Programs and Services

Nursing And Professional Programs/Services


Cancer Education Course for Newly Diagnosed Patients

Offered one night a week for six weeks, this course for newly diagnosed cancer patients and those touched by the experience of cancer provides information on symptom management, the disease process, coping skills, nutritional support and how to take control of your situation.

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Cancer Services & Cancer Care Program

VON nurses follow clients to monitor symptom and side-effect management and control during radiation therapy, chemotherapy or other types of treatments. Counselling and support are also offered.

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Cancer Support Network

The network provides information and support to cancer patients, their families and others who have questions or concerns about cancer. There are support meetings of groups of people with prostate or breast cancer, and also meetings for well partners.

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Cancer Volunteer Support Program

Volunteers accompany clients to treatment, often acting as driver. The volunteers always work with VON nurses, to ensure there is a knowledgeable support person available to the patient.

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Case Management Services and Hospital Liaison

Managing the details of a loved one's illness can be very difficult for families; VON has registered nurses who can assess client and family needs and act as a liaison with hospitals and other organizations to ensure that appropriate services are accessible and delivered. That can mean assessing elderly clients to determine appropriate home-making services or other resources to help them live independently. In other cases, a "health-services consultant" may help a geriatric client find an appropriate nursing home. In areas that lack coordinated home-care programs, VON often assigns a nurse to be the liaison between hospital staff and the local community. The nurse facilitates referral of clients to VON services as they are discharged from the hospital, to promote better continuity of care. VON coordinators also do home visits to assess the needs of clients for services.

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Chemotherapy

VON nurses can give chemotherapeutic drugs, usually intravenously in clients' homes. Symptom management and supportive counselling are also offered.

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Clinic Nursing

VON staff runs community clinics, usually in the offices of public organizations, to deliver nursing services such as flu shots, foot care, wound care and education sessions for people with diabetes.

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General Home Visiting Nursing Program

Professional nurses go to patient's homes to do physical assessments, help with symptom control, provide medical or nursing treatments, rehabilitation therapy, education and counselling to individuals and families.

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Immunization Programs

A VON registered nurse can give vaccinations in the workplace or other community settings. Immunization programs include flu shots, hepatitis, tetanus and diphtheria, pneumonia, chickenpox, and meningitis.

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Nurse Practitioner Program

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional training in the provision of primary care. Nurse practitioners usually work as part of a primary-care team (often where there is a shortage of primary-care physicians). They are licensed to assess, diagnose and treat a broad range of problems, and can order tests and prescribe medications.

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Private Duty Nursing and Shift Nursing

Shift nursing brings the expertise of registered practical nurses to the home. Available from a minimum of three hours to continuous 24 hours of care, the shift-nursing program is an alternative to institutional care. The program is extremely flexible and the work is paid for on an hourly basis, on contract with the individual family or caregiver.

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Staff Replacement

VON provides qualified nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, nurse practitioners and other professionals as well as personal support workers or homemakers for staff replacement in institutions and at home.

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