VMI DEALERS CREATE RESPONSE PROGRAM FOR VPG CRISIS

New England. –May 14, 2013 – Automotive Innovations and other top dealers for Vantage Mobility International (VMI), a leader in the manufacture and distribution of wheelchair accessible full-size and minivan conversions, are rallying around MV-1 owners. When top media outlets reported that Vehicle Production Group (VPG), producers of the MV-1, had shut down operations, VMI and their dealers created an emergency response phone number and internet clearing house to help consumers who may have difficulties getting service and parts. MV-1 owners in  New England who would like to speak with local representative call 508-697-6006

Out side of New England can call 1-855-VPG-VANS or visit www.VPGCrisis.com.

“For more than 25 years, wheelchairs users and their caregivers have trusted VMI and our dealers to solve their mobility challenges,” said Doug Eaton, president and CEO of VMI. “In fact, our top priority has always been to take care of our customers. That’s why we appreciate our Select Dealer Network taking the initiative to create a support program for MV-1 owners and help ensure that none of them are left stranded. If we can help just one customer get out of a safety bind or access reliable mobility transportation, we’ll have played a positive role in this mess.”

The VPG crisis hotline and website is set up to help MV-1 owners find some answers to their questions and navigate through the uncertainty of VPG’s future.

“We’re prepared to go to great lengths to help VPG customers who’ve been left in the dark,” said Jim Sanders president of the VMI Select Dealer Network and founder of Automotive Innovations and VMi New England. “Safety and customer satisfaction are our top priorities for our customers. That’s why we’re saddened that a wheelchair user might experience additional hardship in finding service for their MV-1.”

VMi New England, offers a variety of support options for their mobility customers including:

• Certified technicians on the equipment they sell, install and service
• 24 hour customer service
• Over 25 years of wheelchair accessible vehicle modification experience
• Maintenance records of all adaptive work
• Commitment to volunteerism, event sponsorships and donations within the mobility community

ABOUT VANTAGE MOBILITY INTERNATIONAL

VMI is a manufacturer and distributor of the most innovative, reliable, highest quality and easily accessible transportation in the world. Their full line of products include domestic and import minivan conversions, full- size van conversions, platform lifts, scooter and wheelchair lifts and transfer seats. VMI's mobility products enable consumers to travel with comfort, convenience and peace of mind. For more information.

This mobility update has been brought to you by Vmi New England and Automotive Innovations your Bridgewater, MA NMEDA Mobility Dealership – Need some information on how to make your vehicle wheelchair accessible or upgraded with the latest and most convenient features? 

Contact us your local mobility equipment and accessibility expert!

Jim Sanders is one of of the most experienced people in the country at building High-Tech driving equipment and vans for passengers and individuals who drive from a wheelchair. He offers a unmatched practical and theoretical foundation in the application of vehicle modifications for individuals with disabilities. With over 25 years experience, he continues to spearhead new and exciting technological advancements in this growing and emerging market.

Obtaining a Wheelchair Accessible Van

A wheelchair van is more obtainable than you realize

Automotive Innovations, Your New England Mobility Resource understands a wheelchair van is much more than a way to get around. It means independence, a higher quality of life and freedom. We also understand that people with disabilities often struggle with medical bills, limited income and other financial obstacles that can make owning a handicap van seem unrealistic.

A wheelchair van is more obtainable than you realize. Numerous grants and reimbursements are offered from varied sources. And now you’ve found the most comprehensive online resource for wheelchair van financial assistance options. Explore the links below to discover the available grants, rebates and reimbursements for buying a wheelchair van or modifying a car with adaptive driving equipment.

OEM Rebate Programs
Learn about rebates offered by original equipment manufacturers. Vehicle manufacturer programs that give money back on new wheelchair vans or handicap van conversion equipment are a great way to cut your costs.

Organizations that Award Grants
See a list of nonprofit organizations and associations that award grants to people with physical disabilities. Grants can significantly offset the expense of a wheelchair van or adaptive driving equipment.

Financial Aid for Veterans
Find sources of funding for veterans of the U.S. military. Most veterans are eligible for partial or complete aid for acquiring a wheelchair van.

