Although I could not have predicted much of what happened over the past 15 months, I marvel at what progress has been made in that time. In April of 2020, barely a month after Governor Scott issued his Stay Home, Stay Safe order, CVHHH’s internal COVID taskforce was meeting multiple times a week to review and update safety and infection control protocols, acquire adequate personal protective equipment, and process and implement a steady stream of COVID-19 related guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the Vermont Department of Health. We were adjusting to a new normal, and supporting staff so that they could continue to provide the full-range of services to our community—services that Central Vermonters and physician partners relied on to mitigate risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
How far we have come! By the end of this April, CVHHH’s 12-person vaccine team, all nurses, has administered over 700 first and second COVID-19 vaccines to Central Vermonters in the place they call home. In addition, our nurses, with their peers, made sure that their clients had food to eat and did not experience lapses in care. When appropriate, we utilized telemedicine and virtual visiting, provided COVID-related education and support to our assisted living facility and community care-home partners, and expanded services across programs to ensure Central Vermonters’ medical and emotional needs were met. Our nurses and other clinical and direct care staff impressed me with their ability to come up with solutions to problems exacerbated by the pandemic.
I talked previously about what makes home care special. It’s not just how we provide care, but who provides the care. CVHHH’s
nurses, with their therapist, PCA, aide, and social worker colleagues, are solutions-oriented individuals. They are unafraid to roll up their sleeves and tackle challenges, especially when a person’s health and wellbeing are on the line. Muddy road? No problem. Global pandemic? They figured it out. Home care is a calling, and our nurses, like their peers, are driven by a commitment to their patients and their community. They understand that people want to stay in their own homes, and they know that providing care to people at home offers a much fuller picture of a person’s condition. It lets them tailor care and interventions that are well-matched to how a person lives and their personal goals.
It’s this innovative mindset and creativity combined with dedication and caring that I am celebrating this Nurses Week, the second of the pandemic. I believe that CVHHH’s strength rests on the shoulders of our incredible nurses and clinicians. In honor of Nurses Week, I’d like to recognize the 60-plus nurses who work at CVHHH. We kept our doors open and expanded services to Central Vermonters because of your commitment.