Download - FNCVAMC Newsletter December 2016
1
www.fayettevillenc.va.gov
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
December 2016
Elizabeth Goolsby Fayetteville VAMC Director
Table of Contents
Pg. 1-2...Director’s Forum
Pg. 3-4…VA clinics in NC
weather Hurricane Matthew
Pg. 5-7…VA, Am Legion assist
Hurricane Matthew victims
Pg. 8-9…Fayetteville VA saves
the day with water buffalo
Pg. 10-12…Every day is Nurses
Week throughout Fayetteville
VAMC
Pg. 13... Annual flu vaccination
best prevention for Veterans, staff
Pg. 14...Veterans Day program in
CLC
Pg. 15...Missing Man
Remembrance Tables on display
at three FVAMC sites
Pg. 16...EMS now servicing
RME
Director’s Forum by Elizabeth “Betty” Goolsby
As 2016 is coming to a close, I reflect on the activities and chal-lenges of the past few months. Starting in late September, 12 inches of rain challenged the Fayetteville Enterprise with flooding and power failures. Soon thereafter, Hurricane Matthew visited, dumping even more rain, causing utility outages and tremendous devastation. Through both of these weather-related events, our staff rose to the challenges to help one another and to make sure our Veterans were well cared for.
Staff stayed overnight for several nights at the Medical Center to make sure there we had adequate staff to care for our patients. The staff at the Dialysis Center started dialysis procedures at 3 am the day before the Hurricane to make sure Veteran needs were addressed and the Veterans could return home safety. When the City of Fayetteville lost potable water, the Dialysis staff sprang in-to action, using of water buffaloes to make sure patients could be safely dialyzed. For several days our Dialysis Center was the only one in Cumberland County able to provide in-center dialysis.
Staff, who had not lost utilities in their homes, opened their hearts and homes to fellow staff members so they could shower, have a warm place to stay or do laundry.
The Robeson County area suffered perhaps the greatest devas-tation with the loss of homes, vehicles, and access to healthcare. The Fayetteville Enterprise, along with sister facilities, established a mobile medical park in Laurinburg in the Walmart parking lot. The staff addressed not only the needs of our Veterans but provid-ed humanitarian aid to others with medical, mental health or medication needs.
(Continued on page 2)
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 2
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
Director’s Forum continued
Highlights
The staff at the mobile site traveled to the 15 shelters in Robeson County offering aid and sup-port. They brought many Veterans back to the medical park for care and services. Some were forced to leave their homes without medications, to include insulin. The presence of the VA was a lifeline for them. Several Veterans commented about how much they appreciated having some-one to talk with about their experiences and how welcomed a hot cup of coffee was. The mobile clinics functioned for 10 days and brought care to those in need.
Through all of this, 19 of our staff members either lost their homes or had significant dam-age but many still came to work to help and pro-tect others.
In November there is additional focus on our Veterans and this year was no exception. I want to share with you two events that were very mov-ing and further illustrate why our Veterans are a special group and we are so honored to be able to serve them.
Through the work of Abby Parker and her col-leagues, a POW/MIA Remembrance Table was dedicated at the Fayetteville Health Care Center. Three former POWs; one each from WW2, Korea Conflict and Vietnam War, were our honored guests. Each of them suffered incredible hard-ships, both mentally and physically as a result of captivity. But each maintained that incredible American spirit and never lost faith in America, nor their love for America.
We have two other POW/MIA tables, one at the Medical Center and another at the Wilming-ton Health Care Center. Please stop by the table and reflect on the meaning of each of the objects.
Annually, we have a Veterans Day Program. This year LTC Shane Finison, Commander of the 1-82 Attack Reconnaissance Brigade from Ft.
(Continued from page 1) Bragg, was our guest speaker. He brought his 89 year old grandfather, Lee Deal, with him. Mr. Deal, an artilleryman in Europe during World War 2, was justifiably proud of his grandson but he was also brought to tears during the pro-gram. He commented, “This is the first time since I returned from service that anyone has honored me at a Veteran Day program. I wasn’t sure people still cared.”