Assistance for Families with Disabled Children
Read about aid benefiting families of children with special mobility needs. Grants for physically disabled children help families afford a handicap van.

State Grants
Search for grants given out by your state. Every state provides financial aid to the physically disabled. Your state government is an essential source to help make a wheelchair van, accessibility modification or adaptive driving controls more affordable.

If you work with or know of another agency or organization that should be listed here, please pass along any pertinent information to: Jim Sanders, Director of Interactive Marketing, Jim@abilityvan.info

May Is ALS Awareness Month : Speak Up Now To Give Hope

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is 100% fatal and has few treatments to improve the quality of life. We are committed to helping more people understand the impact that this devastating disease has on individuals and families nationwide. During ALS Awareness Month, we ask that you join us: speak up now to give hope.

Tell Your Story · Sign up · Advocate

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment–"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away. "Lateral" identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region.
As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing or breathing. When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (become smaller). Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies.




Forms of ALS
Three classifications of ALS have been described:

• Sporadic
  The most common form of ALS in the United States - 90 to 95% of all cases.

• Familial
  Occurring more than once in a family lineage (genetic dominant inheritance) accounts for a very small number of cases in the United States - 5 to 10% of all cases.

• Guamanian
  An extremely high incidence of ALS was observed in Guam and the Trust Territories of the Pacific in the 1950's.

The most common form of ALS in the United States is "sporadic" ALS. It may affect anyone, anywhere. "Familial" ALS (FALS) means the disease is inherited. Only about 5 to 10% of all ALS patients appear to have genetic or inherited form of ALS. In those families, there is a 50% chance each offspring will inherit the gene mutation and may develop the disease.




Who Gets ALS?
ALS is a disorder that affects the function of nerves and muscles. Based on U.S. population studies, a little over 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. (That's 15 new cases a day.) It is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans have the disease at any given time. According to the ALS CARE Database, 60% of the people with ALS in the Database are men and 93% of patients in the Database are Caucasian.

Most people who develop ALS are between the ages of 40 and 70, with an average age of 55 at the time of diagnosis. However, cases of the disease do occur in persons in their twenties and thirties. Generally though, ALS occurs in greater percentages as men and women grow older. ALS is 20% more common in men than in women. However with increasing age, the incidence of ALS is more equal between men and women.

There are several research studies – past and present – investigating possible risk factors that may be associated with ALS.  More work is needed to conclusively determine what genetics and/or environment factors contribute to developing ALS. It is known, however, that military veterans, particularly those deployed during the Gulf War, are approximately twice as likely to develop ALS.
Half of all people affected with ALS live at least three or more years after diagnosis. Twenty percent live five years or more; up to ten percent will live more than ten years.

There is some evidence that people with ALS are living longer, at least partially due to clinical management interventions, riluzole and possibly other compounds and drugs under investigation.

Diagnosing ALS
ALS is a very difficult disease to diagnose. To date, there is no one test or procedure to ultimately establish the diagnosis of ALS. It is through a clinical examination and series of diagnostic tests, often ruling out other diseases that mimic ALS, that a diagnosis can be established. A comprehensive diagnostic workup includes most, if not all, of the following procedures:

• electrodiagnostic tests including electomyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV)
• blood and urine studies including high resolution serum protein electrophoresis, thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels and 24-hour urine collection for heavy metals
• spinal tap
• x-rays, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• myelogram of cervical spine
• muscle and/or nerve biopsy
• thorough neurological examination

For more information on the importance of a second opinion, click here.

These tests are done at the discretion of the physician, usually based on the results of other diagnostic tests and the physical examination. There are several diseases that have some of the same symptoms as ALS and most of these conditions are treatable. It is for this reason that The ALS Association recommends that a person diagnosed with ALS seek a second opinion from an ALS "expert" - someone who diagnoses and treats many ALS patients and has training in this medial specialty. The ALS Association maintains a list of recognized experts in the field of ALS. See ALS Association Certified Centers of Excellence^SM, ALS Clinics and contact your local ALS Association Chapter or the National Office.

