Cerner, AANAC Award Nursing Assistant of the Year Scholarship

KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 13, 2018 -- Cerner, a global leader in health care technology, announced the 2018 Cerner Nursing Assistant of the Year Scholarship recipient, Caitlin Atkinson, of the Maine Veterans’ Home in Machias. The scholarship was presented to Atkinson at the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC) Annual Conference this week in Las Vegas.

This is the 10th year of the scholarship, which Cerner developed in conjunction with AANAC to recognize the critical role nursing assistants play in the lives of long-term care residents.

An expert panel of judges from AANAC reviewed more than 50 nominations for this year’s award. Selection was based on employment longevity, interaction with residents, family and staff, coaching or mentoring abilities, work ethic and quality of work.

Atkinson was nominated by Marcia Jackson, administrator of the Maine Veterans’ Home in Machias.

“Caitlin understands that she is part of the team who are the eyes and ears for the residents and families, and she does a good job advocating for the residents,” Jackson said.

The Nursing Assistant of the Year Scholarship Program awarded Atkinson a $3,000 scholarship to offset educational expenses.

Caitlin is on the dean’s list at University of Maine at Machias while working as a nursing assistant in the memory care unit at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Machias.

“Nursing assistants are at the front line of care delivery and are committed to improving the lives of their residents. Cerner is working to provide nursing assistants with an up-to-date and comprehensive patient record in order to help them deliver the right care at the right time,” said Adam Laskey, vice president, Cerner Corporation.

Nominations for next year will open in the fall. Visit Cerner.com to learn more about the award.

About Cerner

Cerner’s health technologies connect people and information systems at more than 27,000 contracted provider facilities worldwide dedicated to creating smarter and better care for individuals and communities. Recognized globally for innovation, Cerner assists clinicians in making care decisions and assists organizations in managing the health of their populations. The company also offers an integrated clinical and financial system to help manage day-to-day revenue functions, as well as a wide range of services to support clinical, financial and operational needs, focused on people. For more information, visit Cerner.com, The Cerner Blog or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or The Cerner Podcast. Nasdaq: CERN. Smarter Care. Better Outcomes. Healthier You.

About AANAC

The American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC) is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to supporting long-term care professionals providing quality care for nursing home residents across the nation. Representing more than 14,700 members, AANAC has earned the reputation as the premier resource and network for long-term care professionals.

Media Contacts:  
Adam Lee, Cerner, (816) 724-7916, [email protected]

Deborah White, AANAC, (800) 768-1880, [email protected]