Know the Risk, Get Tested for hepatitis C Veterans born between 1945 and 1965 may have an increased risk for Hepatitis C. VA encourages all Veterans receiving VA care to talk to their healthcare team about testing and treatment anytime. Get the facts. Get tested. Get treatment. Learn more at www.hepatitis.va.gov/patient/hcv/testing/index.asp.
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 3
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
News
VA clinics in North Carolina weather Hurricane Matthew North Carolina was spared by
Hurricane Matthew’s winds, but
the storm still managed to deliver
a hefty punch through a barrage
of torrential rain and flooding.
Among the hardest hit areas
were Robeson, Edgecombe and
Pitt Counties, where VISN 6
operates community based out-
patient clinics. Clinics were
closed for up to 10 days due to
floodwaters, but reopened once
waters receded and made it pos-
sible to reach them safely again.
Several areas in the state were
left without power and experi-
enced excessive flooding, as
rivers crested and levees were
breached. Governor Pat McCrory
declared the state a disaster
area, with water destroying
homes and making roads im-
passable. Many residents found
themselves stranded or in shel-
ters and un-able to reach their
clinics and health care centers.
VISN 6 staff took to the road,
moving quickly to help Veterans
and civilians. While working to
access damage and reopen clin-
ics in these areas, Durham and
Fayetteville VAMC teams estab-
lished two Mobile Medical Unit
(MMU) sites. Based in Laurin-
burg and Tarboro, N.C., the (Continued on page 4)
Flood damage scenes Goldsboro, NC Oct. 12, 2016. Photos by Debra Young
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 4
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
News
:Clinics weather Hurricane units brought medical assistance, food, counseling
and pharmacy services to Veterans in those areas
who were left without access to community based VA
clinics. In addition, Durham and Fayetteville VAMC
social workers visited shelters to ensure Veterans
were getting the care they needed, when and wherev-
er they needed it.
“Some of our Veterans have suffered significant
losses so we wanted to provide some measure of com-
fort by making some of the services they’re accus-
tomed to accessible as soon as possible,” said Fayette-
ville VAMC Director Elizabeth Goolsby, adding that
the Fayetteville VAMC operated shuttle service to the
MMUs for Veterans housed in shelters.
Durham VAMC Associate Director Steve Black
applauded everyone’s efforts as their employees
worked to reopen the Greenville HCC and began
seeing patients.
“Our single greatest asset and resource is our peo-
ple. This was evident in our response to the hurricane
relief efforts,” he said. “We had people from across
our organization react to the needs of Veter-
ans and non-Veterans alike, in a way that
was inspirational.”
“Many thanks to the VA staff from around
the country who teamed up with our VISN 6
employees to care for area Veterans and
residents in need,” said VISN 6 Director Dan
Hoffmann. “We also want to thank our com-
munity partners; especially the management
and staff of the Wal-Mart stores, who gra-
ciously offered their parking lots as a loca-
tion for the mobile sites of care and made
our staff, Veterans and civilians, feel wel-
come during this difficult time.”
All VISN 6 health care centers and commu-
nity based outpatient clinics are now fully
operational. (Courtesy VISN 6 Public
Affairs) Robeson County flood damage Oct. 12, 2016 — washed out road Lumberton NC
Photos by Debra Young
Robeson County flood damage Oct. 12, 2016 — Interstate 95 exit, Pembroke, NC
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 5
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
Highlights
VA, American Legion assist Hurricane Matthew victims
Editor’s note: The following article is reprint-
ed with permission from American Legion
magazine. You can find the article and a
short video online video at http://
www.legion.org/veteranshealthcare/234616/
va-legion-assist-hurricane-matthew-victims.
By Henry Howard
Deputy Director Media and Communications
The America n Legion
I n the wake of Hurricane Matthew, Randy Fair-
cloth and his family have been stuck in a tem-
porary shelter for two weeks and counting.
