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Community Corner

Visiting Nurse Association of South Central CT Introduces The Teaching Book

New Haven (August 15, 2013) – John R. Quinn, President & CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut (VNA/SCC) serving the greater New Haven area, recently announced that VNA/SCC will be introducing The Teaching Book to the nursing staff thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

The Teaching Book was created by Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. for Home Health Care and Hospice. The book is a six volume set of copy-ready patient education materials created to help improve staff performance, quality of care, and reduce the risks for future complications. The Teaching Book follows evidence-based clinical pathways using measurable outcomes. The Teaching Book is available in copy-ready print version or web-based version depending on the user’s needs.

The VNA/SCC was able to purchase the books through the 2013 grant given by the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. A group of VNA/SCC volunteers have been working hard to put 60 boxes together for staff. Clinicians will now have standardized teaching tools for primary diagnosis and management of illness available in trunk boxes. Clinicians will also have access to the web site for other teaching projects.

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Carla Giugno, Vice President/Administrator of the VNA/SCC reports clinicians have used various teaching tools in the past however, The Teaching Book will now standardize all care given. Clinicians are happy about having up to date; evidence based teaching tools at their fingertips. Trunk boxes will ensure that all clinicians have easy access to tools. “We are very excited to launch this initiative for quality of care to all clients,” Giugno stated. Additional benefits customers of The Teaching Book have experienced include: 15% fewer hospital readmissions, users of the book are 11% better at managing daily activities, and score 9% higher preventing harm than the national averages. To learn more about The Teaching Book please visit www.teachingbook.p-h.com or contact Judy Andrew at 800-241-4925 or judya@p-h.com.

To make a contribution to support the VNA/SCC’s mission of providing a wide array of high-quality health services for individuals in the home and community, including the Pam’s Pantry program, please contact Melissa Healy, Community Development Specialist, at 203-859-6054 or mhealy@vnascc.org. You can also donate online at www.razoo.com/story/Vna-Of-South-Central-Ct.

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About VNA Health Systems

VNA Health Systems is comprised of the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut (VNA/SCC) and CareSource, Inc.

Founded in 1904, the VNA/SCC, which is the original VNA of New Haven, Milford, East Haven, and the Valley, is a state licensed, non-profit, community-based home health care agency. The VNA/SCC staff consists of highly skilled nurses, therapists, medical social workers and home health aides. A vital resource to the communities it serves, the VNA/SCC provides a wide range of specialized clinical services, community programs, the Nurturing Families Network and subsidized care, (through the Valley United Way and First Niagara Foundation) to those who are in need. The agency employs over 180 staff members, has an average daily census of over 900 patients and makes over 150,000 home visits per year. The agency is the founder of the Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing. The VNA/SCC is supported in part by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Valley United Way, First Niagara, corporate sponsors and individual donors. To learn more about the VNA/SCC visit www.vnascc.org.

CareSource strives to maximize the quality of life for its clients and their caregivers in the home and health care settings. Their services include homemakers, companions and live-in aides. To learn more about CareSource visit www.caresourceinc.org.

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