Visiting Nursing Association of Waterloo

Some of our favorite Facebook fans may have recognized a familiar face from the post where we achieved Dementia Friendly status. Sending our congratulations to Annette Burke, RN, BSN, MJ as she is the new Executive Director of Visiting Nursing Association of Waterloo.

As the soon-to-be former ED, (retirement here I come!), I cannot begin to express how rewarding, educational and inspiring the last 6.5 years have been. I came in to this position with admiration for nurses and CNAs, and I leave with profound respect for all, especially after having gone through a pandemic. Healthcare is tough and we've toughed it out during the most trying of times. ALL the employees across these years have taught me so much, which I will appreciate forever. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

Just opened a couple of boxes of outdoor games that we WON. Thank you for the incredible surprise today! Perfect weather to take them outside and give them a try!
Always a fan,
Visiting Nursing Association of Waterloo

Thank you for the educational opportunity!

Congratulations and thank you to Visiting Nursing Association of Waterloo for becoming Dementia Friends and taking the additional steps to become recognized as a Dementia Friendly Organization. Thank you for seeking to be more dementia friendly!

Our wish for you is a peaceful close to 2022 and a beautiful start to 2023. While our office is closed 1-2-23, as always our phones will be answered.

For the safety of all....

Thank you to all Veterans who gave their service. We are proud to be of service to you.

This week we celebrate our dedicated, loyal, hard-working Home Care Aides (we miss you Julie!!). We are all jealous of your travel cups, but each of you is worth the gift, and thensome. Thanks for all you do for our patients!

Thank YOU Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa for a wonderful gathering this evening and for your dedication to our communities! Your support for not-for-profit orgs is unparalleled!

Have you gotten your flu shot yet? We're here to take care of it for you! Feel free to call if you have questions!

Orchard Hill Church volunteers (quilting ladies) stopped by today to drop off some of their beautiful handiwork! On behalf of the group we will be happy to find new homes for these quilts -- and just in time for this cooler weather! Thank you!

OK DIY-ers, there are free desk chairs in front of the Community Services building, which is next door to Maple Lanes. If someone wants an even half dozen, stop in and let us know you need another! Please share this post!
**Update** Seven chairs found new homes today! Stay tuned...we may have more to give away.

Flu Shots! Get your Flu Shots Here!

The VNA Office will be closed on Monday September 5th, for Labor Day. All employees will get a much deserved day off to recognize their hard work and all hard working people of this great country. We hope everyone has a safe, fun holiday!

🌍 What in the World Wednesday 🌎
This one is a stumper for us....first guesses for folks is that this is a mortar, but we found no pestle. Who can identify this little odd shaped doo-dad?

🌍 What in the World Wednesday 🌎
⚒ Forged in the factories of early 20th century Germany… ⚒
This artifact has us guessing with it’s odd shape and codified etching. 🧐 What is this tool and what was it used for ❓❓❓

The VNA office will be closed on Monday to honor our Independence Day. Have a safe and fun weekend everyone!

🌍 What in the World Wednesday 🌎

With a spout on its end and a black handle at its side, this artifact makes us wonder… 🧐

What in the world is it ⁉

Do you have any guesses?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this week’s What in the World Wednesday! If you know what it is, share it to see if your friends can guess!

🌍 What in the World Wednesday 🌎
Today we’re asking, what in the world is this “bendy thing?” 🤷
Pictured in its straight position, this items bends easily...What in the World is it? Who, in their nursing experience has used it?

🌍 What in the World Wednesday 🌎
This artifact was used with lots of love. 💞
Can you guess what in the world this artifact from the VNA vault was used for ❓❓❓

We’d love to hear you’re feedback! 💖

For the next several weeks we are going to play, "What in the world Wednesday...?" In our 90th year, we have gathered some of the saved artifacts that have been used, some as early as 7 decades ago, and we'll be asking to name the artifacts we post. Today we begin with a quote from the book, Dermatology and Syphiology for Nurses, third edition copyrighted in 1940. The quote comes from the chapter: The Principles of Social Hygiene.

“Whether on private or institutional duty, as the public health nurse or in merely casual contact with the general public, she shares with the physician and the priest a certain prestige, a certain expectancy on the part of her contacts, that she will have access to the keys that unlock the inner secrets of life.” – John H. Stokes, MD ©1930

Now....which one of you has the keys to THAT lock?

As we celebrate our nursing crew this week, we also celebrate and appreciate the many nurses that came before us in our 90 year history. Each one laid a stone in the path moving home health forward in our community. Thank you to all past and present nurses for your dedication to the profession!

This is Katy, VNA LPN. She is holding Steve her pet rabbit. Steve came to the office today to jump start our weekend. Thank you Steve for visiting and spreading Easter Cheer. Everyone say hi to Steve!

Congratulations to the staff at the VNA! This award came to us with the explanation that we were in the top 25% of all companies (nationally) in their data base to have achieved high patient satisfaction ratings! Our goal to achieve patient satisfaction is every day!

The Waterloo VNA office will be closed on Friday, December 31st for New Year's Eve. Nurses will be on-call and available if needed.
We'd like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and blessed New Year!

The Waterloo VNA office will be closed Friday, December 24th for the Christmas holiday. As always, our on-call lines will be open.

We'd like to wish our clients, families, current and past staff, and partner agencies a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!

As National Home Care Month comes to a close, the VNA is so very thankful for the dedicated team of professionals that work every day to ensure the health and safety of our community's most vulnerable. We are appreciative of our volunteer board of directors who believe in our mission, and we are grateful for all past VNA employees for bringing us to where we are today.

For National Homecare Month, field staff received new "merch". This is a portion of our crew, all of which we are grateful every day. This group and those not pictured are a dedicated, professional team that continuously work toward positive outcomes for clients; you are an inspiration!