Their home withstood the initial wrath of the
storm. But when it started “moving and crackling,”
Faircloth sent his wife and daughter, who has ADHD
and Asperger’s Syndrome, to the shelter at Purnell
Swett High School in Maxton, N.C., where he joined
them the following day.
“(The crackling) started freaking them out,” said
Faircloth, who served in the National Guard after
9/11. “We made it through the storm until the dams
and levees failed and the water started rising again.”
As North Carolina recovers from the intense hur-
ricane, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is
working with The American Legion and other com-
munity organizations to provide medical care, pre-
scriptions and other aid to veterans and civilians.
(Continued on page 6)
Photos Jeff Melvin
Left, Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) volunteers Dr. Theresa Buck, Bay Pines VA Health Care System, Bay Pines Fla., standing, and Nurse Practitioner Annette Korth, Madison VA, Madison, Wis., kneeling, treat a displaced Robeson County resident at the Laurinburg NC mobile medical unit Oct. 20. Right, Robeson County CBOC social worker Ed Clark, left,
and DEMPS volunteer Mary Bauer, a registered nurse with Min-neapolis VA, talk to veteran Randy Faircloth at a shelter in Max-ton, N.C. in an effort to determine his needs and try to assist Fair-cloth and his family who lost their home and all their belongings in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 6
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
Highlights
“It’s been great to get the medical care we need,
and the assistance and the clothing,” Faircloth said.
“I have no idea where I would be without VA. We’d
definitely be in worse condition.”
The storm passed over North Carolina on Oct. 8,
causing more than $1 billion in damage, leaving at
least 26 people dead statewide and forcing thousands
of residents from their homes as a result of floods,
officials said.
As the cleanup continued in especially hard-hit
Robeson County, near the border of South Carolina,
VA staffers continued to seek out veterans and others
needing assistance. VA established a mobile medical
unit in Laurinburg, which provided aid to roughly
200 veterans and civilians after the storm.
VA staffers make frequent visits to the temporary
shelters, looking for veterans needing assistance. The
shelters are organized by the Red Cross. “We come
from all over,” said Bobby Franklin, a Red Cross vol-
unteer from Ohio. “But we unify and work as one.”
Mary Bauer, a registered nurse with VA in Minne-
apolis, was among those actively engaging with veter-
ans at the shelters. Bauer would invite those requir-
ing care to the medical mobile unit, where storm vic-
tims would receive an initial health assessment, med-
ications and basic care.
“We have been seeing veterans who have been dis-
placed who have been needing services such as medi-
cal, pharmaceutical or pyscho-social needs,” she said.
“We have also been seeing non-veterans, civilians
who have had some health issues. Pretty much any-
one who had needs, we bring through our clinic.”
As an example, Bauer cited a veteran who came in
with severe respiratory distress. After diagnosing
him, VA staff realized he required hospital care im-
mediately. “(Last Wednesday), he was discharged
(Continued from page 5)
: VA, Legion assist victims
Minneapolis VA RN Mary Bauer, center, Fayetteville VA Urgent Care Center nurse manager Charles Hall check with an American Red Cross volunteer to inquire if any Veterans are at the shelter.
(Continued on Page 7
Jennifer Nazarchyk, Fayetteville HCC Pharm-D, stocks the shelves of the mobile pharmacy at the Laurinburg site.
Photos by Jeff Melvin
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 7
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
News
: VA, Legion
American Legion (are helpful),”
he said. “When we have this type
of a disaster, we pull together and
do what is necessary to make it
happen. The American Legion
helps pitch in and makes us effec-
tive in what we’re trying to do and
help veterans.”
Charles Hall, an Army veteran
and nurse manager for the
Fayetteville VA, is on site to help
oversee logistics.
“This has been a really reward-
ing experience,” Hall said. “All
the patients who have come in —
both veterans and non-veterans
— have been treated very well.
