Spontaneous Celebration

Sometimes, the simplest of gestures make the biggest difference for our patients. That was certainly the case when Emily Estus, RN helped cheer up a patient she was caring for in a special way. After Estus learned it was the patient's birthday, she went down to the gift shop during her break time to buy a balloon and a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal to give as gifts. Then, she and much of the team on the floor went into the patient's room to sing "Happy Birthday" to her. &qu [...]

Clinical Assistant Answers the Call for Caring

Abigail Middlemiss Receives BEE Award

Oftentimes, it’s the simplest of gestures that make the difference in health care. In the case of Abigail Middlemiss, CA, her difference comes in the form of a smile that brightens even the darkest of days for patients and colleagues alike. She works on a floor that includes patients fighting cancer. It is challenging work that brings on a roller coaster of emotions. A positive mindset means the world to everyone who comes in contact with Middlemiss. “Abby walks on to the uni [...]

Demonstrating Compassion in Many Forms

Nikki Catlin Honored with BEE Award

A meal shared together fills the soul as much as the stomach, and that’s exactly what Nikki Catlin enjoyed with one of her patients. The kindness and care she provided to a 92-year-old man in need is why she was honored this week with the BEE (Beyond Exceptional Everyday) Award. Catlin was recognized during a surprise ceremony with her colleagues at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). She was nominated by Nicole Reil, RN, one of h [...]

Honoring Extraordinary Teamwork

Vincent Ludewig Presented BEE Award

Whether it’s a broken arm, undergoing a procedure, battling cancer or recovering from an illness, patients rely on the Inpatient Pharmacy at The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) to get the medications they need to feel better. Teamwork is critical in filling the many prescription orders that come in throughout the day, and that is why Clinical Pharmacist Vincent Ludewig, RPh has been named the hospital’s newest BEE (Beyond Excep [...]

Breaking Through a Language Barrier

Elyssa Pennington, RN Receives DAISY Award

Imagine being homeless, not able to speak or understand English and in labor, preparing to give birth to your fourth child. That’s the stressful situation a woman found herself in while at The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) Alice T. Miner Women and Children’s Center (WCC). Elyssa Pennington, RN did all she could to give the mother, new baby and their family what they needed to be able to safely leave the hospital. That [...]

A Calming Voice for Cancer Patients

Amy Keith Honored With BEE Award

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a scary time for our patients. The emotions are overwhelming, on top of the many appointments that need to be scheduled. Often, a calming voice can make a powerful difference for these folks as they begin navigating their way through treatment. Calmness and compassion are what Amy Keith, the office coordinator for Medical Oncology at The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) FitzPatrick Cancer Center (FCC) [...]

Dogs, Hockey and Compassionate Care

CVPH Presents First DAISY Team Award

“Watching your mother pass away for nine days is an intense, life-changing event.” It’s a heartbreaking time that Kelly Osterhaudt and Kelsey Trombley will never forget, as their mother spent her final days at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). Something else they’ll also always remember: the tremendous care a team of nurses provided all of them. That is why Ashleigh Leavine, BSN, RN, Jennifer Laporte, RN, Elizabeth Tr [...]

A Drive to say Goodbye

ICU Nurse Helps Plattsburgh man see daughter one last time

Offering a ride to help out a family member, friend or even a neighbor is something most of us have done at one point in our lives. An ICU nurse at The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) took that an extraordinary step further by picking up a dying patient’s father to say goodbye. Connor Bond, BSN, RN was working as a charge nurse in the ICU recently when the patient arrived after going into cardiac arrest. Her mother was there, but [...]

Making a Difference for our Diabetes Patients

Laura Crossman Honored With BEE Award

When something needs to get done in the Endocrinology practice at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH), you can bank on Medical Assistant Laura Crossman likely being involved in some way. Co-workers describe her as incredibly versatile and ready to jump in at a moment’s notice, and that is why she is the hospital’s newest recipient of the BEE Award. Catherine “Franke” LaPier, BSN, RN, CDCES, a Certified Diabetes Educator [...]

Helping Patients Feel at Home

Elizabeth Trudeau, RN Honored With DAISY Award

Spending extended time in the hospital is tough on many patients. In the case of Caitlyn Perham, she just wanted to be home with her dogs. Enter Elizabeth Trudeau, BSN, RN, who Perham says made the hospital feel like a second home. That is why Trudeau is the newest recipient of the DAISY Award at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). Perham nominated Trudeau after spending more than a week at CVPH receiving care. “Elizabeth helped me [...]

CVPH Nurse's Passion Benefits Diabetes Patients

Catherine “Franke” LaPier, BSN, RN, CDCES, is on a mission to make a difference with our patients who have diabetes. LaPier recently took on a new role as Certified Diabetes Educator at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH), with a focus on inpatients. Her work includes meeting with those admitted to the hospital who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or who may have prediabetes. “I try to take a realistic approach,” she e [...]

