Franklin Memorial nurse earns two certifications

Molly Mitchell, a registered nurse, recently earned two nursing certifications — one in chemotherapy/biotherapy administration from the Oncology Nursing Certification Corp. and the Certified Lactation Counselor credential from the Healthy Children Project, according to a news release from Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

The purpose of the credentials is to promote excellence in patient care and professional practice by validating specialized knowledge in each area of nursing. The oncology certificate confirms that the nurse possesses the knowledge and skills for safe administration of chemotherapy and biotherapy agents to patients in the outpatient setting. CLC certification means that the nurse has received training and competency verification in breastfeeding and lactation support for patients.

Mitchell, of Strong, started at FMH in 2012. She provides patient care in the hospital’s family birthing center, as well as in oncology/hematology and infusions clinics.

HealthReach doctor expands her service offering

Dr. Diane Zavotsky will start providing additional services at HealthReach Community Health Centers this winter, according to a news release from HealthReach Community Health Centers of Waterville.

In 2016, she joined the per diem pool of providers who fill in as needed to provide uninterrupted care to patients when site providers are in training or on leave. She will extend her time to offer regular hours in Bingham, Madison, Rangeley and Kingfield.

Zavotsky brings 30 years of experience in family medicine, women’s health, and patient hospital medicine. She obtained her Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery degrees in 1986 at McGill University Faculty of Medicine, in Montreal, Quebec, and subsequently completed family practice residency at Central Maine Medical Center, in Lewiston. Previously, she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology at Colby College, in Waterville.

Her clinical areas of interest include full-scope family medicine.

Thomas College to offer business courses in Augusta

Thomas College is offering its professional development courses for area professionals to Augusta in addition to its courses at Thomas College in Waterville. Registration is open at thomas.edu/training through Thomas College’s Harold Alfond Institute for Business Innovation.

The three Augusta classes will be offered at the Buker Community Center, at 22 Armory St., and will include training in leadership skills, effective teamwork and grant writing.

Th Alfond institute launched its professional development offerings in August 2017. These offerings of highly topical professional development subjects are structured in three- and six-week sessions. Participants receive expert instruction taught by Thomas College faculty members.

One of the objectives of the institute is to help businesses in central Maine develop their workforce by helping them advance their employees’ professional skills. Retaining a skilled workforce has become one of the largest challenges for most businesses.

Registration in the course series is available at www.thomas.edu/training. Courses begin in March. For more information, contact Josh Devou at devouj@thomas.edu or 859-1159.

Waterville’s Inland board gets two new officers

Two officers have been appointed to Waterville’s Northern Light Inland Hospital’s board of trustees.

Tom Davis, of Winslow, began a three-year term as chairman; and Jim Nicholson, of China Village and Searsport, became vice chairman.

Davis is owner of the Are You Ready to Party? store in Waterville and has been a member of Inland’s board for 10 years. He succeeds Mike Phillips as chairman.

Nicholson is a semi-retired certified public accountant with Nicholson, Michaud & Co. in Waterville. He previously held roles as chairman of both the Inland board and the Northern Light Health system board.

Franklin Memorial’s Patterson earns doctorate in physical therapy

Heather Patterson recently was awarded a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and a certificate in rehabilitation administration from the University of Montana, according to a news release from Susan Loughrey, director of physical rehabilitation and sports medicine at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

Although the DPT is now the entry-level education requirement to practice as a physical therapist, many PTs with bachelor’s and master’s degrees were grandfathered when the entry level requirement changed.

The University of Montana, collaborating with Rehab Essentials, offers a transitional program for physical therapists wanting to complete a doctoral program through distance learning. Patterson completed 33 credit hours of coursework over two and a half years in areas including medical screening, medical imaging, pharmacology, ethical and legal issues in practice, clinical decision-making using the patient client management model, business and marketing, professionalism in an autonomous profession, evidence-based practice, and research and professional scholarship.

Patterson, who started working at Franklin Memorial Hospital in 1998, completed a capstone project before her graduation on a proposal to provide consistent referrals to women’s care physical therapy providers for women with pelvic health concerns for three months after childbirth.

Ex-soldier becomes coordinator of services for homeless vets

Jarad Greeley, a Jay native, has joined the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services as the coordinator of homeless veterans, according to a news release from the Augusta-based bureau.

Greeley serving in the Army from 2004 to 2008 as a forward observer with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which included one tour in Iraq. Upon his discharge, and with the sponsorship of VFW Post 3335 in Jay, he set out on the Appalachian Trail, hiking from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine to raise awareness of homeless veterans in Maine. In May 2018, Greeley earned a bachelor’s degree in sustainable energy management at Unity College.

Describing his mission as homeless veterans coordinator, Greeley said, “I’m the conduit between homeless veterans and the services that are available to them. I help them make connections and believe that it is making a real difference in their lives. I have been given the latitude to travel throughout the state to aid and assist homeless veterans wherever they are, and this ‘boots on the ground’ approach is a step in the right direction to end veteran homelessness in the state of Maine.”

To find a nearby MBVS Veterans’ Services Office, visit www.maine.gov/veterans/veterans-services-offices, call the bureau at 430-6035 or visit www.maine.gov/veterans to learn more about available resources.

Compiled from contributed releases

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