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HOMEWARD BOUND
VNA's Bi-Weekly In-House Newsletter
July 13, 2015
In This Issue
United Way Committee
Fish Award
Yoga Class
Power of 100 Days!
Update on Fruit and Veggie Day
Save the Date!
VNA University
The Great Escape
Job Openings
Transamerica
Quick Links

Like us on Facebook
Dates to Remember:
  • Yoga Sign Up with Lyndsay by July 24th
All Agency Forum

Click here to view the All Agency Forum PowerPoint Presentation on the Staff Forum.

 

VNA Goes to the Ball Park
Reserve your Seat Soon! Thursday July 23rd, at Centennial Field! Please click here for more details!
 
Are you wearing your ID Badge?
Click here for more information! 
Summer Dress code Reminder
For more information and to see the do's and don'ts, please click here! 
Creative Forecasting Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Karen Davie and the rest of the Adult Day Program staff at Grand Way for being selected winners of an Adult Day Services and Assisted Living contest sponsored by Creative Forecasting magazine. Karen submitted a game she had created called "Giant Marbles," which will be featured in the September issue of the magazine. 


United Way Committee

Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, July 14

Time: 12:00 pm

Location: Nightingale Room

For information please click here

If you have any questions please contact Crystal at ext 4435 or vendrell@vnacares.org


 

For additional information please click here.

 

Fish Award

Nancy Morse- Nancy did an amazing job covering while Erica was away. Her cheerful guidance to the volunteers was greatly appreciated. Awesome job!!! 

Hello VNA Staff!

 

The Yoga class offered as part of Staff Appreciation Week was a hit, and we received a Bright Ideas Box suggestion that the VNA offer a Yoga class at the Prim Road office. The consensus is that this a great idea! To run the class, we will need a minimum of 10 people to sign up.

 

Here's the scoop:

  •          What: 4 week Yoga Class at the VNA (see below for description)
  •          When: Wednesday mornings in August
  •          Time: 7:00-7:45 AM
  •          Price: $30 per person for the 4 week class
  •          Number of participants: Minimum of 10; Maximum of 20
  •          Instructor: Kate Floyd
  •          Location: Prim Road
  •          Staff coordinator: Lyndsay Driscoll

 

If this is something you would like to do, please email Lyndsay at Driscoll@vnacares.org by July 24th.  If at least 10 people sign up, an email will be sent to all participants with instructions on how to pay and what to wear/bring, along with a waiver for you to sign. You will be required to pay the $30 fee the first day for the entire series of 4 classes.

 

Class Description from the instructor:

This 4 week yoga series will encourage participants to mindfully enter their day. Each class will include an opening to ground us, warm up movements, a gentle flow through various postures, and an adequate cool down that allows the body to receive the benefits of the practice. Emphasis will be placed on connecting the breath to movement and observing without judgment. All levels of students are welcome.

 

Join the Challenge!

Thanks to everyone who has joined our 100 Days of VNA Love Challenge (#100DaysofVNALove). We are at almost 50% of our goal!  But, we still have 50 more days to fill!

For 100 days, we're highlighting a staff member daily on Facebook with a photo and something they like about working at the VNA. All we need is a photo - either send us one or we can take a photo for you - and one or two sentences about what you like working at the VNA or what you find most rewarding.

Be a part of #100DaysofVNALove and be entered into a drawing for

a 3-day pass to the Champlain Valley Fair!

Contact Amy Perry (860-4434 or perry@vnacares.org)

or Ellen Kane (860-4475 or kanee@vnacares.org).

Check out Facebook and see some of the recent participants. Here's a sample:

 

Melanie P - Hospice Nurse"What I really love about working at VNA is the chance to work with families on their own terms; they truly get to pilot their own show!  And it just so happens that I work with the most engag ed and devoted team *ever* to support this mission!"

