By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri’s new Veterans Commission chair is touring facilities across the state, including Cameron.
Kelly McClelland of Liberty says he has been meeting with officials and workers at the various veterans’ homes, listening to their concerns. He says the Cameron staff provided important input.
“I asked them, what’s the toughest thing going for you and they indicated that recruiting nurses and CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants) are the crux, because we really can’t increase our patient level and patient load at these facilities once we’re able to do that unless we have the care workers,” McClelland tells the Missourinet in an interview.
McClelland acknowledges recruitment can be tough. He says money is an issue, but the Veterans Commission is looking for workers who want to serve the nation’s veterans.
McClelland understands salaries need to be higher, but insists money isn’t the only factor.
“And so, we will try and help wherever we can to get those factors that are the most influencing to our health care workers to want to come to work with us and the fulfillment they get out of helping veterans I think is a big issue and that has a lot of them want to stay for that reason alone,” according to McClelland.
Retention is important to McClelland.
“We need to be the great employer that we can be so that they feel that commitment to working and staying with us and helping those veterans.”
McClelland says he wants workers who have a passion for coming to the need of those who served their country in the military.
The Missourinet contributed to this article.