Vera Hanson is a Model of CNA Success

As a Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) She Brings her “Whole Heart” to the Profession

Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Vera Hanson has been a strong and compassionate force at Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care since 2011. This National CNA Week, June 12 – 18, is an opportune time to highlight Hanson, a caregiver in the Philadelphia area whose devotion, humility and loving heart has made her a cornerstone of Crossroads.

CNAs help with the most essential daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, feeding and moving. Often, CNAs are the ones who build the closest relationships with patients during end-of-life care because they spend the most time caring for them. 

Held each June, National CNA Week honors CNAs across the country for their compassion and commitment. It’s a time to celebrate the crucial role CNAs play in hospitals, hospice and long-term care.

Hanson’s Path to Hospice

Hanson’s caregiving journey began in a nursing home, where she was drawn to helping those in pain. But years ago as a devoted mother of four she yearned for a career where she could find meaning and flexibility.

“I prayed for something that let me care for people, but also be present for my kids,” Hanson says. A friend suggested hospice care. Vera applied to Crossroads and the match was perfect. Hanson’s children are now 24, 17, 15 and 11.

At Crossroads, Hanson found a role and mission that matched her own values. With its commitment to 24-hour, seven day-a-week bedside care, the organization’s standards aligned with her natural caregiving style. “To work here, you have to come in with your whole heart,” she says. Responsible for caring for four to five patients a day, Hanson feels completely supported by her integrated care teams.

Defining Hanson’s Dedication

One day, Hanson was caring for a patient who was declining rapidly. At the same time, she was supposed to pick up her children from the soon-to-close daycare center.

Instead of leaving the patient and missing an attended death, Hanson made the heartfelt decision to stay with her patient. She called the daycare and arranged for the caregiver to take her kids home, where she waited with them until Hanson’s mother came home. 

Later that same night, Hanson was called into another emergency patient visit and went without hesitation. This story demonstrates Hanson’s deep commitment to her patients but also the challenges she has had to balance as a caregiver and a mother.

Hanson’s Caregiving Philosophy

Hanson’s approach to caregiving is rooted in patience, clear communication and her presence. She sets respectful professional boundaries, apologizes if she’s running late and always listens to her patients with care.

Her advice to new CNAs echoes the way Hanson works: Be patient, communicate clearly and often and lead with compassion, even in small moments. 

Hanson notes that Crossroads sets a very high bar. Those who want to work at Crossroads need to bring their full selves to work every day. That’s not hard for Hanson. She is known to be a caregiver who goes above and beyond every day. Not just for patients, but for their families and her coworkers too. 

Hanson takes inspiration from her children, her faith and all the special lives she’s helped along the way.

As we celebrate National CNA Week, we honor caregivers like Hanson. Her story stands as a strong reminder that the best care doesn’t only come from training or skill, but from love, presence and dedication.

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