Comforting a Grieving Family

Lee-Ann LaBombard Awarded CVPH’s First DAISY Leader Award

In the final hours of a loved one’s life, many family members want to be as close by as possible to share their love and say goodbye. The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) Patient Advocate Manager Lee-Ann Labombard’s touching compassion ensured a local family’s needs were met in one of its darkest hours, and that is why she is the hospital’s first recipient of the DAISY Leader Award. LaBombard was nominated by Ashley Pray, [...]

Going Above and Beyond for Patient and Employee Safety

Mark Silver Awarded CVPH's Inaugural BEE Award

Sometimes, people just need to be heard. Fulfilling that basic desire, a moment of connection for a patient or visitor, is what motivates many of those providing care at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) every single day. And that’s one of the things making Mark Silver, a Security Guard at CVPH since 2017, stand out as the hospital’s first BEE Award honoree. The BEE (Beyond Exceptional Everyday) Award provides meaningful recogn [...]

Mosquito and Tick Bites: What You Need to Know

Prevention and treatment, from our infectious disease experts

Enjoying summer means spending time outside – which means bugs. Two bugs, in particular – mosquitoes and ticks – are cause for concern, since they can spread diseases. Here’s the scoop on summer’s most annoying pests.   Prevention If you’re going to be out and about, especially in wooded or grassy areas, you should dress appropriately, says Madiha Tahir, MD, of The University of Vermont Health Network - Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. Dr. [...]

Supporting Our Graduate Nurses: Getting Oriented Together

New nurses fresh out of school face more challenges than ever before. The Designated Orientation Unit (DOU) launched this past summer on R3 is ensuring recent graduates get their bearings, as they receive the tools, support and confidence needed for a successful beginning to their careers here.   "It was such a positive learning experience for me, to actually feel like they cared about me as a new nurse." - Willa McKinley, RN / Graduate Nurse When Willa McKinley, a Pr [...]

Caring for a Colleague in an Emergency

Cancer Center Nurse Practitioner Honored With DAISY Award

Nearly the moment Cheryl Brunet, RN started working her shift at the University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) FitzPatrick Cancer Center (FCC), she knew something was wrong. Brunet started having chest pains and was fearing the worst: that she was having a heart attack. That’s when Rachel Hite, FNP-BC, OCN, a Nurse Practitioner in the FCC, jumped into action. And the care she provided her colleague is why Hite has been named the hospital&rsquo [...]

Family Medicine Center Nurse Celebrated for Dedication to Patients

Morgan Bennet, LPN Honored With DAISY Award

Those who work with Morgan Bennet, LPN see first-hand every day just how dedicated she is to her patients and co-workers. That commitment was honored as Morgan became The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) 18th DAISY Award recipient. “Morgan has incredible compassion for others, is a stand-out team player and goes above and beyond every day for both her patients and her team members at work,” offered Aubrey Wheeler, MD, a physi [...]

ICU Nurse's Care Inspires Donation to Foundation of CVPH

A Plattsburgh couple touched by a dedicated nurse’s care has donated to The Foundation of CVPH in her honor. The patient was rushed to The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) needing emergent care, including dialysis. Julia Tansor, RN was among those providing care for the patient during a stay in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Fortunately, the couple happened to live close by to Tansor and she volunteered to help them out wh [...]

CVPH Hosts Norwegian Nurse Practitioner Student

Aiste Venclovaite Hopes to Transform Nursing Profession in Norway

The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) is impacting the nursing profession on a global scale following a unique visit by an international student. “In my country, the Primary Care Providers have so many patients, there’s actually a crisis happening there now,” Aiste Venclovaite, a nurse from Norway, said. “After learning what I did at CVPH, I want to lift the Nurse Practitioner position up and say we can do a lot of what do [...]

ED Nurse Celebrated for a Half-Century of Caring

Storm Treanor, RN is known to be as dependable as the next sunrise, with a passion for learning and teaching that burns just as bright. She is also as committed to the nursing profession as they come, and that is particularly evident with the incredible accomplishment Treanor has reached: 50 years of service at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). In all that time, she has learned to be prepared for anything, except when it’s a surprise c [...]

Nurse Practitioner Study Improves Vital Access to Care for Stroke Patients

Readmission Rates Dramatically Improved

Stroke patients in the North Country are avoiding return trips to the hospital in part due to the work of a Nurse Practitioner at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). Senior Nurse Practitioner in Stroke/Neurology Sarah Baskind, who earned her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from George Washington University in the spring of 2022, knew that readmission rates at CVPH for patients suffering a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were on the ris [...]

Grateful Patient Praises Nurse for Care During Labor

More than three years of waiting, worrying and wondering had finally come to this. Abby Bennett, now the Director of Nursing Research and Clinical Practice at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH), was lying in a bed in the hospital’s Alice T. Miner Women and Children’s Center (WCC) preparing to give birth to her first child. “It was just kind of surreal,” Abby said. She and her husband Ryan, a Licensed Funeral Director [...]

What is Your Why?

A conversation with Travis Larche, BSN, RN

Just before entering the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), there is a bulletin board posing a simple question: Why did you first become a nurse? Many of the answers are inspiring, from some pointing to their family members for sparking their interest to others who answered the call after witnessing the care nurses provided. Over the past year, several nurses have spoken in-depth about what their why is, including Travis Larche, BSN, RN, a member of the Non-Invasive Cardiology team. Q: [...]

