way to get into nursing,” she said. “A lot of our employees in other areas were once CNAs.”

Ashley said people often are surprised by the variety of careers from which CNAs can choose.

“Out of our 200-plus associates, some of them are involved in staffing, medication and treatment development,” he said. “You can become a business office manager or a dietician. Almost all of our cooks started out as CNAs.”

“At Life Care, we have a culture of caring,” Alas added. “There’s opportunities for growth, so you’re not stuck doing one thing.”

If someone is hesitant to dive in to health care, they can get their feet wet by volunteering. Cottesmore has room for volunteers who want to help with social visits, assist with daily activities, or outings and shopping trips.

“We need escorts to go places like the Puyallup Fair or the Tacoma Musical Playhouse,” Ashley said. “A lot of our volunteers are students, so we pay their food and admission fees so they don’t have to pull that out of their pockets when they volunteer.”

Ashley admits that his interest in a health care career was sparked when he volunteered as a boy.

“I used to visit my grandmother, who was a charge nurse at a Bellingham nursing home,” he said. “I would have never thought about it unless I volunteered.”

Cottesmore staff members may host another career fair this spring, possibly in late May. The center currently is interviewing volunteers and has seats available for the upcoming NAC course.

For more information, call  Alas at 253-851-5433.



Lifestyles Coordinator and reporter Susan Schell can be reached at 253-853-9240 or by email at susan.schell@gateline.com.