A Word from Our CEO

Krystin Albert, BSN RN

May is the month we take time to honor the Nurses in our lives for all their hard work and dedication to the people they serve at every stage of life. It is a time to recognize their sacrifices and their compassion for helping others. Nurses make a difference whether it is educating a patient on managing their disease process, performing a health assessment, or comforting a hospice patient at the end of life. The tasks may differ, but compassion and the yearning to make a difference are the same. For most it’s a calling, something they were born to do. Others it may be an experience that calls them to the profession. Whatever the reasoning, the passion is the same.

Franklin VNA and Hospice has been blessed with caring nurses who are committed to the clients they serve and the mission of the agency. They work long hours, nights, weekends, and holidays with no complaints, and they go above and beyond every single day for their patients. If you need them in the middle of the night, they are just a phone call away. They take limited breaks and have an abundance of documentation.  They are flexible, knowledgeable, and work as a team.  

If you have a nurse in your life or have the pleasure of meeting one of our nurses, please let them know how appreciated they are. Their contribution to our community and the lives of our patients does not go unnoticed. They are the everyday heroes, and they don't even know it. Nurses' Week is May 6th through 12th. Please help me thank my staff and acknowledge their hard work and dedication.

Franklin VNA and Hospice is always here to help you or your loved one with any of your healthcare needs. Franklin VNA and Hospice: You do have a choice. Choose Franklin VNA and Hospice.

Welcome to May!

This month we celebrate our outstanding team of nurses, learn about Stroke Awareness, and prepare for the summer months ahead and Skin Cancer Prevention.



RN Appreciation Week and National RN Day

A Brief History

When I think of nurses, I think of an amazing breadth of knowledge and training. I think of empathetic and well-educated individuals who are wise, who give amazing advice, and who seem to truly know all the answers to even the most challenging of medical questions.

But did you know that nurses were once viewed as just "doctors' assistants"? This is difficult to fathom, as our nurses today are highly specialized individuals with a wide range of skills. Becoming a nurse is a grueling process. It takes four years of study and dedication, resilience and focus. Because of this, our nurses are a vital link between doctors and patients, and often more accessible and knowledgeable when it comes to each patient and their very individualized needs.

Florence Nightingale was the mother of modern nursing. She laid the groundwork and the foundation for today's professionals. Because of her dedication and her seemingly boundless stores of energy, she paved the way for hygiene protocols on the frontlines of the Crimean War. These protocols led to reduced infections and death of soldiers who were injured in battle.

The International Council of Nurses helped to establish National Nurse's Day in 1974. Today, we celebrate our nurses for an entire week, the start of which is National Nurse's Day, which this year falls on May 6th.

Our nursing staff here at Franklin VNA and Hospice are very special, indeed. They work tirelessly to provide comfort and care to all of our home care patients. They are resilient, positive, dedicated, and incredibly knowledgeable. While we are grateful for them every day, we would like to take this opportunity in May to give them a very special, very loud SHOUT OUT for everything they do!

If you would like more information on National Nurses Week/Day, please click the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser. And if you know a nurse, make sure you make them feel EXTRA special this month! They deserve it!

https://www.nursingworld.org/ana-enterprise/nurses-week/#:~:text=Nurses%20Week%202024%20runs%20from,invaluable%20contributions%20of%20nurses%20worldwide.

Watch this Brief Video about Florence Nightingale, Founder of Modern Nursing:

SKIN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

There are so many different kinds of cancers....over 200, according to the American Cancer Society. This month, we focus on one in particular:

Skin Cancer.

Did you know that skin cancer is the MOST common cancer in the United States? It's also the most preventable, according t0 skincancer.org. Taking action to prevent sun damage to your skin is the most important step in living a life free of skin cancer. Using sunblock with an SPF of 15 or higher, staying out of the sun when it is at its strongest (10am to 4pm), and wearing hats and long sleeves can go a long way toward protecting you from the damaging rays that cause cancer.

Additionally, it is the one type of cancer that we can actually SEE, and reporting any changes to your skin to your health care provider leads to early detection, and this is the key to beating melanoma and carcinoma. While anyone can get skin cancer, those with fair skin and freckles, blonde or red hair, and blue or green eyes are at higher risk. Also, anyone with a history of skin cancer in their family would also have an elevated risk.

Did you also know that UV radiation can come from tanning beds, tanning booths, and sunlamps? So it is important to avoid using those products as well as protecting your skin from the sun itself.

How can you support this very important cause? Spread the word! Do the #SkinCheckChallenge. Donate to support programs designed to save lives. Skin cancer strikes one in five people by the age of 70. ONE IN FIVE! Do your part by clicking the link below to find more information on how you can join the fight to eradicate skin cancer.

Source: https://www.skincancer.org/get-involved/skin-cancer-awareness-month/

May is Stroke Awareness Month

Learn F.A.S.T to Save Lives:

https://www.stroke.org/en/about-the-american-stroke-association/stroke-awareness-month

According the the American Heart Association, up to 80% of strokes can be prevented.

QUICK FACTS:

• Stroke is the leading cause of disabilities in the United States, and the #5 cause of death.
• It happens when part of the brain cannot get oxygen and blood it needs, and brain cells die.
• It can be caused by a blood clot or a rupturing blood vessel.
• About one in four stroke survivors have another stroke.
• It can be prevented with diet, exercise, cessation of smoking, or taking medication as prescribed by a health care professional.

"You Don't Have to See the Whole Staircase, Just Take the First Step."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Your Monthly Word Search Has Arrived!

Play Live: https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/7012573/stroke-awareness-month/

Recipes for Post-Stroke and Stroke Prevention

Find more recipes here: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/healthy-living/recipes

Look Who is Celebrating a

Milestone Anniversary this Month!

The First Annual FVNAH 5K Run Was a HUGE Success! Shout Out to Our Very Special List of Sponsors!

Memorial Brick and Founding Donor Patio

With a donation of $50 you receive a custom brick in the memory of a lost loved one. The brick will be honored in the Teuscher-Wilson Hospice Garden, which is pictured at the top left. Other opportunities are open for larger donations as Diamond, Opal, and Amethyst sponsors. Please click on the link below for more information.

BP Clinics and Calendar of Events

Join us at Franklin Community Day on Saturday, May 11th from 10am to 2pm!

https://www.franklinnh.org/parks-recreation/pages/community-day

Introducing Our Spring Drop-In Grief Support Group

We Are Hiring!!

For more information on available jobs with FVNAH, please click this link, or copy and paste it to your bowser.

https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/6aebb69c-2770-4ff4-86d8-b1d874ebd931/Visiting-Nurse-Association-of-Franklin