Emergency Department Pulls Together to Care for the Community

As a nurse in the Emergency Department (ED), you never know what is going to come in the door from shift to shift. Assistant Nurse Manager Michael Wells, BSN, RN talked about how proud he is for the way the team has responded on a daily basis to the influx of patients in the ED. Q: What has it been like seeing so many patients coming to the ED for care? Michael: It’s definitely been challenging over the last probably six or so months. I know there’s been a lot going on try [...]

An Epic Transformation

From the Bedside and Beyond, Nurses Made a Difference Helping Bring a New Electronic Health Record to Life

History was made in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 2. Our hospital joined Alice Hyde Medical Center and Elizabethtown Community Hospital in going live with Epic, marking the third and final phase to connect The University of Vermont Health Network’s affiliates and ambulatory practices to a single Electronic Health Record system. It is a transition that is having a meaningful impact on our people and our patients, providing a seamless experience at the bedside that is leading [...]

Making a Difference: The LPN Connection

When it comes to your care, clinical skills are just part of the equation at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). Our nurses, which include Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Registered Nurses (RN), and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN), also hope to make a difference through the connections they strive for with every patient and in every setting throughout the organization. “A lot of those patie [...]

Cath Lab Nurse Recognized for Heartfelt Care

Monica Buskey, BSN, RN Makes a Difference With Her Patients

A CVPH Cath Lab nurse has been honored for a second time with a Leadership Excellence and Development (LEAD) award for the difference she makes every day with her patients. From a young age, Monica Buskey, BSN, RN, CV-BC, CSRN, TNS felt a sense of compassion for others and knew she wanted to help people. Those feelings were solidified while growing up in Churubusco, as she saw the tremendous care provided by nursing staff at the assisted living facility her grandparents stayed at. “I [...]

When Caring Goes Beyond Clinical Excellence

Christy Trim, RN Honored with DAISY Award

There were very different reasons for Megan Trudeau’s three separate trips to the Emergency Department (ED) at The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) between last October and this past March. For Megan, the constant through those experiences was the extraordinary, compassionate care provided by Christy Trim, RN. The impact Christy had is why she is the hospital’s 15th recipient of the DAISY Award. Megan has known Christy for several ye [...]

Cardiac Sonographer Spots Rare Heart Condition, Helping Save Patient’s Life

What started as chest and back pain for a northern New York man turned into life-saving open heart surgery just hours later thanks to the sharp eye of a Cardiac Sonographer at CVPH and her fast-acting cardiology colleagues across The University of Vermont Health Network. When the patient first arrived at Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone two days before Christmas, he underwent an EKG test that indicated he was suffering a heart attack. He was immediately given blood thinners and rushed to C [...]

'I'm right where I want to be'

If not for Star Trek’s Dr. Spock, Johnnie Wren, MD, might not be practicing family medicine at the Au Sable Forks Health Center in northern New York. Fresh out of medical school and hoping to find a residency program to launch her career into family medicine, Dr. Wren attended a regional recruitment conference in Massachusetts. She remembers the conference was held shortly before Halloween. “I saw one group of program recruiters, head-to-toe in full costumes – including one [...]

Meeting the Gold Standard: The Impact of CVPH's New Nurse Residency

Achievement Recognizes Excellence in Supporting New Nurses

When Emily Estus, RN came to CVPH in November 2020, the winter holiday wave of COVID-19 cases in our region- and across the country -was ramping up. She admitted she was nervous about starting her nursing career in the middle of a pandemic. Now, Emily credits her time in the CVPH New Nurse Residency with turning her concern into confidence. “It was just a great experience. It’s definitely something that made the transition to my new career less stressful,” Emily noted. An [...]

 
 

Cancer Center Nurse Inspires Patients, Colleagues - Susan Hendrickson, RN Honored With DAISY Award

Smiles are not always the easiest thing to come by given the seriousness of what many patients in the FitzPatrick Cancer Center’s (FCC) Infusion Center are facing. Still, Registered Nurse Susan Hendrickson’s ability to brighten up those darker days is one of many reasons she has been named the latest recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at CVPH. Susan was nominated by Charleen Tuthill. As Manager of Oncology at the FCC, Charleen witnesses Susan’s positive im [...]

Don't Delay Care

Don’t Delay, Get Screened Today The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many things in our lives but not the importance of regular cancer screening. Screening for breast, cervical, colorectal, lung and prostate cancers can dramatically improve treatment outcomes and in some cases, prevent the cancers from occurring in the first place. According to the National Cancer Institute, when detected at its earliest stages and confined to the primary site, the 5 year survival rate for: Breast [...]

Providing Care During the Pandemic

A Perioperative Nurse's Point of View

The pandemic has impacted our personal and professional lives in so many ways. For Carol Lincoln, RN, a perioperative nurse who works in our Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), or Recovery Room, changes came fast and furious in the early days of COVID-19. And things continue to change as we adapt to the virus and variants like delta. A summer surge of COVID-19 cases, an influx of patients needing care unrelated to the virus and workforce shortages impacting just about every area of the hospital ar [...]

