Alysa Charlton of Bluefield needed a change in her life. Alysa was a single parent of four who actually took care of six children in her home. She was working in home health as a caregiver but found herself struggling to make ends meet. She wanted to do something that would enable her to earn better wages.
When her uncle, Willie Hunt, told her about a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program offered through Southwest Regional Adult Education in which he was an instructor, Alysa was interested! Alysa was already working in healthcare, so becoming a CNA would allow her to continue along that career path.
Alysa signed up for the class which ran from April 6 through June 30, 2021. She continued working as a caregiver throughout the program. Her biggest challenge was having to be away from her children, which was a source of stress for her, but with the support of her family, who provided childcare, she was able to manage the situation.
Alysa was encouraged in the classroom by her teachers who took time to help their students when struggles arose. She commented, “It was an outstanding and remarkable class to be in.” Everyone was friendly and made sure that no one failed.” Alysa successfully completed the coursework, took the state board exam, and earned her CNA certification.
A valuable lesson Alysa learned in the program was “patience.” She has gained an understanding that everything in healthcare takes a certain amount of time. She concluded, “Patience is the key to success.”
In addition to learning and practicing all the CNA skills, Alysa was able to improve her computer skills and earn 10 certificates with the Northstar Digital Literacy curriculum and assessments. She was able to rebuild her resume and participate in a mock job interview, which she deemed as very helpful in preparation for employment. Alysa also received training and certification in CPR/AED and REVIVE!, the Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education (OONE) program for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Since completing the program, Alysa Charlton has gotten a new job as a CNA at Mercer Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Bluefield, West Virginia and has greatly increased her wages along with receiving benefits such as insurance and retirement. She expressed, “Now that I have stable income, I don’t have to worry about bills not getting paid, and I get to spend more time with my children. I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to make a change.” Regarding next steps for Alysa, she hopes to continue her education in the future and work toward becoming an LPN or RN.
Southwest Regional Adult Education congratulates Alysa Charlton on her success! If you need to upskill, let us help! Contact us at 276-889-5424 to find out about training opportunities offered in Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, and Tazewell counties.