SymptomsInitial Symptoms of the Disease
At the onset of ALS the symptoms may be so slight that they are frequently overlooked. With regard to the appearance of symptoms and the progression of the illness, the course of the disease may include the following:

• muscle weakness in one or more of the following: hands, arms, legs or the muscles of speech, swallowing or breathing
• twitching (fasciculation) and cramping of muscles, especially those in the hands and feet
• impairment of the use of the arms and legs
• "thick speech" and difficulty in projecting the voice
• in more advanced stages, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and swallowing

The initial symptoms of ALS can be quite varied in different people. One person may experience tripping over carpet edges, another person may have trouble lifting and a third person's early symptom may be slurred speech. The rate at which ALS progresses can be quite variable from one person to another. Although the mean survival time with ALS is three to five years, many people live five, ten or more years. In a small number of people, ALS is known to remit or halt its progression, though there is no scientific understanding as to how and why this happens. Symptoms can begin in the muscles of speech, swallowing or in the hands, arms, legs or feet. Not all people with ALS experience the same symptoms or the same sequences or patterns of progression. But, progressive muscle weakness and paralysis are universally experienced.

Muscle weakness is a hallmark initial sign in ALS, occurring in approximately 60% of patients. Early symptoms vary with each individual, but usually include tripping, dropping things, abnormal fatigue of the arms and/or legs, slurred speech, muscle cramps and twitches and/or uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying.

The hands and feet may be affected first, causing difficulty in lifting, walking or using the hands for the activities of daily living such as dressing, washing and buttoning clothes.

As the weakening and paralysis continue to spread to the muscles of the trunk of the body the disease, eventually affects speech, swallowing, chewing and breathing. When the breathing muscles become affected, ultimately, the patient will need permanent ventilatory support in order to survive.

Since ALS attacks only motor neurons, the sense of sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell are not affected. For many people, muscles of the eyes and bladder are generally not affected.

Facts You Should Know

• ALS is not contagious.

• It is estimated that ALS is responsible for nearly two deaths per hundred thousand population annually.

• Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. The incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people, and it is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time.

• Although the life expectancy of an ALS patient averages about two to five years from the time of diagnosis, this disease is variable and many people live with quality for five years and more.  More than half of all patients live more than three years after diagnosis.

• About twenty percent of people with ALS live five years or more and up to ten percent will survive more than ten years and five percent will live 20 years. There are people in whom ALS has stopped progressing and a small number of people in whom the symptoms of ALS reversed.

• ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries.

• ALS can strike anyone.

• The onset of ALS is insidious with muscle weakness or stiffness as early symptoms. Progression of weakness, wasting and paralysis of the muscles of the limbs and trunk as well as those that control vital functions such as speech, swallowing and later breathing generally follows.

• There can be significant costs for medical care, equipment and home health caregiving later in the disease.  It is important to be knowledgeable about your health plan coverage and other programs for which your may be eligible, including SSA, Medicare, Medical and Veteran Affairs benefits.

• Riluzole, the first treatment to alter the course of ALS, was approved by the FDA in late 1995. This antiglutamate drug was shown scientifically to prolong the life of persons with ALS by at least a few months. More recent studies suggest Riluzole slows the progress of ALS, allowing the patient more time in the higher functioning states when their function is less affected by ALS. Click here for more information on the drug. Many private health plans cover the cost of Riluzole. Further information on Riluzole coverage through Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit can be found in the Advocacy pages of this website.

Reports from three separate patient databases described long range experience with Riluzole. All three reports suggest a trend of increasing survival with Riluzole over time. More studies that are double blind and controlled are needed to confirm these database observations. The trend appears to indicate that longer periods of time than those used in the Riluzole clinical trials may be needed to see the long-term survival advantage of the drug. An interesting observation was that despite the fact that the Irish government provides Riluzole free of charge to people in Ireland with ALS, only two-thirds of the patients registered in the Ireland national ALS database reported taking Riluzole.

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Our goal for the past 25+ years has been to provide our customers with access to the best sales, service and repair for all the leading wheelchair accessible mobility vehicles, hand controls and devices that can offer you greater freedom and independence. We are your New England adaptive mobility equipment dealer and offer a full line of VMI wheelchair accessible vans, or Vantage Mobility International products, and we have a team of Certified Mobility Consultants who are always ready to help you learn about the benefits and features of full sized handicap vans, new and used wheelchair vehicles, Ricon lifts, adaptive mobility equipment, and more.