Telemetry Technician's Curiosity Prevents Life-Threatening Heart Issue

Rhythms, waveforms and alarms keep CVPH Telemetry Technician Tonya LaFountain on her toes as she maintains a constant watch on her patients on R3 every day. It was Tonya’s attention to those details, a strong curiosity and a willingness to speak up that may ultimately have saved the life of a patient. On a morning last spring, Tonya was in the midst of the usual hustle and bustle of her work when she noticed something just did not seem right with one of her patients. The woman was being [...]

OR Nurse Helping Lead Next Generation of RNs at CVPH

Paige Garnot, BSN, RN Honored With DAISY Award

The Operating Room is one of the busiest places you will find at CVPH. It takes a team effort to make every procedure happen. One of the Registered Nurses frequently in the room is Paige Garnot, who has been named the latest recipient for of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at the hospital. As an Operating Room Nurse, Paige has many important responsibilities. Chief among them is serving as a patient advocate while the patient is under anesthesia during the procedure. She makes sure t [...]

Nursing Team Inspires Donation to Foundation of CVPH

Former patient grateful for care she received

Lying in a hospital bed, battling to breathe, was not the start to 2021 that Jane Woods envisioned. But after taking on COVID-19 for four days at CVPH, she left with a renewed sense of hope and overwhelming gratitude that she shared through a generous donation to The Foundation of CVPH’s Honor a Caregiver program. The 73-year-old Plattsburgh resident’s fight with the dreadful disease began as we kicked off a new year near the height of the pandemic in the United States. Like many [...]

Living the Lab Life During a Pandemic

Since the pandemic arrived in our region in March 2020, one of the questions that has dominated just about every aspect of our daily lives is: “Am I positive or negative for COVID-19?” The answer to that question can be life changing for our patients, our people and our community as a whole. The CVPH Laboratory team dedicates itself to providing answers to that question and a long list of others 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Lab Manager for Microbiology and Qu [...]

Reflecting on a Year of COVID-19

We have reached a sad moment in our ongoing fight against COVID-19: it has been one year since our first inpatient death from the virus at CVPH. Since April 10, 2020, we have lost 28 souls at the hospital to this unprecedented public health crisis. They were mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, adult children, grandparents, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces, and cousins. They were friends, colleagues and neighbors - our patients. Each profound loss represents what could have been, if [...]

This is Our Shot

How COVID-19 vaccinations can open doors

If we all want to get back to the things we’ve missed most since the beginning of the pandemic, it’s time to shift our thinking about what getting vaccinated means. As COVID-19 spread across the globe, those of us in medicine believed that a vaccine would even-tually be our way out – a return to normalcy. As it turned out, three have been developed and approved for use. They work tremendously well in preventing the worst outcomes from this virus: hospitalization and death [...]

CVPH: The Next Generation of Health Care

When COVID-19 arrived in our community nearly one year ago, no one could have imagined the impact the virus would have on each one of us, both personally and professionally. I’m filled with pride in recalling how every member of the CVPH family rose to the occasion for those in our care and for each other. Throughout this time, our team has remained committed to providing the care our patients needed while supporting one another in meaningful ways.  On the home front, families and [...]

This Holiday Season, I'm Thankful for You

An open letter to CVPH Employees: This Holiday season, we find ourselves at a time like no other in our lives. Our public health crisis is ramping up yet again, as COVID-19 cases surge in our county and throughout the Northern New York region, while at the same time our country has never been closer to bringing this pandemic to an end. The crisis continues to produce uncertainty and stress in our communities, while people of all ages and walks of life rise to the challenge [...]

COVID-19: Hitting Close to Home

What we do now determines if our hospitals will get overwhelmed

As COVID-19 cases surge in our region, many people are worrying about where they might contract the virus. In reality, you may only need to go as far as your own home. For most of us, our guard is up once we leave our home. We are on high alert, taking many precautions to reduce the risk of getting sick. Yet, the number of positive COVID-19 tests in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties is rising at a troublesome rate. As of Thursday, December 17 in Clinton County alone, the seven-day rolli [...]

Turning the Tide Against COVID-19 During Thanksgiving

What we all need to think of before the holiday

COVID-19 is spreading faster and wider in our region than we have seen before. And, with Thanksgiving right around the corner, this opportunistic virus is ready to take a stronger grip on our community if we are not careful. Many of us are thinking about spending time with family and friends we have not seen in person for a long time due to the pandemic. Thanksgiving traditionally brings our loved ones together to watch football, catch up with each other and share a meal. It seems harmless [...]

A Bond is Born

Nurse Honored with DAISY Award for Care of Fellow RN

Caring for our patients and each other is the theme behind CVPH’s newest DAISY Award winner, Melissa Hamel, RNC-OB, C-EFM. Melissa was surprised with the award during a ceremony at the Alice T. Miner Women and Children’s Center at CVPH. As a nurse in the Women and Children’s Center, you never know what’s going to walk in the door. For Melissa on one day in April, it turned out to be a bond that she and her patient will never forget. One of the reasons behind that [...]