This is a very cohesive team. The
way that the teams are working
together is outstanding. It’s a
warm fuzzy for me to see all these
VA employees coming together
with one mission in mind to take
care of the veterans and the peo-
ple in the community who need
our resources.”
The assistance extended to
other storm victims like Henry
Jacobs, of Pembroke, whose
home was damaged by the storm
but he didn’t need to evacuate.
Instead, he bailed water out with
a mop and broom.
But the work and stress took a
toll on the Vietnam War-era vet-
eran.
Jacobs went to his VA with
pains in both arms and legs and
his chest. During his exam, doc-
tors found high blood pressure, a
slow heartbeat and a kidney prob-
lem.
He was also given a stress test.
“I think the flooding had a lot to
do with it.”
Now, Jacobs is on the mend.
“I’m a little sore in my chest
now, but doing pretty fair,” he
said. “I’m still a little concerned
about it. I was treated very well
by the VA.
“They are number one in my
book. They took care of me.”
(Reprinted with permission
courtesy The American Legion).
(Continued from page #)
Above, Fred Williams, Fayetteville VA Emergency Manager, left, and James Payne, VISN 6 Area EM, confer as a prelude to beginning demobilization actions at the Laurinburg site Oct. 20. Below, Displaced Veteran Harold Hammond of nearby Maxton who described his home as "an island" talks to Greensboro Mobile Vet Center counselor Ron Thomas, cen-ter, and MVC technician Marcus Pickett.
Photos by Jeff Melvin
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 8
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
News
By Steve Wilkins VISN 6 Public Affairs
R eacting to an emer-
gency environmental
condition before, during and in
the aftermath of Hurricane Mat-
thew, the Fayetteville VAMC im-
plemented contingency opera-
tions, including placement of an
alternative water resource to con-
tinue health care service to Veter-
ans receiving dialysis treatment
through-out the storm event.
The hurricane passed through
the Fayetteville, N.C., region Oct.
8-10, unloading up to 18-20 inch-
es of water on the military-
connected community. The rain-
fall continued to cause after-
effects in the form of rising water
in surrounding lakes, rivers and
reservoirs.
Flooding, which began Oct. 9,
immediately compromised the
municipal water supply, affecting
water drinkability in area. VA
staff worked hard to mitigate the
situation, using thou-sands of
gallons of bottled water in the
Fayetteville VAMC and its subor-
dinate Health Care Center.
The situation significantly af-
fected operations at the Fayette-
ville VA Dialysis Clinic, which
depends on continuous supplies
Fayetteville VA saves the day
with water buffalo
of clean water. Logistics, con-
tracting and engineering staff ar-
ranged for a mobile water tanker
to keep the operation running for
Veterans and mitigate a poten-
tially dire situation which could
(Continued on page 9)
Photos by Jeff Melvin
Dialysis center nurse manager Tiffany Wise inspects hose connection
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 9
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
News
have compromised the organization’s ability to care
for Veterans severely at risk due to renal failure. The
water flowed from the tanker through a portable fil-
tration sys-tem, into the clinic where Veterans receive
care at the dialysis stations.
Getting the truck and apparatus in place enabled
the clinic to offer treatment to Veterans without skip-
ping a beat and operations continued running
smoothly, with VA staff completing 29 dialysis treat-
ments Oct. 9 out of the 30 scheduled.
Leadership at the VA Medical Center initiated cre-
ative techniques to circumvent issues challenging the
provision of health care to area Veterans,” said Joe
Jenkins, VISN 6 emergency manager.
Jenkins explained that during the weather event,
flooding closed about 100 roads in the area and dams
had been in danger of breeching, worsening condi-
tions for the already weather-ravaged region.
“Through the ingenuity of staff and their dedica-
tion to our Veterans, care was provided under the
most difficult of circumstances,” said Fayetteville
VAMC Director Elizabeth
Goolsby, who praised her staff
and others who worked dili-
gently and compassionately to
ensure care. “This truly is an
example of taking care of
those who have already taken
care of us.”
