Empowering PCNAs to Deliver World-Class Care (Podcast)

Patient care nursing assistants (PCNAs) have become increasingly indispensable members of the healthcare team, partnering closely with licensed caregivers to meet patients’ evolving needs. Investing in PCNA development has become more important than ever to the nurse leaders tasked with navigating ongoing staffing challenges.

At Cleveland Clinic, nurse leaders are taking intentional steps to recognize and empower PCNAs at every stage of their professional journey.

“I believe it’s our duty to continue growing the nursing profession,” says Barbara Zinner, DNP, RN, NE-BC, CENP, Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer at Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital and Marymount Sports Health. "With the right initiatives in place, PCNAs can and do develop visible, palpable confidence that benefits the entire organization. When well supported and heard by their leaders, they will advocate for patients, present at conferences and embrace opportunities they never would have considered before.”

In this episode of Nurse Essentials, Zinner discusses the critical role PCNAs play in delivering high-quality patient care and shares strategies for helping them thrive. She also explores how investing in PCNAs — from career advancement opportunities to leadership development — strengthens both caregiver engagement and patient outcomes.

Click the podcast player above to listen to the episode now, or read on for a short, edited excerpt. Check out more Nurse Essentials episodes at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/podcasts/nurse-essentials or wherever you get your podcasts.

Podcast excerpt

Podcast host Carol Pehotsky, DNP, RN, NEA-BC: Let's start with the PCNA who aspires to go to nursing school but is juggling other commitments, including full-time work. How can we better support those individuals?

Zinner: One of the very first things we do is pair them up with a peer who is already in school. That [peer-to-peer] support is so important. They need to fully understand what life is going to be like when carrying a full-time load at school and work – all at the same time. Our PCNAs need to be prepared for the challenge. We want them to be equally successful at work and school, so we encourage them to go in with their eyes wide open.

We also try to help each PCNA choose the school that’s right for them. Ultimately, the decision is theirs, but we want to educate them about their options as much as we possibly can.

Pehotsky: What advice do you have for nurse leaders who want to better support their PCNAs?

Zinner: First and foremost, make sure the voice of the PCNA can be heard. It’s critical to have a venue…a forum…a dedicated time for asking questions and listening to your caregivers. From there, I encourage managers to initiate conversations with their PCNAs. You need to know what kind of journey they’re on. Do you strive to be a "pro in place" — a caregiver who has found their calling as a career PCNA? Or do you plan to go to nursing school? If so, how can I help you get there? [The goal is] to help them grow and thrive in the roles they love.

I also urge leaders to consider what efforts they’d need to make to really, really show their PCNAs how much they mean to the organization. What can you do to help them truly feel their greatness, power and importance?