Heartwarming Honor for CVPH Cardiologist

When Nidal Makhoul, MD reflects back on his more than two decades of providing care in the North Country, he spends a lot of time thinking about his patients. “The best moment is when you see a patient who is in trouble or might be dying, but you’re able to help save that patient’s life or alleviate suffering,” Dr. Makhoul recalled. “And then you get to keep seeing and talking to that person year after year because they survived.”  One of Dr. Ma [...]

Emergency Department Receives National Certification Champion Award

The University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) was named a 2020 National Certification Champion Award winner by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN). The honor was announced during a virtual ceremony streamed across the country last month. The BCEN is considered the benchmark for board certification across the emergency nursing spectrum. CVPH competed against large healthcare organizations nationwide. The hospital was recognized for hav [...]

Foundation Scholarship Program Helps Employees, Students

The Difference Your Donations Make

CVPH Clinical Assistant Meaghan Wells has a lot to balance between work, pursuing a degree at Clinton Community College to become a registered nurse and home life. “My days are very busy, because I also have 3 young kids at home," Meaghan said, as she described what she loves most about them. "My daughter is into dance. The 2 younger ones are free spirited. They do what they want." As for what it is about her children that makes her smile: "When they all get along [...]

Leading and Learning

Nurses Recognized for Professional Development

Two nurses at the FitzPatrick Cancer Center have been honored with Leadership Excellence and Development (LEAD) awards as part of their dedication to improving the lives of their patients. Colleagues gathered for a surprise ceremony in the FCC for Rene Cooper, BSN, RN, OCN and Nora Mockus, BSN, RN. Both nurses are veterans of the LEAD program at CVPH. This is Cooper’s third time through and it is Mockus’ second. “It was a little easier the second time around, because I kn [...]

Thank You to CVPH Employees, Families & the Community

A message from Michelle LeBeau

Our community is standing together like never before in the face of COVID-19.  I take great pride in the amazing work of the men and women at Champlain Valley Physician Hospital (CVPH) who are contributing to that effort by caring for those who are affected. These are tough times indeed. In just a few short weeks, there has been a tremendous amount of change and disruption to both our home and work lives.  We have cancelled non-essential surgeries, procedures, diagnostics and many p [...]

What's Your Plan?

Dr. Wouter Rietsema talks about having a plan should COVID-19 come to your house.

Especially during times like these, it’s easy to adopt a “this-won’t-happen-to-me” mindset. But what if “it” does happen and either you or someone you live with becomes ill with COVID-19?  What’s your plan?  My years of experience as a physician, hospital administrator and father of 3 has taught me that hoping for the best while planning for the worst is usually the right path to take. Should COVID-19 come to your house, what will you do? Se [...]

Everyone Plays a Part in Keeping Health System Strong

I was on the phone recently with my 28 year-old daughter who lives in the Boston area. I asked her what she was feeling down there related to novel coronavirus or COVID-19.  She said she thought that it seemed like people were going “over the top” with responses. They had just closed the schools in her town after a single confirmed case.  “Isn’t this not much more than a bad flu?,” she asked.  But I realized that many people are thinking and feeling t [...]

Why I Give

Robin Bashaw, RN Is Paying It Forward

When it came to figuring out what Robin Bashaw wanted to do when she grew up, there was never really any doubt. “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a little girl,” Bashaw explained. What started as a dream when she was a child is now a reality every day as an RN with Progressive Care. But that dream may not have come true without help from the Foundation at CVPH. “I used Foundation of CVPH grants to get my way through nursing school,” Bashaw [...]

Jill Kanaly-Demers, RN, BS, CHPN, Honored by CVPH with DAISY Award

Palliative Care nurse nominated for helping patient, family prepare for difficult decisions

Planning for a loved one’s end of life can be a tough, emotional process. Today, staff members at the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital came together to recognize one nurse’s extraordinary effort to help a local family find peace.   Jill Kanaly-Demers, RN, BS, CHPN was nominated for the DAISY Award after working with family members of an 89-year-old patient in declining health. He and his wife of more than 60 years were both [...]

Danielle Martin, RN, CMSRN Honored by CVPH with DAISY Award

Oncology nurse nominated for care of dying patient and family on Christmas Day

Danielle Martin, RN, CMSRN of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) Inpatient Oncology Unit (R5) was today honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®.  Martin was selected for the honor after a hospital committee reviewed nominations submitted by coworkers, patients and patient families.  Her nomination, offered by a colleague detailed the care and compassion she showed a dying patient and his family on [...]

Chelsey Bushey Understands that Great Patient Care Comes In Many Forms

Chelsey makes a difference every day.

Cancer Peer Educator Chelsey Bushey knows that there are truly many ways to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people we serve. She’s been part of the CVPH team for a little over 5 years working first as a Transporter and later, as a Clinical Assistant. Both positions allowed her to share her compassion and kindness and gave her the opportunity to assist patients when they needed it most.  “I love patient care – helping people,” Chelsey said. So t [...]

