Granite VNA recently awarded three employees with scholarships to help advance their knowledge and expertise. The Granite VNA scholarships are awarded annually and are supported by endowed funds that have been designated by agency supporters. Employees who wish to be considered for the scholarship must apply to be evaluated by a selection committee based on specific criteria.

Granite VNA’s 2023 employee scholarship recipients are home care nurse Valerie Caron, RN, Clinical Resource Triage Nurse Jacqueline Melanson-Flanigan, RN, and pediatric nurse Kimberlee Vigneault, RN.

“We have such a dedicated team who work extremely hard to support our agency and our patients every day,” Granite VNA Chief Human Resource Officer, Sarah DeFalco said. “I’m honored to be able to offer these scholarships each year as an opportunity to help our employees expand their knowledge and skills.”

Caron, who has been with Granite VNA since 2018 and is a member of the home care team, was awarded the Eugene and Anne Slusser Scholarship. The Scholarship promotes continuing education for career advancement and may be used for a health-focused, post-secondary education degree program, a continuing education program, a certification program and tuition expenses. In addition to her role as a homecare nurse, Caron also mentors new nurses who join the agency, assists the home care program by reviewing new patients’ medications and she is intravenous (IV) certified. She will use the scholarship for continuing education in the nursing field.

Melanson-Flanigan who has been with the agency since 2020 and is also a member of the home care team, was awarded the Jacob W. Bishop Scholarship, which provides financial support to nursing or paraprofessional staff members who are enrolled in accredited nursing programs and may be used for tuition and fees. In her role as a triage nurse, Melanson-Flanigan helps patients navigate their health issues by finding resources to support them. She plans to use the scholarship to continue advancing her knowledge in the nursing field, specifically to fulfill her role as a triage nurse.

Vigneault, who has been with the agency since 2010 and is a member of the pediatrics team, was awarded the Ruby Rainie Nydegger Scholarship, which supports continuing education for registered nurses, licenses practical nurses, and licensed nursing assistants/personal care service providers who care for pediatric patients or aspire to do so. Vigneault, who has always had a passion for supporting moms and their babies, will be pursuing certification as an International Board-Certified Lactation Counselor.

To learn more about Granite VNA, visit www.granitevna.org.