(Continued from page 8)
Left, patient Rev. Alonzo Jordan said he didn’t worry about receiv-ing treatment during storm thanks to a reassuring phone call from the dialysis center letting him know they would be open and when to come in.
Tammie Booth, lead hemodialysis technician, takes readings as one of the steps in conducting a water test.
: saves the day
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 10
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
Every day is Nurses Week throughout Fayetteville VAMC
Employee Recognition
VALOR student nurse preceptor Charles Ayers
With the end of the calendar year
approaching, Patient Care Services
leaders would like to take an oppor-
tunity to shine a spotlight on some of
the outstanding work nursing staff are
doing individually and collectively.
Every day is Nurses Week here at
Fayetteville VAMC
Fiscal year 2016 has been an excit-
ing time for the Urgent Care Clinic.
According to UCC Nurse Manager
Charles Hall, RN, MSN, CEN, more
patients have been seen this year than
any other year, with 25,400 patients
registered.
“As manager of the Urgent Care, I am very proud
of all of our nurses and nursing assistants and the
difference they are making in having this a Medical
Center of Choice for our Veterans,” said Hall.
Take a look at this partial list of accomplishments:
Jessy Joby, RN, MSN, was selected to be the assistant nurse manager of the Urgent Care. Joby is also Chairperson of the Patient Care Services Evidence Based Practice Council.
Yvette Piantadosi, RN, BSN graduated with her Masters of Nursing degree-Family Nurse Prac-titioner
Svetlana Burroughs, RN and Danielle Munn, RN, graduated with their Bachelors of Science-Nursing degrees.
Ginger Malvitz, RN, BSN passed the Certified Emergency Nurse Exam
Christopher York, RN, BSN, completed his training as Yellow Belt is facilitating the Sys-tems Redesign Project for the Urgent Care-Improving Patient Flow. This committee is comprised of Joshua Davis, RN, BSN, Ginger Malvitz, RN, BSN, CEN, Craig Blue, RN, BSN and Sable Williams, NA. This committee is looking at ways and means of improving our
(Continued on page 11)
From left, Bradford Cornwell and Gina Malvitz confer with Ass’t UCC Nurse Manager Jesse Joby
Photo by Jeff Melvin
Photo by Jeff Melvin
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 11
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
:Every day Nurses Week
Employee Recognition
patient flow, in additions to the improve-ments that have already occurred.
Carmen Rosado, RN, BSN and Ginger Mal-vitz, RN, BSN, CEN are Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ALCS) instructors respectively.
Two nurses in Urgent Care, Christopher York, RN, BSN and Kristina Brown, RN, BSN, CEN were instrumental in writing the Sepsis Guidelines.
Charles Ayers, RN, BSN became a member of the PICC Team.
Karen Needle Autry RN, BSN completed training for the hospital Decontamination Team.
Charles Ayers, Svetlana Burroughs and Car-men Rosado were all preceptors for the stu-dent nurses participating in the VALOR pro-gram.
Kudos also to the fol-
lowing members of the
OR/PACU Nursing Staff:
Sophia Peyton RN, MSN, CNOR OR Nurse Educator-Received her ASPAN certification in Au-gust 2016;
Sallie Sherrill, RN, -Received her CNOR certification in Au-gust 2016
Hannah Rogers, RN, BSN – Attending South University and pursing Geron-tology NP certifica-tion;
Lauren Hailey, RN, BSN- Attending South University and pursing her FNP certification;
(Continued on page 12)
BSN graduates Svetlana Burroughs and Dannielle Munn
Left, Sable Williams, and above, Christopher York Photo by Jeff Melvin Photo by Jeff Melvin
Courtesy photo
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 12
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
Employee Recognition
:Every day
Courtesy photo
Cynthia Rasic, RN, BSN- At-tending University of Phoenix University and will complete her MSN- Nursing Administration in Feb 2017;
Sallie Sherrill, RN, BSN- Attend-ing University of Phoenix Uni-versity and will complete her MSN- Nursing Administration in November 2017
Congratulation are also in order
for Intensive Care Unit staff as they
continue acute patient care service
renovation projects with the ultimate
goal of providing increased access for
more complex patients.