Sharron Aabye, RN, Honored with DAISY Award

CVPH Program celebrates extraordinary nurses

Sharron Aabye, RN, of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) Case Management Department was honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ® today.  The 35-year employee of CVPH was nominated for her efforts in securing an MRI for a patient who needed special accommodations.  After days of research, Aabye located the ideal site for the test and then collaborated with a team at CVPH and others to schedule the di [...]

Kathleen Helps Alzheimer's Patients & Their Families Stay Together - One Mile at a Time

Ride to Remember is Annual Tribute to Administrator's Mom

Each year, Kathleen Freeman, along with her husband Pat and as many as 150 other local bikers make their way along the winding roads of the Adirondacks. The route is different each year but it sometimes takes the bikers past a little white house with a sprawling back yard to pay homage to the late Barbara Tobin, Freeman’s mom. Her mom is the catalyst behind the Ride to Remember, an annual fundraiser to benefit the Third Age Adult Day Center, which provides services to those with Alzheimer& [...]

Theresa Smith, RN Knew Taking Great Care of Her Patient Meant Caring for His 4-legged Friend

Theresa makes a difference every day.

Expect the unexpected. It’s the unwritten rule of healthcare. Just ask Theresa Smith, RN, a 31 year nursing veteran who began her shift in Cardiac Rehab expecting to supervise patients as they build stronger hearts but ended up taking care of Rachel, a dog whose owner needed to go the Emergency Department. The patient, a Vietnam veteran, had been in Cardiac Rehab for a few sessions so the morning route was familiar to him. “Our patient came in for his rehab and like always we put [...]

Kiesha Holmes, RN, Honored with DAISY Award

CVPH Program celebrates extraordinary nurses

Kieisha Holmes, RN of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ® on Thursday, April 11.  Holmes was nominated by the family of an ICU patient who had made the selfless decision to become an organ donor.  In nominating Holmes, the family wrote, “This nurse was so kind, caring, respectful, and considerate. They continued to care for [...]

Catherine LaPier, RN Never Wastes An Opportunity to Help

Adirondack Medical Home Care Manager Helps Patient One Last Time

When Catherine LaPier, RN dreamt about a career in health care as a 16 year-old nurse aide, it was a sure bet that arranging a patient’s funeral was not part of the plan. Yet that’s exactly what she found herself doing years later as an Adirondack Medical Home Care Manager.  “I initially considered becoming a pharmacist but eventually decided on nursing,” explained Catherine, who, like many in her profession, became a nurse to help people in their time of need. In [...]

What One Small Thing Will You Change in 2019?

We know how hard you work to take care of others. So we want to help make it easier—and more fun—for you to take care of yourself too. Did we mention the chance to win over $500 in weekly prizes? Our new website—One Small Thing and the Healthy Tips Challenge—can help you find small ways to be healthier and stay motivated. Because research shows that small changes in how you eat, sleep, and move can lead to big rewards when it comes to your health. We encourage you t [...]

Words Matter: Using our Voices to Speak Out Against Dangerous Speech

By: Michelle LeBeau, President, Alice Hyde Medical Center & CVPH Matt Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Alice Hyde Medical Center Kent Hall, MD, Regional Vice President of Medical Affairs Wouter Rietsema, MD, Vice President Population Health and Information Services, CVPH As headline after headline brings to us news of the latest horrific act of violence, we are compelled to speak up.  It’s no longer enough to send our “thoughts and prayers” to the people of Chicag [...]

Cathy Maisano, RN, CCM Receives DAISY Award

National program recognizes extraordinary nurses

Cathy Maisano, RN, CCM of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) was honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ® on Friday, October 12 at CVPH.  Based on nominations from patients, their families and coworkers, the DAISY Award is part of a nation-wide initiative spearheaded by the DAISY Foundation to recognize and reward nurses for making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who turn to them for care.&nbs [...]

Jessica Sienkiewicz Goes Back to the Drawing Board to Care for Her Patients

Clinical Assistant uses artistic talents to improve patient experience

Jessica Sienkiewicz, Clinical Assistant, is part of the team that provides care to thousands of patients who come through the doors of the Emergency Department (ED) each year.  Using the tools of her trade - stretchers, thermometers, blood pressure and EKG machines, along with her skills and compassion, she strives to provide both quality care and an exceptional patient experience to those who turn to the ED in their time of need. But it may with a paint brush and her talent as an artist [...]

For Jane Zachelli Kindness Is Always on Menu

Language barrier no match for Nutrition Services team member

Health care technology can assist physicians as they pinpoint a cancerous tumor, starve it so it can’t grow while simultaneously attacking it with chemotherapy. It can help nurses monitor vital signs and pick up slight, subtle but life altering variations. It can also help a patient get a good meal. Jane Zanchelli, a 19 year veteran of Nutrition Services used the technology at her disposal to make sure her patient, whose native tongue was not English, received a satisfying meal.  T [...]

