AHN Saint Vincent hosts graduation for Project SEARCH participants
Project SEARCH provides education and training for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Saint Vincent's program began five years ago in collaboration with the Erie School District and Barber National Institute, with support from the county and state.
The students rotated around hospital departments in addition to receiving classroom lessons.
ECGRA invests in early childhood education, 59 centers awarded ARPA grants
Graduate Marcellus Mitchell hopes to one day work in a nursing home.
'I've been doing some training, shadowing with some staff. It's been very eye-opening and great for confidence-building, really. I've gone to places I never thought I would be,' said Mitchell.
'Ah, it's amazing! This group, especially, we watched them grow from high school students into productive adults. They have been amazing. You see them gain skills that they didn't even know they had,' said Bria Montigny, Project SEARCH skills instructor.
Three of the graduates have already been hired at AHN St. Vincent, and two others have received employment elsewhere.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Newly qualified doctors face ‘recurring cycle of debt', BMA warns
Newly qualified doctors are driving Ubers and working in bars to make ends meet as they face a 'recurring cycle of debt', the British Medical Association (BMA) has said. Students from poorer backgrounds are hit hardest, the union claims, as it calls on the Government to address the funding gap and make a career in medicine accessible to people from as many backgrounds as possible. Students in their final undergraduate year, along with those in the later years of a post-graduate medical degree, get a reduced student loan alongside an NHS bursary. This leads to a £3,674 drop in funding on average, according to the BMA. Sophie Mitchell, deputy co-chair (finance) of the BMA's medical students' committee, told the PA news agency: 'A lot of people are using these loans in previous years to either pay their rent and to live off. 'Losing out on a significant portion of that is meaning that students are struggling. 'We've got people maxing out overdrafts, we've got people maxing out credit cards. 'We've got people going into very significant debt just to actually finish this degree.' The average medical student faces 12 months of this reduced funding. However, some post-graduate students, along with those on six-year degree programmes, face up to three years, Ms Mitchell said. Some are them are also faced with relocation expenses ahead of starting their first job in the NHS. 'The issue with that is most academic years or final years start in around the middle of August,' Ms Mitchell said. 'You are then having this reduced rate of funding until you then get paid at the end of August the following year. 'I know that a lot of my colleagues have had to get loans to pay their rent, or they've had to get credit agreements so that they can pay their rent. 'Also then having to relocate to a new place where you're getting this reduced rate of funding has been a struggle for a lot of people. 'A lot of my friends were already graduating, maxing out their overdrafts, and then they've had to get overdraft extensions to help them live until they get paid at the end of August. 'It's creating this recurrent cycle of debt that people are really struggling to get out of until that first paycheck.' Ms Mitchell said she knows of new graduates stewarding football matches or taking zero hours bar work to get by. She added: 'We have people working behind bars. 'We have people stewarding. 'One of my friends is actually working for Uber at the moment, because it was the only work that she could get that meant that she could get some employment in the area that she's in.' Ms Mitchell is heading the BMA's Fix Our Finance campaign alongside co-chair Henry Budden. 'Quite a common thing that we've heard about the campaign is 'every student gets a job, why are you guys complaining so much?',' she told PA. 'But I think what people maybe aren't so aware of is actually how intense our course is. 'You're training for that role that you're about to start. 'You're in hospital Monday to Friday, nine to five. 'Some universities make their students do night shifts. 'Some universities make their students also do weekends on top of this. 'And then on top of that placement, where you're learning to be a doctor, you're also having to revise for your exams.' The BMA is calling on the Government to ensure medical students receive full student finance maintenance for the entirety of their course. The union claims this would cost the Treasury £24 million and just 0.12% of Student Finance England annual lending. Ms Mitchell and Mr Budden warned the 'situation isn't sustainable' and 'does nothing to help those from poorer backgrounds or improve participation in medicine'. 'Medicine is longer than many other degrees for good reason; because we want to ensure doctors working in the NHS have the best possible training,' they added. 'It is only right then that they should receive the appropriate funding to see them through the entirety of their course.' A Government spokesperson said: 'NHS bursary grants were uplifted from last September for the first time since 2015 and will increase again by forecast inflation this year, but we know there is more to do to support future NHS doctors. 'The 10-Year Health Plan explicitly acknowledges that the cost of studying medicine is a barrier for working-class students. 'We are determined to break down these barriers and ensure the NHS workforce reflects the communities it serves, which is why we're exploring options to improve financial support to students from the lowest socio-economic background so that they are able to thrive at medical school.'
