Happy caregiver man helping and supporting senior woman sitting outdoors in park.

The Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act, introduced in May by Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Madeline Dean (D-PA) and David McKinley (R-WV), still awaits action in the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means. But a supporter has emerged from outside the long-term care industry.

In addition to allowing temporary nurse aides in nursing homes 24 months to fulfill training and testing requirements to become certified nursing assistants, the bill also would enable them to apply their on-the-job experience and training toward the 75-hour federal training requirement to become certified.

“My goal is to bring more qualified workers into senior care settings to ensure that our most vulnerable populations are receiving safe and quality care, while also providing workers an opportunity to further their professional development and earn higher wages,” Guthrie said in a statement when she introduced the bill. 

In a letter sent to the bill’s sponsors last week, the American Hospital Association said that the time extension “would allow [skilled nursing facilities] to retain their workforce, while also providing nurse aides with job experience needed to become certified nursing assistants.” 

The bill already has support from the long-term care industry.

“More than 240,000 workers have left nursing home jobs, per reports. The reality is that we are looking for workers that, at the present time, don’t exist and the pipeline is shrinking daily,” a spokesperson for LeadingAge told the McKnight’s Business Daily Monday. “Addressing the staffing issues in long-term care has got to be priority No. 1, and every possible resource must be explored to turnaround a dire situation.”

The American Health Care Association also supports the bill. Holly Harmon, RN, senior vice president of quality, regulatory and clinical services for the organization previously noted that it would give such workers the opportunity to keep their jobs while working toward becoming CNAs.

“With many states unable to meet current training and testing demands, this legislation will help temporary aides continue to serve their residents, supporting seniors’ continuity of care,” Harmon said.