Nursing home workers do essential work every day, providing care to members of our communities who need it most. Workers say their jobs have many wonderful aspects but also many challenges.

Throughout COVID and into the future, these jobs and these workers’ lives change in many ways due to their choices and to circumstances. Our communities must listen to workers closely and continuously to understand what’s happening.

Columbia University researchers invest our time and resources in learning from workers, sharing out their experiences, and seeking to improve their working lives. We focus especially on Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) who carry out the core of the industry’s work serving residents.

Using postcards and SMS text messages to mobile phones, we invite many CNAs to report on their experiences using online surveys. If you received an invitation and if you are a CNA working in a skilled nursing facility, we would love to hear from you.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email p.youngblood@columbia.edu.