Los Angeles Times
6 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Polyglutamic Acid vs. Hyaluronic Acid: Which is More Hydrating?
LA Times Studios may earn commission from purchases made through our links. Both hyaluronic acid (HA) and polyglutamic acid (PGA) are superstars for hydration, but they work in distinctly different ways. And together, they're a game-changing duo for late summer and fall skin. Hyaluronic acid is famous for holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water, delivering instant plumpness but sometimes leaving skin feeling sticky or prone to moisture loss, especially as the air gets drier. Polyglutamic acid ups the ante. Research says it can hold up to four times more moisture than HA, but that it works differently. It forms an invisible, breathable film on the skin's surface that locks in hydration and strengthens the barrier against environmental stress, even slowing the enzymes that break down HA. Where HA draws moisture into the skin, PGA helps keep it there. Dermatologists now recommend layering both: HA as the inner hydrator, PGA as the outer seal. This double-hit routine not only boosts dewiness but also helps calm sensitivity, support skin resilience, and keep your glow going strong through seasonal shifts. Still loyal to that trusty hyaluronic acid serum every time your skin cries out for moisture? You're in good company. This molecule has dominated the hydration game for a decade, becoming the poster child for 'dewy' skin among beauty insiders and dermatologists alike. But new sets of hydrators are quietly changing the rules. Now, it's all about ingredients that flex with your life, protect your barrier, and make your glow more resilient than ever. As humidity drops and temperatures fluctuate, your skin's barrier gets stressed, making traditional hydration strategies less effective. 'Skin hydration isn't just about adding water, it's about holding onto it,' explains board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hope Mitchell. Polyglutamic acid is a next-gen hydrator with real staying power. Think of it as a lightweight, breathable shield that locks in moisture right at the surface, so your skin doesn't lose it to the dry, swirling fall air. 'Polyglutamic acid is a larger molecule,' Dr. Mitchell explains. 'It sits on top of the skin, forming a breathable film that locks in water while still hydrating.' PGA forms a protective film, reducing transepidermal water loss and helping skin stay plump and resilient, even as the seasons flip. Translation? More bounce and fewer fine lines. Snow mushroom (aka tremella), on the other hand, works differently and acts like tiny water magnets…drawing hydration into the skin. K-beauty devotees have nicknamed it 'nature's hyaluronic acid,' but new research shows its unique polysaccharides may keep skin hydrated even longer than synthetic HA, especially when your skin barrier is stressed Mitchell explains that snow mushroom can be exceptionally soothing when the skin transitions from humid heat to drier fall air. It's tempting to ditch heavy creams as the weather cools, but here's the fall update: lighter layers still rule, but with a focus on barrier support. Swap your thickest balms for hydrating essences and water-light serums that feature polyglutamic acid and tremella. Lock everything in with a gel-cream packed with ceramides — this minimalist layering helps sensitive skin handle both humidity and dryness. This is the moment for skin barrier repair. When your face feels tight, itchy, or just out of sorts as the air shifts, the real culprit is usually a compromised barrier. Experts say that proper hydration is essential for supporting skin structure and delivering nutrients to skin cells which is why combining hydrators like PGA and tremella with barrier boosters like niacinamide is key for smoother, calmer skin through seasonal changes. The changing season isn't just about moisture but about gentle actives like bakuchiol and azelaic acid to help you keep your glow without the risk of irritation. Bakuchiol evens out tone and smooths lines, while azelaic acid tackles redness and brightens stubborn spots. The new science of skin hydration is that you now get to pick ingredients that align with your barrier and calendar. Click here to learn more about No7 Beauty
Boston Globe
7 days ago
- Boston Globe
Patient deaths, government investigations and a new lawsuit. What's happening at Saint Vincent Hospital?
