AROUND AND ABOUT THE OTIS CENTER

NEW EMPLOYEE PROFILES

DIRECTOR OF NURSING SERVICES- BARB WILLIAMS

Barb Williams' first day at Grace Cottage was back in 1974…as a volunteer candy-striper; in 1975, she began working as a Nursing Assistant and, in 1984, Barb received her RN degree. During the past 27 years, she's worked at Grace Cottage Hospital, Stratton House Nursing Home, Heins Home residential care home, and Visiting Nurses Assoc.

A native of West Townshend, Barb and her husband, Chris, now live in Williamsville. They have three teenage daughters.

PHARMACIST SARA NIKLAS

"I've always wanted to live in Vermont, and this was a perfect opportunity," said Sara Niklas, the Messenger Valley Pharmacy's newest pharmacist. "When I came to visit, everybody here at Grace Cottage seemed to really care
about what they were doing. I wanted a personal atmosphere where I chose to work, and that's what I found here."

A native of Colden, NY (30 minutes south of Buffalo), Sara received her PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree at Ohio Northern University. She has recently completed her one-year rotation, which meant working in pharmacy-related settings for a month or two each in Arizona, West Virginia, Idaho, New York and Ohio.

Sara's favorite part of the job is helping to educate people about the medication(s) they're taking. "Messenger Valley Pharmacy is a popular place these days," she said, "but we're never too busy to answer questions or to take time to explain prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines. People should know what they're taking, what the interactions might be with other medications, and what possible side effects may be."

They must be doing something very right in the pharmacy - in 1996, an average of 40 prescriptions were filled each day. Now Jim Heal, Greg Dean, and Sara fill 180 prescriptions or more on a busy day, with the help of Jane Cyr, Ruth Daigneault, Monica Lightfoot and Tinna Wrobel behind the counter.

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER ANN ZAVERUHA

Although Family Nurse Practitioner Ann Zaveruha has worked at Grace Cottage for less than four months, it seems as if she's been here for years - her experience, energy and enthusiasm are a natural fit.

Ann Zaveruha A native of Stratford, CT, Ann graduated as a pre-med student at Fairfield University. Her Associate Degree in Nursing is from Greenfield Community College, and her RN from the University of Massachusetts. In 1980, she bought Birch Mountain Farm in Leyden, MA, where she keeps horses, cows, chickens, turkeys, cats and dogs (she also breeds Golden Retrievers and sells organic beef). Ann and her husband, Jeff, have four children, ages 11 to 16, in addition to her stepson, age 30. Prior to joining Grace Cottage's medical staff, Ann worked in the ER at Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Cheshire Medical Center in Keene.

"Over the past twenty years, I've worked in primary care, in the emergency room, and in the lab," said Ann. "Because Grace Cottage is so small, it gives me a unique opportunity to combine all of my medical interests into one job. It's great to be here!" The feeling among Ann's co-workers and new patients is mutual.

JULIE HASELTON WINS STATE AWARD

Certified Occupational Therapist Julie Haselton was recently Named "Outstanding Therapy Assistant of The Year - 2002" by the Vermont Health Care Asssociation. The award was in recognition of Julie's "significant contributions and personal dedication to the long-term healthcare industry". Congratulations, Julie, for your dual awards (Julie was also Employee of the Month at the Otis Health Care Center). Julie and her husband, Chris, live in South Londonderry with their three sons.

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