ICU Nurse Honored for Giving Patient’s Family a Voice in Darkest Hours

Aubrey Ford, RN Receives DAISY Award

Christine Porter worried about what each passing hour could bring as her mother battled a life-threatening illness in the ICU at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). While she’ll never forget the fear she felt during her mother’s stay in the hospital, Porter also says she’ll always remember the difference Aubrey Ford, RN made for her and her family. “Aubrey took her time to not only educate us, but most importan [...]

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What You Need to Know About This Year’s Vaccines

Questions for our infectious disease expert about flu, COVID-19 and RSV.

COVID-19 cases are already on the rise in many places across our area, with masking advised in some hospitals and now mandatory at others. As for flu, “It seems like it'll probably be a pretty ‘normal’ flu season this year — not too early and not too severe,” says Jessie Leyse, MD, MPH, an infectious disease, internal medicine and pediatric physician at Central Vermont Medical Center.  The key to not getting sick with either is vaccination. It&rs [...]

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Nurse Honored for Compassionate Care of Patient in his Final Hours

Ashleigh Leavine, RN Receives DAISY Award

When a patient is dying, that person’s comfort and final wishes are of the utmost importance. A local family witnessed one nurse’s dedication to that compassionate care, and that is why Ashleigh Leavine, RN was recognized today as the latest recipient of The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). Leavine was presented the award during a surprise ceremony with her colleagues. “My fat [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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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) [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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Supporting Your Survivorship

CVPH Program Helps Patients Cope With Life Beyond Cancer

If hearing, “You have cancer,” is one of the scariest things your doctor can say to you, then the other side of that, “You are cancer free,” is certainly one of the best things to hear. But for the millions of people who are living beyond cancer each year in the United States, it is not always that simple. “After the treatment is done, it’s difficult to explain. As much as it feels good, there’s always this tug at you,” Kim Bresette of Platts [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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