Friday, July 14, 2017

Seymour Pink gets donation from Hair by Lynn salon

Lynn Giardini, owner, Hair by Lynn Salon, 139 Main St., Seymour, right, presents a $900 check Friday to Seymour Pink founder Mary Deming. The salon held a cut-a-thon to celebrate its grand opening July 1 and raised funds for Seymour Pink, a community's fight against breast cancer.


Stay tuned for more coverage in the next Valley Voice newsletter.

Griffin Hospital in Derby slates career training programs

The Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers is accepting applications for its fall Accelerated Certified Nursing Assistant program starting Sept. 11 and its Patient Care Technician and Phlebotomy programs starting Sept. 12./ Contributed photo

DERBY - The Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers, 300 Seymour Ave., Suite 206, is offering classes for its fall Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Patient Care Technician (PCT) and Phlebotomy programs.

The evening session for the CNA program starts Sept. 11, and the day PCT program and the Phlebotomy program begin Sept 12.

The accelerated CNA course offers students an affordable and condensed six-week schedule with classes Monday through Thursday from 5-9 p.m. 
Course content includes infection control, legal and ethical responsibilities, communications, body mechanics, moving and positioning residents, personal care skills, nutrition, measuring vital signs, and restorative care. 
The program’s clinical experience is at a long term stay facility and Griffin Hospital from 5-10 p.m. for a total of 40 hours. After successfully completing the course and clinical experience, students will be qualified to take the certification exam for a Nursing Assistant in Connecticut. The CNA course tuition fee includes the course book, CPR training, and malpractice insurance coverage for the clinical rotation.

The 16-week PCT program requires students to attend practical training on Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and have the option to take the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday Phlebotomy classes either during the day from 9 a.m.-noon or during the evening from 6-9 p.m. The PCT program offers ample hands-on training and opportunities for practical experience in the school's fully equipped mock hospital room and during the 160 hours of clinical experience. The course tuition includes textbook, malpractice insurance, CPR certification, and national certification.

The 13-week Phlebotomy program holds classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with a daytime option of 9 a.m.-noon or an evening option of 6-9 p.m. The course tuition includes a 40-hour internship, national certification, lab coats, CPR certification, malpractice insurance and textbook.

Anyone 18 years of age or older with a high school diploma or GED may apply for admission. Early application is encouraged for all courses, as space is limited. For more information or to apply, call 203-732-1276 or 203-732-7578 or visit griffinhealth.org/allied-health.

About the School of Allied Health Careers

Griffin Hospital's School of Allied Health Careers was one of the first hospital-based schools of its kind to be authorized by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education and offers Phlebotomy and other professional educational programs to provide training, education, and certification in selected health careers. 
Classes are taught by certified instructors in the Griffin Hospital Medical Building at 300 Seymour Ave.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Children's entertainer to perform at Ansonia Nature Center

Children's entertainer Chris Rowlands./ Contributed photo

ANSONIA -Puppeteer and singer Chris Rowlands will perform at 7 p.m. July 28 at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Road.

Rowlands is an award-winning singer and songwriter who offers an interactive kid-friendly presentation for those who love music and nature. 
He creatively blends music, comedy, and education in a fast paced show that teaches and inspires. 
Rowlands brings animals to life through song, dance, puppets, and colorful props, to teach children about animals and their habitats. 
The Environment Magazine has honored him with its first E Award for his environmental education programs. Don’t miss this free musical program!


Call the Nature Center to register, 203-736-1053.


This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature Center.

Recuperation journey: 'It's magical'

I got happy news at the transplant clinic Thursday. My test results looked good to the health-care professionals and two of them told me I'm doing great.

My nephrologist was happy to hear I'm feeling fine and told me, "Sometimes it can be magical."
That's so true! 

I also met a woman Thursday who had her kidney transplant in May a day after I had mine. 
She said she feels "100 percent" better than before. 
She also told me she wasn't nervous at all beforehand. Once I was committed to the idea I wasn't anxious either.
I was counting down the days, and really couldn't wait to have the transplant done.

But we agreed that our husbands were much more nervous before the surgery than we were.

The whole experience has been nothing short of a miracle. 
I've had zero pain, and only a few manageable side effects from all the medications. 

Magical indeed. 

Gentile hails bill that improves blood-draw procedure

HARTFORD - State Rep. Linda Gentile, D-Ansonia, Derby, praised Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s signing of legislation that will improve patient care in hospitals. 

House Bill 7174, which was signed into law on Monday, will allow certain hospital personnel to flush a peripheral IV with prepackaged normal saline. 

The bill will pave the way for the widespread use of the PIVO system.
Griffin was one of the first hospitals in the country to trial the new needleless “PIVO” blood-drawing device which was developed by an innovative medical device company called Velano Vascular. 
This device was approved by the FDA earlier this year, as well as the Department of Public Health.
 “This bill implements the use of the revolutionary new PIVO system, a needleless, painless device that draws blood from patients. Implementation of this device means that patients no longer have to go through the stress and pain of having their blood drawn multiple times with a needle for critical testing,” Gentile said. 
“This bill will dramatically improve patient safety and ultimately provides hospitals with a more compassionate way of taking care of patients. This bill was a strong collaborative effort and I would like to thank my Republican colleagues for all of their hard work and support."

“I was happy to support this legislation as it is a common sense approach to a problem our hospitals have,” said House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby. “And it comes at no additional cost to anyone, while at the same time improving our healthcare system.’’

“I am glad to see that we were able to help pass legislation that will help improve patient and caregiver safety,” state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R-Seymour, said. “I want to thank Griffin Hospital for their strong advocacy and for being a leader in the hospital industry. I look forward to partnering with Griffin Hospital in the future.”

“We all value what a regional asset Griffin Hospital has become,” said state Sen. George Logan, R-Ansonia, who serves as Vice-Chair of the Public Health Committee.  
“As lawmakers, we want to do all we can on a bipartisan basis to help Griffin Hospital thrive and continue to provide the best care possible to area residents. It was great to see Griffin Hospital’s leadership and staff take an active role in speaking out for this common sense legislation. This measure will help ensure that Griffin Hospital will continue to be a leader in the provision of quality, groundbreaking, patient-centered care. I thank Rep. Gentile, Rep. Klarides, and Rep. Klarides-Ditria for their advocacy, and I thank the governor for signing this bill into law.”

“Hospitalized patients currently endure multiple needle sticks per day, over multiple days, to draw blood for laboratory testing. Those needle sticks can now be eliminated due to the introduction of a new needleless blood drawing device that draws blood from an existing peripheral IV catheter placed for medication and fluid administration,” Griffin Hospital President and CEO Patrick Charmel said.  
“Since virtually all hospital inpatients require IV placement, use of the PIVO device means no additional venipunctures or needle sticks, and for this we have a number of forward thinking leaders to thank.”  

These include Deputy Speaker state Rep. Linda Gentile, House Minority Leader state Rep. Themis Klarides, state Sen. George Logan, and state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria and other members of the Valley delegation, as well as the Chairs of the Public Health Committee and the Department of Public Health.  

Charmel added, “All were champions of this legislation that will enable Griffin, and other progressive hospitals, to vastly improve patient safety and experience.”

The final version of the legislation Public Act 17-234 allows Griffin and other hospitals to begin using the needleless blood drawing device throughout their facilities effective Oct. 1, 2017.


This is a press release from Linda Gentile's office.