1000 Main Street, Bridgewater Ma

508-697-6006 

Schools Opening Up Sports to Kids with Disabilities

Children with disabilities are now moving towards a more level playing field in school sports. In a letter recently released to school districts nationwide, The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights stated that students with disabilities have the right to participate in their school’s extracurricular activities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

This policy states that students should be afforded equal opportunity to be a part of their school’s sports teams regardless of intellectual, developmental, physical or other types of disabilities. “Sports can provide invaluable lessons in discipline, selflessness, passion and courage, and this guidance will help schools ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to benefit from the life lessons they can learn on the playing field or on the court,” said Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

While students with disabilities have a right to participate in school sports, the Education Department made clear that they might have to meet certain standards of skill or ability in order to join a team so long as the criteria are not discriminatory. In cases where reasonable accommodations would fundamentally alter the game or create an unfair advantage, federal officials said schools are obligated to create separate, but equally supported opportunities for kids with disabilities to participate. Examples could be a wheelchair basketball league or unified teams where students with and without disabilities compete together.

While there is still progress to be made in order to reach true equality, statistics show we are moving in the right direction. According to Livestrong, as of 2009, 48 percent of children with disabilities wanted to participate in sports but 38 percent of their parents reported that no such programs existed. Advocates for inclusion in school sports asset that this move could do for students with disabilities what Title IX did for women.

This mobility safety update has been brought to you by Automotive Innovations your New England NMEDA Mobility Dealer – Need some information on how to make your vehicle wheelchair accessible or upgraded with the latest and most convenient features? Contact us your local mobility equipment and accessibility expert!

Our goal for the past 25+ years here at Automotive Innovations Bridgewater, MA, Massachusetts, is to provide our customers with access to the best sales, service and repair for all the leading wheelchair accessible mobility vehicles, hand controls and devices that can offer you greater freedom and independence. We are your New England adaptive mobility equipment dealer and offer a full line of VMI wheelchair accessible vans, or Vantage Mobility International products, and we have a team of Certified Mobility Consultants who are always ready to help you learn about the benefits and features of full sized handicap vans, new and used wheelchair vehicles, Ricon lifts, adaptive mobility equipment, and more.

Automotive Innovations

1000 Main St  Bridgewater, MA

 508-697-6006

Government Grants for People with Disabilities

Government Grants for People with Disabilities

Find government grants and financing for handicap vehicles for people with disabilities nationwide. Money can be located with a little patience and a lot of research through various government programs. We've compiled a list of the most well-known government grant programs to assist your search for help funding a wheelchair van.

When paying for a handicap van, you can use money from government grant programs for people with disabilities, as well other funding resources like disability grants, loans, fundraiser money, foundation endorsements, or any other funding source. We'll work with your chosen foundations or any government grant program, after they verify financial assistance, to get you on the road!

To learn more about applying for wheelchair van grant funding to buy a handicap van or convert a pre-owned minivan, read "How to Apply for a Grant for Wheelchair Vans, Mobility Equipment, or Minivan Conversions."


Government Wheelchair Van Financing Resources
Fund your wheelchair van with these government grant programs provided by the U.S. government and locally in your state.

Administrationfor Children & Families
On this website, new funding opportunities are displayed as they become available.

Grants.gov
The U.S. government resource listing federal grants available.

Medicaid
Sometimes provides assistance when children or other special circumstances are involved.

Medicaid/Department of Human Services (DHS)
Children are screened as part of the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program of Medicaid. Under Medicaid's "rehabilitative services," people often receive handicap van or lift funding to achieve their "best possible functional levels."

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Located within each state's Department of Human Services (per state), helps you prepare for work, train for a job, find a job, or keep a job as early as high school. Services are prioritized according to the severity of the disability.

Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Check your state's branch for grant availability.

Division of Developmental Services (DDS)
Check your state's branch for grants.

Those with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits from the Social Security Administration can contact the agency about its Plan to Achieve Self Support(PASS). A PASS plan sets aside income to buy equipment or services in a way that keeps income, as well as resources, below the SSI eligibility cut-off so there are no reductions in benefits. The emphasis is on whether the handicap van or equipment will help the SSI recipient become vocationally self-sufficient. It's important for an individual to contact and receive the approval of Social Security before setting up a PASS plan. Once money has been set aside for a PASS, spending it on something else can result in the loss of SSI benefits.