Seasoned Nurse Still Learning Today

Storm  Treanor, RN, makes her way through  the CVPH Emergency Department (ED) seemingly un-phased by the beeping and buzzing of technology and constant whirlwind of activity.   As a registered nurse with more than 50 years of experience, she currently works rotating shifts (per diem or as needed) in the ED and is in her element. “Currently, my full-time job is EMS Coordinator for Clinton County.  I coordinate education, certifications, supplies and logistics for [...]

Carlos Santos, RN Honored with CVPH’s 1st DAISY Award

National DAISY Award Program honors extraordinary nurses

Carlos Santos, RN of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital’s (CVPH) Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ® on Thursday, May 10.  Santos was the first licensed nurse at CVPH to receive the honor which is part of a nation-wide initiative to recognize and reward licensed nurses for making a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients. CVPH launched the DAISY Award for Extraordin [...]

Donating a Kidney Was An Easy Decision for Peggy Bolster

Behavioral Health Nurse Helps A Stranger In Need

Ask most people to describe a hero, and it’s likely a cape and mask may be part of the discussion - not comfortable corduroys and a long sleeved cotton shirt.  But that’s what Peggy Bolster, RN wears most days when she comes to work as a Clinical Operations Supervisor on the Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit.   Bolster rejects the idea that she’s hero despite having donated a kidney to a complete stranger a little over a year ago. To Peggy it seems [...]

Giving Her Patients Something To Lean On

Gina Rickert of Orthopedics Services Keeps Patients In Mind During Her Saturday Treasure Hunts

On almost any Saturday, you can find Gina Rickert and her husband perusing through boxes and tables of “this, that and everything.” Avid treasure hunters, they travel the North Country’s backroads and neighborhoods in search of bargains and one-of-a-kind deals. Included in that list are canes, walkers, crutches and other items that an orthopedic patient might benefit from. As the Practice Supervisor for Orthopedic & Sports Medicine, she says there is always a need. &ldqu [...]

A Year-Long Commitment Has A Life-Long Impact

Charles Spring's Efforts Helped Change Lives

Bit by bit, one empty water bottle at a time, Charles Spring of Environmental Services made a difference in the lives of people he doesn’t even know.  After a year-long effort, Charles donated two full grocery carts to the Interfaith Food Shelf. It was during the Christmas holiday that he conceived the idea to help those less fortunate. “I’m not a particularly religious man but I just felt as if showing “good will toward men and women” was the right thing to [...]

Angela Watts, CHAA, is "Walking the Walk"

Going the extra mile for her patients

Angela Watts, a certified Healthcare Access Associate in Patient Registration, is always willing to take a few extra steps to help a customer. And that’s exactly what happened when an elderly man came to the Diagnostic Center for some tests.  “As he signed in, I realized the physician’s order form had not been faxed to us yet. So I asked him and his wife to have a seat in the waiting room. They had just come from the doctor’s office which was just a few doors down fr [...]

Seizing Every Opportunity to Make a Dfference

Kim Bracey, RN, helps a family stuggling to keep a loved one safe

Fortunately for one local family, Kim Bracey, RN of the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit is a life-long learner – on and off duty.  In addition to many years of service to CVPH, Kim has been a dedicated member of the Morrisonville Ambulance Service.  To be the best for her patients, at the bedside and in the field, Kim stays current with new practices, programs and services. It’s at one such EMS educational event that Kim met Sgt. William Dominy of the Clinton C [...]

Creating A Partnership To Preserve Family Memories

Building Bridges

Grief is love’s unwillingness to let go. In her 7 years as an Intensive Care nurse, Nicole LaTray, RN has witnessed many expressions of grief but a recent request from one patient’s family member truly surprised her. “Her granddaughter wanted a tattoo of her fingerprint. My patient was on comfort care and it was somewhat of a surprise to the family. She had been ill for some time but this was sudden. They asked me if I could help them obtain her fingerprint because her grand [...]

Jean Gidding's Small Gifts Bring Big Smiles

Celebrating a year of extraordinary CVPH People & A Much Deserved Retirement

The following is the first CVPH People blog, launched a year ago to celebrate the extraordinary people who come to work here each day and devote their head, hands and heart to their patients, their peers and their community.  We’re also reposting this blog as a tribute to Jean Giddings of Environmental Services who retires after 38 years. Congratulations Jean and thank you! Jean Giddings, a 36-year veteran of the Environmental Services Department, makes her way across the parking [...]

A Small Package Makes A Lasting Impression

Melissa Rock-McCasland never forgets what it means to be a nurse

The packet of salt is never far from Melissa Rock-McCasland, RN, Clinical Informatics Analyst III.  She keeps it tucked in her portfolio, along with her phone and other work-related essentials, as a reminder of how important a simple act of kindness can be. The salt was given to her by a woman she helped in the hospital cafeteria early one morning. “She was ordering something from the omelet station; she looked kind of frail and so I offered to get her a tray (that would help her c [...]

A Man With A Plan

Mike Cahoon Is Committed To Keeping His Community Safe

If Mike Cahoon shows up to work bleary eyed and a bit sluggish, no one wonders anymore what he’s been up to. Mike is the CVPH Director of Emergency Management and has served as the chief of the Chazy Fire Department for 20 years so it’s likely he’s been up most of the night with other dedicated volunteer firefighters dousing a fire. He’s been a volunteer firefighter for 32 years and has become expert at balancing family life with his career and his intensive involvemen [...]

