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Contact: Emily Dubyoski
Visiting Nurse Association of Ohio
216-931-1302 EDubyoski@vnaohio.org

Visiting Nurse Association of Ohio Pilots Home Care Pediatrics Program in Partnership with MetroHealth

Program Provides Visiting Pediatrics Registered Nurses for At-Risk NICU Infants

CLEVELAND, Ohio (January 1, 2018) – Visiting Nurse Association of Ohio recently launched a pilot program in partnership with MetroHealth. The program targets at-risk NICU infants who require continuing care following discharge from the NICU. In 2017, VNA of Ohio hired a pediatric nurse to implement the program and will be onboarding a second nurse in the coming weeks.

Currently, the nurse provides a variety of services and care for the infants, their mothers and family members. For example, if an infant requires an oxygen tank, the nurse will help educate the family about operating the equipment and fire safety. Feeding and mixing formula is a large part of the family education to make sure the infant gains weight for proper development. The nurse is available to families 24/7 while the infant is under VNA of Ohio care.

The nurse works closely with clinicians at the MetroHealth NICU clinic, a branch of the NICU where families take the infants to be seen following discharge.

“We are glad to provide this program for families and infants,” said Michelle Kerr, MSN, RN, and Chief Clinical Officer at VNA of Ohio. “This is a benefit to everyone involved: the families receive critical education and care following their NICU stay and our goal is to help reduce the number of times the family, infant has to visit to the Emergency Department.”

The program, now a few weeks old, has served over five families and their infants but will likely expand the services to more families with infants in the MetroHealth NICU.

About Visiting Nurse Association of Ohio

With over 400 healthcare and administrative professionals, VNA of Ohio serves thousands of individuals throughout Northeast, Northwest, Central, and Mid-Ohio. VNA of Ohio offers the largest scope of home-based health services in the state, focusing on home healthcare and personal care private-duty services. Home healthcare services extend to include medical/surgical nursing care, behavioral health services, TeleHealth chronic disease management, and rehabilitation therapy services.

VNA of Ohio joined New Jersey-based VNA Health Group in 2017 to advance high-quality and innovative home-based care services. For more information about VNA Health Group or to find services in New Jersey, please visit www.vnahg.org.

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