Michigan Nursing Home Workforce Stabilization Program Spotlight – Amy Morofski

Amy Morofski is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in southeast Michigan. When she learned from the Human Resources department at work that her employer, Medilodge of Monroe, was partnering with H-CAP to support nursing facility workers with retention benefits, she almost couldn’t believe a retention program was available to help her thrive in the job she loves. 

“I love being a CNA,” Amy gushed. “I have always loved taking care of people. I want to take care of people the way that I wasn’t taken care of when I was a child,” she reflected. “My first day on the job, I met one of the residents and was hooked. The residents are so excited to see me every day, and I love spending time with them and getting to know them.”  

But being a frontline healthcare worker isn’t always easy. “I love my job, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else, but I’m not getting rich working as a CNA,” Amy explained. “It can be hard to make ends meet sometimes, especially when big expenses come up out of the blue.” The safety net available to her through the expense reimbursement fund provided by the labor-management retention program recently gave Amy some much-needed breathing room when a surprise bill came up. 

"The alternator on my car broke, and without my car, I wouldn’t be able to get to work or get my kids where they needed to be. . . . I was so grateful that the program covered the cost of the new alternator. It gave me so much peace of mind to not stress over that and get to work, no problem.” 

“The very first month I was in the program, it helped me tremendously. The alternator on my car broke, and without my car, I wouldn’t be able to get to work or get my kids where they needed to be. I had no choice but to replace it. Usually, an expensive car repair like that would break the bank. I was so grateful that the program covered the cost of the new alternator. It gave me so much peace of mind to not stress over that and get to work, no problem.” 

Care workers like Amy provide essential services to older adults and people with disabilities in nursing facilities every day. They often worry about life’s stresses and challenges themselves without much support from the workforce system. By providing worker-centered benefits in partnership with nursing home employers, H-CAP strives to make a difference by making it easier for experienced essential workers to stay on the job and overcome obstacles. 

Amy says she would recommend the retention program to everyone and encourages people considering becoming CNAs to take the leap. She explained that when she first started, she was so excited about being a CNA, but she also said it was one of the hardest things she’s ever done. “My very first shift as a CNA was so tough, and I wasn’t sure I could do it. A nurse took me aside at the end of my shift and hugged me. She said, ‘Give it six months. I know you can do it. You’ve got it in you; you’ve got the heart.’ And ever since then, I’ve tried to support anyone brand new, especially in their first six months,” Amy said. 

She added that with the help of programs that provide a little extra support, like this one, “I think more people could stick it out and do great.”