Since July 2016, our ICU nursing staff have part-
nered with Womack Army Medical Center ICU nurs-
ing staff to provide each nurse with a learning envi-
ronment (at WAMC) that helps them maintain up-to
-date acute and critical care nursing skills and
knowledge.
According to ICU Nurse Manager Darrell Greene,
“Not only does this partnership reinforce the special
knowledge and experiences required for acute and
critical care nursing, this learning experience has
provided the unit with a sense of professional pride
and achievement.”
In addition, Greene said, the nursing skills
learned at WAMC ICU are based on research studies
linked to higher levels of clinical knowledge, skill
and experience with best evidence, best practice out-
comes. “Our aim is excellence delivered health care,
which is one of our core values in staff and patient
satisfaction.”
ICU staff is also proud of the creation of their unit
-level Shared Governance Committee which has em-
powered ICU nurses to have more autonomy in deci-
(Continued from page 11)
sion-making that takes place in the ICU. This,
Greene said,
has been es-
sential to the
unit achieving
best patient
outcomes and
satisfaction
amongst the
nurses. “We
are excited
about our fu-
ture and we
are positive
the nursing
process will
be delivered
with excel-
lence in the
ICU.”
Photo by Jeff Melvin
From left. April Fox, Josyrna Llena, ICU Nurse Manager Darrell Greene, and Eleanor Mendoza
Decon team volunteer Karen Needle-Autry
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 13
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
Highlights
Photo by Jeff Melvin
Receiving an annual vaccina-
tion is widely recognized as the
best method for preventing dis-
ease and death related to influen-
za.
Kickoff events were held in
Fayetteville at the main campus
on Ramsey Street and the VA
Health Care Center (HCC) as well
as all Fayetteville VA community
based outpatient clinics, Sept. 28
& 29
After the kickoff events, Veter-
ans enrolled for VA healthcare
can receive the vaccine at their
assigned primary care location
Monday through Friday from 8
a.m. to noon and from 12:30 p.m
to 3:30 p.m.
To receive the immunization,
Veterans must show a VA Identifi-
cation Card. Veterans can check
with their primary care teams to
verify the most current infor-
mation as dates, times and availa-
bility, which are subject to
change.
To learn more about the flu,
check out the CD publication “Key
Facts about Seasonal Flu Vac-
cine” at www.cdc.gov/flu/
protect/keyfacts.htm.
Also, please note Veterans who
are currently enrolled in VA care
may walk into any Walgreens to
receive a vaccination at no cost
through the VA Retail Immun-
ization Care Coordination Pro-
gram.
After presenting a Veterans
Identification Card and a photo
ID, a Walgreens pharmacist ad-
ministers the vaccine and trans-
mits that information securely
to VA, where it becomes part of
the patient’s electronic medical
record.
This program is especially ben-
eficial to enrolled Veterans who
live in rural areas. This flu sea-
son, the partnership between VA
and Walgreens continues
through March 31, 2017.
On a related note, VA employ-
ees are encouraged to get flu
shots, too. It’s important not only
for their own health but for the
health of co-workers, family and
friends, as well as the Veterans
we serve.
If you’re a health care worker,
or an employee who comes into
contact with Veterans as part of
your job, getting a flu shot is a
worthwhile ounce of prevention.
Employees at main campus
can get their flu shots through
occupational health, Mon-Fri
from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. 0745-
15:45. Staff at all other locations
can receive the vaccine during
the walk in clinics at their respec-
tive locations .
