Contact: Ty Kinslow, Senior VP for Communications
Telephone: 229.931.5925
Email: tkinslow@magnoliamanor.com
Website: www.magnoliamanor.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 4, 2023

Magnolia Manor of Americus Pioneers Virtual Skills Testing Program to Certify Temporary Nurse Aides

(Magnolia Manor of Americus Students Complete Virtual Skills Training Program.)

Magnolia Manor Home Office, Americus, GA, September 4, 2023 –Magnolia Manor in Americus was selected as the first long-term care facility to offer virtual skills testing for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). The virtual skills-testing program allows students to complete their exams through a live stream video as a proctor monitors the process. Magnolia Manor officially conducted an exam in July 2023 for seven students. Each student successfully passed the skills evaluation and received their CNA credentials.

The virtual skills-testing program came to fruition after the University of Georgia’s Institute for Disaster Management (IDM) discovered a need for more emergency preparedness and disaster management training for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved long-term care (LTC) facilities in Georgia. Upon conducting CMS-funded Infection Control training, IDM faculty and staff became aware of the critical staffing shortage in LTC, particularly in the certified nurse aide (CNA) positions. In addition to CNA shortages, the 1135 Waiver that allowed Temporary Nurse Aides to work in long-term care throughout the pandemic was set to expire. TNAs were required to obtain certification within four months. States received an extension from CMS for the four-month window, and even with the extension, the availability of testing remained a challenge.

The leadership teams at IDM, Georgia Department of Community Health, and Georgia Healthcare Association (GHCA) began discussions expediting the exam process through a virtual skills-testing program. With this option, finding a qualified long-term care facility to launch the program was imperative. Magnolia Manor Methodist Nursing Center in Americus served as the pilot facility, and Susie Fussell, a member of the IDM Expert Review Committee, the project facilitator.

“We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with DCH, and UGA IDM, and GHCA on this virtual initiative. With this new program in place, our goal is to expedite critical first steps in rebuilding and revitalizing our workforce both today and for years to come,” stated Susie Fussell, RNBC LNHA, Vice President for Resident Safety/Emergency Management at Magnolia Manor.

IDM began a pilot project to test the concept in Spring 2023. Magnolia Manor CNAs posed as nurse aide students and completed the skills test at the facility skills lab. An onsite registered nurse (RN) proctor positioned a camera so that a virtual RN could observe and evaluate mock students’ ability to perform the skills properly. The pilot project concluded in June 2023. After comparing the results to in-person exams, DCH and IDM leadership determined that the virtual testing process was successful. As a result, IDM held the first official virtual skills test at Magnolia Manor in July 2023.

(Student completing Virtual Skills-Training Exam at Magnolia Manor in Americus, GA)

“Many thanks to the leadership and staff at Magnolia Manor for the very forward-thinking willingness to host IDM's successful pilot project for virtual skills-testing of Nurse Aide students. We believe that leveraging technology for this pilot has been an important step in growing the CNA workforce in Georgia and ultimately will result in improved patient care in the long-term care community,” stated Patrick O’Neal, MD, Clinical Professor at the University of Georgia’s Institute for Disaster Management.

By offering a virtual option, Magnolia Manor aims to expand skills test accessibility and help more nurse aide students obtain certification. The Magnolia Manor leadership team expects the program to lead to an increase in CNAs on staff, which will in turn improve overall care at Magnolia Manor and long-term care in Georgia. Plans are underway to provide more virtual skills tests in the future. To find out more information, visit www.magnoliamanor.com.

ABOUT MAGNOLIA MANOR

Headquartered in Americus, Georgia, Magnolia Manor is a faith-based, tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization affiliated by covenant with the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Magnolia Manor was established in 1959 and employs almost 900 staff who serve about 1,200 senior adults daily throughout South Georgia. Services at our nine locations are open to all persons, regardless of denominational affiliation. We provide various levels of care, including Independent Living, Catered Care, Personal Care, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitative Therapy, and specialized Memory Care.