Advertisement Yet, at the time of the podcast, what LeBlanc didn't know was that an investigation by federal and state health care agencies had essentially confirmed that staff shortages were seriously affecting the quality of care. Now, LeBlanc has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against Saint Vincent in Worcester Superior Court, alleging she was wrongfully fired for speaking out. And, she cited the government investigations in her lawsuit to bolster her contentions about conditions at the hospital. Just days before LeBlanc appeared on the podcast, the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services notified the hospital that inadequate nurse staffing was putting patients at serious risk of harm. The federal agency found lapses in care affected five patients, three of whom died, according to public records. 'Tenet had a choice at that time with Carla,' said Marlena Pellegrino, a Massachusetts Nurses Association representative and nurse at Saint Vincent for more than 30 years. 'They made the wrong choice. They made a really bad choice. They showed exactly who they are.' Advertisement The hospital and its parent company declined to comment. The lawsuit is but one of a number of battles over staffing that nurses at Saint Vincent have been waging with hospital management and the corporate owner, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare. Eight other nurses alleged staffing levels were dangerously low in a similar whistleblower suit against Saint Vincent and Tenet in early 2024. That case is still pending. And, in 2021, the hospital was the target of In 2021, Saint Vincent Hospital was the target of the longest nurses strike in state history. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Saint Vincent had 333 beds and reported 15,151 inpatient discharges and $417.5 million in operating revenue in fiscal 2023, The Massachusetts Nurses Association, which represents about 600 nurses at Saint Vincent, estimates there are about 160 nurse vacancies at the hospital. In December, the union filed its sixth complaint with state and federal officials, A hospital spokesman at the time denied those claims and called them a 'false narrative.' Massachusetts health officials launched an investigation in January, selecting a sample of 21 patients. Investigators interviewed staff and reviewed medical records going back several months. Investigators found that in September, a patient did not receive potentially life-sustaining continuous dialysis treatment her doctor had ordered. The patient, who was intubated, sedated, and critically ill in the ICU, eventually received a different type of dialysis treatment, but it had to be stopped while nurses responded to an emergency, and the patient later died. Doctors and nurses said they were unable to administer the continuous dialysis treatment because not enough nurses were working that night, according to federal records. Advertisement Another death occurred in October, according to records. Investigators found the heart rate and rhythm of a 91-year-old woman was not monitored, as ordered, during a transfer between the emergency department and the telemetry unit, where patients are continuously monitored for vital signs. The woman, who was under do-not-resuscitate or intubate orders, experienced decreased respirations and a low heart rate for an unknown period of time because of the lack of monitoring. She died within hours of the transfer. In an incident in December, investigators found that a very sick patient's heart rate and rhythm were not continuously monitored by staff as ordered because not enough nurses were working. The patient, an 84-year-old Charlton resident, was later discovered to have a heart rate under 40 beats per minute — far below the normal range of 60 to 100 — and his blood pressure was too low to be recorded. He died about two hours later. Weeks later, records show, another patient was not monitored as ordered and was later discovered to have low oxygen levels and a heart rate of about 150 beats per minute. The investigators tied this incident to understaffing as well. Also in December, according to investigators, a patient suffered bedsores because too few nurses were working to reposition bedridden patients and check them for wounds in a timely manner. Advertisement A sign advertising career opportunities at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester late last year. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Such injuries shouldn't occur in an adequately staffed hospital, health care experts say. Studies support the link between staffing levels and the frequency of bedsores in hospitals. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services notified the hospital on Feb. 4 the deficiencies in staffing and care had led to a finding of 'immediate jeopardy,' a designation reserved for situations that put patients at risk of serious injury or death. Such a finding puts a facility on track to lose Medicare and Medicaid funding unless the deficiencies are quickly addressed. At Saint Vincent, Medicare and Medicaid account for almost 70 percent of revenue from patient services, The threat of losing those funds was removed Feb. 12, when the state approved the hospital's detailed report of the changes it had made and planned to make. At the same time, Saint Vincent underwent a leadership shakeup: both chief executive Carolyn Jackson and chief nursing officer Denise Kvapil In unannounced follow-up visit in March, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health found the deficiencies had been corrected, according to the records. But nurses say they haven't seen meaningful change. In a new complaint filed in May, the union alleged that low staffing levels resulted in delayed care, patients not being monitored as required, and falls that were preventable. The complaint listed multiple heart monitoring issues and occasions in which bonuses were not offered as promised by the hospital to incentivize nurses to take extra shifts, among other allegations. DPH surveyors returned to the hospital for another investigation in June, which a DPH spokesperson confirmed is ongoing. The spokesperson said the investigation began after DPH received a complaint, but declined to comment further. Advertisement LeBlanc also declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. She remains a regional director at the nurses' union and works at another hospital, which she declined to disclose, according to the union. A view of Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Stella Tannenbaum can be reached at