Annual flu vaccination best prevention for Veterans, staff
Veteran Daniel Mitchell receives a flu inocula-tion from Fayetteville VAMC Nurse Gidget Wilson during the medical center’s kickoff event Sept. 28 and 29.
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 14
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
America’s Veterans
Right, Fayetteville VAMC Director Elizabeth “Betty” Goolsby delivers welcoming remarks to attendees at the annual Veterans Day ceremony in the Community Living Center, Nov. 10. Army Lt. Col. D. Shane Finison, commander, Fort Bragg’s 1-82 Attack Reconnaissance Battal-ion served as guest speaker. Music was provided by the 82nd Airborne Division Band Brass Quintet.
Photos by Brad Garner
Director Goolsby poses for photo with LTC Finison and his mother, LeeAnn Finison, and granddad, Lee Deal.
82nd Airborne Division Band trumpeter plays “Taps.” Guest speaker Lt. Col. D. Shane Finison chats with CLC residents and guests.
Veterans Day program in CLC
The special day also featured a visit from Naval Recruiting Station Hope Mills
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 15
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
America’s Veterans
Missing Man Remembrance Tables on display at three FVAMC sites In conjunction with POW MIA Recognition
Day activities across the country, the Fayette-
ville VA Medical Center unveiled a “Missing
Man Remembrance Table” that will remain on
permanent display in the Main Campus’ front
lobby entrance at 2300 Ramsey Street.
A ceremony marking the occasion took
place on POW MIA Recognition Day Sept. 16,
featuring patriotic music, guest remarks from
Greater Fayetteville-Chapter No. 1 – American
Ex-Prisoners of War Commander, retired Sgt.
Maj. Jacob Roth, and a moment of silence to
pay tribute to POW MIAs. The Colors were
presented by Fort Bragg’s 20th Engineering
Brigade Color Guard.
Positive feedback about the event prompted
Fayetteville VAMC leadership to authorize per-
manent displays at Wilmington Health Care
Center and Fayetteville HCC. Missing Man
Remembrance Table ceremonies were held at
these sites Nov. 8 and Nov. 9, respectively.
Retired Master Sgt. Larry Farmer, 1st vice
president, Vietnam Veterans of American,
Chapter 885, Wilmington was the guest speak-
er at the Wilmington HCC ceremony. The Col-
ors were presented by Eugene Ashley HS Navy
JROTC All Ser-
vice Color
Guard.
Sgt. Maj.
Roth reprised
as guest speak-
er for the
Fayetteville
HCC remem-
brance. The
Colors were
presented by
the 71st HS Air
Force JROTC
Color Guard.
Ms. Loretta Vinson sang the National Anthem
at the Fayetteville VAMC and HCC events. Photo by Jeff Melvin
Photos by Brad Garner FNCVAMC Missing Man Remembrance Table
Sgt. Maj. Jacob Roth Master Sgt. Larry Farmer
Eugene Ashley HS Navy JROTC All Service Color Guard
71st HS Air Force JROTC
Fayetteville vamc communicator DECEMBER 2016 16
FVAMC
Priorities
◊Access to safe, high quality patient care and service ◊Being the employer of choice
◊Being a good steward of our resources with time, people, space and dollars
Jeff Melvin, Public Affairs Officer/Editor,
(910) 488-2120 ext. 5991,
email: [email protected]
Cover design by Brad Garner,
Visual Information Specialist
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FayettevilleVAMC
Highlights
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www.fayettevillenc.va.gov
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Please share your story ideas and photos with us. Enjoy!
EMS now servicing RME Larry Allen, left, and Ronald Lambert, clean Reusable Medical Equipment (RME). As of Nov. 7, Environmental Management Services (EMS) has taken over the cleaning and servicing of RME. RME staff are located are located in Room 0048 in the basement of Bldg. 1 near Occupational Health. They will be servicing the following equipment: con-
trollers, IV pumps, pain pumps, wound pumps, feeding pumps and bed warmers. If
Photo by Jeff Melvin