Please note: You can use multiple sources of funding that include grants, loans, and other funding assistance. If you're unable to find government grants for people with disabilities or need to acquire more money to help pay for your wheelchair van and/or mobility needs, check out more opportunities at our mobility finance page.

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Our goal for the past 25+ years here at Automotive Innovations Bridgewater, MA, Massachusetts, is to provide our customers with access to the best sales, service and repair for all the leading wheelchair accessible mobility vehicles, hand controls and devices that can offer you greater freedom and independence. We are your New England adaptive mobility equipment dealer and offer a full line of VMI wheelchair accessible vans, or Vantage Mobility International products, and we have a team of Certified Mobility Consultants who are always ready to help you learn about the benefits and features of full sized handicap vans, new and used wheelchair vehicles, Ricon lifts, adaptive mobility equipment, and more.

Automotive Innovations

1000 Main St  Bridgewater, MA

 508-697-6006

Rhode Island Mobility Van Resources

 Vocational Rehabilitation Program

What is the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program?
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program is the public state and federally funded program that assists individuals with disabilities to choose, prepare for, obtain and maintain employment. Employment being the successful outcome of services provided through the public vocational rehabilitation program. It is expected that individuals with disabilities who apply for services are interested in becoming employed and understand that this is the focus of the VR program.

Who is Eligible for VR Services?
Do you want to work?
Do you have a condition that limits your job opportunities?

 
To be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, you must - 1) have a physical, intellectual or emotional impairment which is a substantial barrier to employment, and 2) require vocational rehabilitation services to prepare for, secure, retain, or regain employment, and 3) be able to benefit from vocational rehabilitation services in terms of an employment outcome. If you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your vocational rehabilitation office will presume that you are eligible for vocational rehabilitation services.

How Do You Obtain Services Through the Vocational Rehabilitation Program?
Individuals with disabilities must first apply for the VR program and be determined eligible before services can be provided. Individuals with significant disabilities are presumed eligible for the program if an application is completed and there is documentation of disability. All applicants for the VR program are encouraged to present documentation of their disability and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) to speed up the eligibility process.

Employment Plan 
(Individualized Plan for Employment)
The eligible individual with a disability and a Qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor will work together to develop an employment plan called the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE). The Employment Plan considers the individual's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, skills, abilities, preferences, capabilities, interests, and values, as well as the barriers to employment. The Employment Plan identifies the employment goal that the individual has chosen, the time it is expected to reach the goal, the services that the individual chooses as necessary to reach the employment goal, and how the services will be provided. Some of the services may be provided directly by the VR Counselor, others may be available through other public sources such as netWORKri (One Stop Career Centers), and others may be purchased with funds provided by the VR agency. The individual may develop the Employment Plan with the assistance of the VR Counselor, another individual, or by him or herself. The VR Counselor is always available to provide assistance in this process, and a Qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor who works for the public VR program must approve the Employment Plan before any services are provided through the VR agency. The partnership between each individual with a disability and their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor is a key component in the Vocational Rehabilitation process.

What Are Some of the Services that can be Included in an Employment Plan?
Vocational rehabilitation services that may be included in an Employment Plan are:

• Counseling and Guidance to help plan vocational goals and services
• Transition Services from School to Career
• Rehabilitation Technology Services
• Assistive Technology Services
• Diagnostic Evaluations
• College or Vocational Training
• Job Training and Job Supports
• Job Development and Placement Services
• Vehicle Modifications
• Housing Modifications
• Post-Employment Services

What Are Some Services After an Employment Goal is Achieved?
Employment is the successful outcome for the individual with a disability and the VR program. Once employed, however, the VR agency may assist with post-employment services to assist the individual to retain or advance in employment. 

If you are interested in applying for these services, please print, fill out and sign the completed Application (Espanol) and return to Intake, Office of Rehabilitation Services, 40 Fountain Street, Providence, RI 02903.

