Vermont Business Magazine Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) Lead Respiratory Therapist Heather Nelson presented at the NVRH Auxiliary’s bi-monthly meeting on January, 10, 2020. Nelson discussed the NVRH Respiratory Department’s Green Initiative, an initiative that educates respiratory therapists and provides patients with color-coded thermometers as a way to stay on top of their COPD and asthma.
Color-coded thermometer notifies patients of their current breathing status. This one indicates "green" which is good.
In addition to all of the services provided by the respiratory department, NVRH Auxiliary attendees learned that the Green Initiative provides patients with a thermometer, purchased through the NVRH Auxiliary Wish List. Patients take their temperature and an arrow will point to one of three colors on the thermometer, depending on the patient’s symptoms of an exacerbation. Green means there is no action needed, yellow means you should be cautious and call your primary care provider and red means you should go to the Emergency Department (ED).
By keeping track of their temperature colors, patients can avoid costly ED visits and more effectively manage their breathing diseases. The respiratory department is currently visiting Kingdom Internal Medicine and will be visiting Corner Medical soon. Respiratory Therapy is also working on providing future Pulmonary Function Tests at several NVRH practices.
Auxiliary membership is open to all adult individuals who are interested in NVRH and who are willing to uphold the purpose of the Auxiliary. All volunteers are automatically members of the Auxiliary. Membership includes over 140 individuals who give a total of 20,000 hours of volunteer service annually. If you are interested in volunteering at NVRH, please contact Volunteer Services at 748-7310.
Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital is located in St. Johnsbury in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. We are a community, not-for-profit, acute care, critical access hospital. NVRH is one of two Vermont hospitals designated as a Baby FriendlyTM hospital by the United Nations. The organization provides primary and preventive care, surgical and specialty services, inpatient and outpatient care and 24-hour, physician-staffed emergency services. NVRH serves more than 30,000 people in the Caledonia and Southern Essex Counties in Vermont and employs 600.
Source: ST. JOHNSBURY, VT (January 20, 2020) – Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital