Med/Surg LNAs Pass Rigorous Hospice and Palliative Care Exam

Left to right: Donors Suzanne Mudge, Dr. Clement Dussault, NVRH LNAs Michael O’Dell, Wendy Jones and Sam Monfette.

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (June 14, 2021) – Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) is excited to announce that three Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNAs) from the Medical/Surgical/Pediatric department have passed the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant (CHPNA^®) examination on June 1, 2021.

The three LNAs are Michael O’Dell, Sam Monfette and Wendy Jones. They join only 19 other LNAs in the state of Vermont to receive this certification. For these LNAs to pass the CHPNA^® exam, they had to have 500 hours of hospice and palliative practice in the last year, or 1,000 hours in the last two years under the supervision of an RN prior to applying.

Obtaining the CHPNA^® certification demonstrates that O’Dell, Monfette, and Jones have the skills and knowledge to support patients and their families through hospice and palliative care. According to the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center, “The public’s right to choose the focus and type of care they will receive with a life limiting illness and at the end of life has finally been established. As a result, more people are electing to have comfort and quality at the end of life for themselves and those they love.”

Coupled with a person’s primary medical treatment, palliative care seeks to prevent and ease suffering and improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family. End-of-life care provides compassionate support and care for people with a terminal condition. The goal is to support the patient and the family as the person approaches his or her final stages of life.

“We’re firm believers that nobody dies alone,” LNA Coordinator, Michael O’Dell said.

Funding for the CHPNA^® exam was paid for by the Denise Angel Dussault Caron Fund, which was established by donors Suzanne Mudge, Dr. Clement Dussault and their family members. The fund, which was started after the loss of a loved one, helps support palliative and hospice care training for LNAs and RNs. The fund also helps transform patient rooms and waiting area into more comfortable spaces and provides comfort items for patients and their families, such as sleeping cots and care carts with books, beverages and snacks.

“We wanted to help,” Mudge said. “We often don’t prepare for death,” Dussault added. “So we wanted to support training for LNAs as they are the ones spending the most time with families and patients in their last days of life.”