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Our goal for the past 25+ years here at Automotive Innovations Bridgewater, MA, Massachusetts, is to provide our customers with access to the best sales, service and repair for all the leading wheelchair accessible mobility vehicles, hand controls and devices that can offer you greater freedom and independence. We are your New England adaptive mobility equipment dealer and offer a full line of VMI wheelchair accessible vans, or Vantage Mobility International products, and we have a team of Certified Mobility Consultants who are always ready to help you learn about the benefits and features of full sized handicap vans, new and used wheelchair vehicles, Ricon lifts, adaptive mobility equipment, and more.

Automotive Innovations 

1000 Main St  Bridgewater, MA    

508-697-6006

Nurses: Quality and Innovation in Patient Care: This is National Nurses Week

 VA Nurses: Quality and Innovation in Patient Care: 

VMi New England and Automotive Innovations are proud to Raise Awareness for National Nurses Week.

“Veterans and Nurses, in partnership, make a world class patient experience,” says Cathy Rick, VA Chief Nursing Officer.

Celebrate National Nurses Week with VMi New England and Automotive Innovations.

The American Nurses Association has designated this year’s National Nurses Week theme: “Delivering Quality and Innovation in Patient Care.”

Join us in celebrating the men and women who serve this country by caring for its Veterans.

80,000 Nurses Caring for America’s Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs has one of the largest nursing staffs of any health care system in the world.

Numbering more than 80,000 nationwide, the VA integrated nursing team provides comprehensive, complex, and compassionate care to our nation’s Veterans.

The Veterans Affairs nurses are a dynamic, diverse group of respected, honored, and compassionate professionals. The VA is the leader in the creation of an organizational culture where excellence in nursing is valued as essential for quality health care to those who served America.

“VA nursing is at the center of generating value-based innovation. Their work is a demonstration of integrity, commitment, respect and excellence as we shape efforts to ensure access to personalized, proactive health care for Veterans,” according to Cathy Rick, VA’s Chief Nursing Officer.

She adds, “I am extremely proud to call myself a VA nurse.”
 National Nurses Week: Every year — May 6th through May 12. May 12 is Florence Nightingale’s birthday. 

VA nursing provides the largest clinical training and cooperative education opportunities in association with undergraduate and graduate programs at numerous colleges and universities.

The VA nursing team is composed of registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs), nursing assistants, and intermediate care technicians.

In the 1990s, VA provided clinical experience to one out of every four professional nursing students in the country. VA nurses are highly valued members and leaders of the health care team, contributing their expertise and knowledge to the care of patients.

In addition to clinical care, VA nursing is also a significant part of advancing research in VA and keeping up with the latest technological innovations. Nurse researchers help to promote inclusion of evidence into practice to provide quality care for Veterans.

 
Components of VA Nursing
Professional nursing supports the mission of the VA health care system by providing state-of-the-art, cost-effective care to patients and families as they respond to illness and health issues.

In addition to medical, surgical and psychiatric units, VA nurses work in intensive care, spinal cord injury, geriatric, dialysis, blind rehabilitation, specialty care (such as diabetes clinics), hospice, domiciliary, oncology, and organ transplant units.

VA nurses provide care across a variety of settings including primary, ambulatory, acute, geriatrics, rehabilitation, and extended care settings.

They work in outpatient clinics, community living centers, and home-based primary care programs.

VA nurses also play a considerable role in emergency planning, preparedness, response, and recovery.

VA nurses proudly serve America’s heroes by practicing the art and science of nursing in order to provide holistic, evidence-based, high quality care.

Interested in a career as VA nurse? Start here: VA Careers

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VMi New England · Automotive Innovations

Veteran Mobility · Veteran Grants · Veteran Equipment

Our goal for the past 25+ years has been to provide our customers with access to the best sales, service and repair for all the leading wheelchair accessible mobility vehicles, hand controls and devices that can offer you greater freedom and independence. We are your New England adaptive mobility equipment dealer and offer a full line of VMI wheelchair accessible vans, or Vantage Mobility International products, and we have a team of Certified Mobility Consultants who are always ready to help you learn about the benefits and features of full sized handicap vans, new and used wheelchair vehicles, Ricon lifts, adaptive mobility equipment, and more.

 

1000 Main St  Bridgewater, MA

508-697-6006