Update on June's Fruit and Veggie Day

The Spirit Committee would like to thank everyone who participated in the first annual Fruit & Veggie Day! We are happy to see that there were field staff who took advantage of the "Flash Your Badge" option for a free juice or smoothie. Moreover, by request, here is Lyndsay's Fresh Pressed Juice Recipe and an alternative Smoothie Recipe:

 

Summer Lemon Pear Juice:

  • Supplies needed:  Juicer, sharp knife, cutting board
  • Makes:  1 large pitcher (serves approx. 10)
  • Ingredients:  1 bunch of kale, 6 apples, 6 pears, 1 lemon, 1 inch piece of ginger root
  • Directions:
    • oChop fruit and vegetables into pieces that will fit into juicer
    • oJuice all the ingredients, alternating between greens and fruit
    • oEnjoy!

Lemon Pear Summer Smoothie:

  • Supplies needed:  blender, sharp knife, cutting board, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, zester/grater (optional for fresh ginger)
  • Serves: 1
  • Ingredients:  1 & � cups water (can substitute with coconut water or choice of milk), 1 ripe pear (seeded, cored, and chopped into cubes), 2 cups kale leaves (leaves removed from stems), 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
  • Directions:
    • o   Chop and prep ingredients as needed (see ingredients list above)
    • o   Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth


 

 

VNA University
 

LNA Training Program- The VNA will be holding the next LNA training program led by Peg Slagle, RN, LNA Educator. We will begin the program the week of August 10th and wrap up by the end of November. There is much interest from our current PCA employees and after a screening and interview process we hope to quickly fill all seven spots for the class. This training program supports our commitment to a career ladder as we educate and advance current PCA 3 level employees to become Licensed Nursing Assistants. 

 

IV Certification Course- In June we held an IV therapy training here at Prim Road, which was taught by MaryAnn Purnell from Wilcox Medical. Congratulations to the following employees for completing the day-long certification; Donna Zarro (Hospice), Wendy Audette (Hospice), Joka Silverman (AHC), Sherry O'Grady (AHC) and Sandra Cheeseman (AHC). 



Upcoming Education

 

Mandatory ICD-10 Training- For nursing, therapy, and social workers in AHC, FCS, Intake/Referral and Hospice/Palliative Care. An Overview was taught over the course of June and we will be focusing on Wounds/Documentation in July. Several sessions will be offered. Click here for more details on the updated dates. 

 

ALS Inservice- Michael Hehir from the ALS Association along with Janet DesLauriers (Respiratory care) and Barbara Segal (Palliative care) will be presenting an inservice on ALS in early August. This presentation will be directed toward hospice/palliative care, but is open to other teams as well if deemed appropriate. Click here for more details.  

 

 

 

The Great Escape & Splash Water Kingdom

 

In Lake George, New York 

 

The VNA of Chittenden and Grand Isle is now signed up for 2015 savings! Just log into the special Six Flags site below to buy tickets with substantial savings off the main gate price. This online benefit program offers not only substantial savings, but allows you to "print and go" so you have your ticket in hand when you get to the park with no waiting in the line to purchase tickets. Tickets must be purchased on-line only and paid with either a credit card or debit card.

 

Special Ticket Link:

https://shop.sixflags.com/clients/sixflags/affiliate/index.php?m=33599&emerchant_id=5053

Username: VNA15

 

Password: SixFlags13  (Password is Numeric & Case Sensitive)


We're Growing!
VNA programs are seeing an increased demand and are being recognized for making positive impacts on a patient's care.

Contact Human Resources if interested in one of the positions listed online or REFER A FRIEND and be eligible for a cash or gas card bonus.

 


"Take Control of Your Retirement Plan"

 

Confused about your retirement options and don't know where to start?

Let Transamerica help.  Private individual meetings are available to all employees for assistance in enrolling in the 403b plan or managing your retirement plan(s). 

 

Tuesday August 4 from 8:30-4:00 at the Prim Road Location

Thursday September 10 from 8:30 - 4:00 at the Prim Road Location 

 

To schedule an appointment go to https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/6sxs9dls/ 

Or you may contact Human Resources at 860-4449.