Ruth feels like her job as a CNA is a natural fit and takes pride in caring for Mary (right) and other residents at Primrose Retirement Community. “I really enjoy getting to know the residents and their life stories,” says Ruth, a recent graduate of Climb’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training in Gillette.”

In response to the community’s need to fill in-demand CNA positions, Ruth’s training included classroom modules with hands-on lab hours that prepared her for testing and certification. Each participant also had a chance to do clinical rounds and experience different medical settings.

“Climb is the first place where I’ve felt truly seen, heard, and accepted with no judgment. It’s a safe place, a real second chance. Climb helped me see what I can be, not what I was.”

– Ruth, Climb Wyoming Graduate

Two-thirds of Wyoming nursing homes are understaffed, the second-highest rate in the nation.*

 

After training, Ruth began her job placement at Primrose Retirement Community. With six kids ages 11 to 20, Ruth says her new career has a consistent weekly schedule that has allowed her to do new activities with her family.

Her work also holds a lot of personal significance. “My mom was in a care facility before she passed away,” says Ruth. “So it was a real drive for me to pay it forward and take care of people like her.”

“Ruth is such a great CNA,” says Mary, one of the residents at Primrose.“ There’s a difference between just doing your job and being a very caring person.”

When Ruth walks into work each day, she’s grateful to feel a new found confidence. “I was in a relationship for a long time where my self-confidence felt extinguished,” she says of years living with domestic violence. “Climb is the first place where I’ve felt truly seen, heard, and accepted with no judgment. It’s a safe place, a real second chance. Climb helped me see what I can be, not what I was.”

* AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard Fact Sheets; Public Policy Institute, updated Sept. 14, 2023