Pete Rocha Makes A Soulful Connection

Respiratory Therapist Uses Music To Connect With His Patients

You can expect to hear all sorts of noises on a nursing unit. Old school blues is not one of them. But if CVPH Respiratory Therapist Pete Rocha is with a patient, it’s a safe bet that you could hear the salty sounds of his acoustic guitar.  Pete, a gifted musician, is by day a valued member of the patient care team and by night a husband and father of two. Committed to both family and his career, he finds a way to incorporate music into all aspects of his life. “There are a f [...]

A Letter of Thanks & A Happy Reunion

Essex Family Returns to Emergency Department to Say Thank You

Tristen Benway, purple cast on each arm, returned to the Emergency Department recently with a card of thanks and bouquet of flowers for Registered Nurse Emmalee Colby. With her was her mom, her sister and a family friend. They made a special trip from their home in Essex.  It’s not often that the Emergency Department staff is visited by a patient just to say thanks. So when little Tristen’s mom called to ask if they could come by, the team was thrilled at the idea of visiting wi [...]

Gail LeClair Treats Our Patients Like Family

Nursing professional offers comfort

 “I just thought: what if this was my father?,” explained Gail LeClair, Patient Care Operations Director as she recounts a day that began like many others but turned out to be quite special.  That thought was the first thing that came to mind as she walked into the Intensive Care Unit Waiting area to check on an elderly man who was transported to the hospital with his daughter who had a massive heart attack. The Patient Care Coordinator had asked Gail to check on the fat [...]

CVPH Veterans conduct Flag Retirement Ceremony

Event was prompted by Skilled Nursing Facility resident

It’s a little before 10 a.m. on June 14. Residents of the CVPH Skilled Nursing Facility are gathered around the flag pole on the front lawn of the hospital taking their rightful place in the front row to witness what will be CVPH’s first annual Flag Retirement Ceremony.  After all, it was their idea.  Retired Air Force Veteran Ken Thayer, RN, explains to the audience that the ceremony is taking place because a resident asked, “What does CVPH do for Flag Day?” [...]

A Joyful Arrangement

Shirley Timmons can light up a room with her warm smile and hand crafted flower arrangements

Shirley Timmons takes a quick break in the lounge of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) to talk about her passion, flowers and her job as an Environmental Service Worker for the 54-bed nursing home located on the hospital’s 6th floor.  Almost before it begins, the discussion is halted because a resident needs help, or as it turns out, a bit of comforting.  A few minutes later, she returns and explai [...]

Lois Wenger Uses Technology to Improve Lives

Teacher, Trainer, Bone Marrow Donor Lois Touches Many Lives

To anyone at CVPH who is faced with learning new software or struggling to make the most of their current system, Lois Wenger, a computer support specialist in the Information Services and Support Department is a life saver. With a warm smile, quick wit and frequently, some home-baked goods, Lois can be counted upon to help staff use complex technology to benefit their patients.  But for Lois, helping people is more than her job; it’s her life’s mission. Offering help, provid [...]

Greg Freeman's Compassion Never Rests

Occupational Health & Wellness supervisor helps fellow traveler, bring peace of mind to her family

There is no “on” or “off” switch for health care professionals.  Kindness and compassion are not constrained by a timeclock.  So it’s no surprise Occupational Health and Wellness Supervisor Greg Freeman, RN, never gave a second thought to helping a couple in his downtime.   In a conversation with a casual acquaintance, Greg learned that the gentleman’s wife was going on vacation and there was reason for concern.  Serious illness and th [...]

Sherry Deyo-Pugh, RN Goes The Extra Mile

Emergency Department Nurse Keeps Patients' Needs On Top of Her Priority List

“It’s what anyone would have done,” said Sherry Deyo-Pugh, RN of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Emergency Department.   After working a full shift in the ED, she volunteered to drive the elderly wife of a patient to the University of Vermont Medical Center where he would receive life-saving heart surgery.  “They drove themselves to the ED. They had no family close by.  The patient was taken to o [...]

Jessica Bernard, RN, Inspires Another Chapter

Registered Nurse helps terminally ill patient and learns important life lesson

One smile can start a friendship, one person can change your life, and time is precious.  Jessica Bernard, RN carries that lesson with her every day because she has been witness to it. Currently working in The UVM Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Post Anesthesia Care Unit, and previously in Interventional Radiology (IR), she met the man who would teach her this most important lesson. Using advanced technology and high quality imaging, Interventional Radiologist [...]

John Stafford, A-EMT Critical Care Escorts WWII Vet on Honor Flight

Friendship blooms from chance encounter

John Stafford is no stranger to assisting those in need. As a seasoned member of the CVPH ambulance crew, helping people is built into John’s job description. However, escorting World War II  veteran Rudolph “Rudy” Chapola on a North Country Honor Flight went above and beyond John’s call of duty. John was at work the day Rudy arrived in the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Emergency Department.  Rudy, who was 9 [...]