Victorian Order of Nurses

Why consider a workplace wellness program?

The workplace and the health of the workers within it are inextricably linked.

Employers who invest in their employee’s health foster loyal employees who take the company’s success personally, are absent less, and are more productive and innovative.
VON Workplace Wellness helps Canadian companies identify the health risks facing their employees so that wellness programming can be directed at the root causes of absenteeism and low productivity.

Why VON Workplace Wellness?

Our approach is to structure a program suited to your organization whether that is an individual wellness event or a more comprehensive series delivered over time. VON can also work with other health providers involved in the organization’s human resources programming.

A VON Workplace Wellness program consists of a biometric screening clinic conducted by VON nurses at your place of business. Each participant receives five key biometric measures along with a confidential results consultation and record. Employees are provided access to a top-quality online health risk appraisal (HRA) and comprehensive wellness portal for ongoing education, support and activity. Employers receive a non-confidential aggregate report to further inform their wellness program analysis and priority setting. Additionally, VON will set up and run a seasonal flu clinic or deliver a face-to-face Wellness Workshop to further promote good health and prevent illness.

As a trusted wellness provider, working with VON Canada means you have quality nurses delivering clinically sound work. VON serves Canadian organizations in all ten provinces, from 52 sites, in both official languages; an approach that has put our name front and centre for 115 years.

Download our VON Workplace Wellness brochure for an overview of our program.

Building your VON Workplace Wellness program:

• The Biometric Screening Clinic

• The Health Risk Appraisal and Wellness Portal

• Further Options

The Biometric Screening Clinic :

VON Nurses will take five key biometric readings in order to help assess the health risks facing your workforce. Heart health is the focus. Each clinic is set up at a time you choose and run seamlessly by VON nurses, following strict safeties and protocols.

Download our Biometric Screening Clinic fact sheet for information.

You can determine the screenings that you want. The most popular clinics include:

• The Screening Questionnaire: Employees complete a brief set of questions on their health history and current health issues allowing the nurse to better interpret screening results.

• The Five Biometric Readings: VON nurses utilize a minimally invasive procedure (the finger prick) to conduct blood work that can help identify numerous heart health issues based on the fat and sugar present in the blood. Lab-quality analysis is provided on the spot. Screenings are:

  • Full Lipids: Fats in our blood can be linked to increased risk of heart disease.The full lipids screen includes:

    • Total Cholesterol
    • Cholesterol Ratio
    • LDL
    • HDL
    • Triglycerides

    Other tests can be substituted, as requested.

  • Blood Glucose: The amount of glucose (sugar) in an individual’s blood at any given time is blood glucose. High levels of glucose are an indicator of diabetes risk.

  • Blood Pressure Reading: High blood pressure, the “silent killer”, is the greatest risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart or kidney disease, yet over 40% of persons with high blood pressure are unaware that they have hypertension.

  • Body Mass Index Measurement (BMI): Body mass index is a ratio of weight to height. Many adults with a high BMI also have a higher rate of body fat which is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease and some forms of cancer. A low BMI can be associated with health problems such as osteoporosis and eating disorders.

  • Waist Circumference: Waist circumference is an indicator of abdominal fat. Even with a normal BMI measure, individuals that carry excess fat around the waist and upper body have greater health risks than those whose fat is concentrated in the hip and thigh area.

• Results Consultation from a VON Nurse: A VON Nurse will interpret the employee’s biometric readings and screening questionnaire to provide “on the spot” education, counselling and, if needed, refer employees to their primary health care provider for follow up.
  More in-depth lifestyle counselling can be substituted, as requested.

• The Client Record: A portfolio containing the employee’s confidential Client Record of the biometric readings and nurse comments will be provided to each clinic participant, along with other relevant educational materials from Health Canada and other recognized organizations. Results from individual biometric measures are not shared with employers for privacy reasons.
  

  Download our Client Record for information.

• The Employee Scheduler: This convenient online reservation system allows employees to book a clinic appointment that fits their schedule. Both VON Nurses and company organizers will have an accurate view of clinic occupancy before the event takes place. The Employee Scheduler is delivered to employees via a web link communication and a confirmation email is sent for booked appointments.
  Download our Employee Scheduler fact sheet for information.

  *The Employee Scheduler is provided by Chriscom Software Solutions. All Rights Reserved.

The HRA and Wellness Portal

• The Health Risk Appraisal (HRA): Once each employee has their Client Record with their personal biometric data, they will be given access to a confidential health risk appraisal or HRA. This online program asks the employee a range of questions surrounding their lifestyle, health habits and stressors and requires the input of their biometric measures. It takes only 15 minutes to complete. Participants immediately receive an individual health report with relative scores based on researched norms.

• Aggregate Report to Management: The HRA compiles non-identifying information for the employer, to assist them in determining their wellness priorities, possibly in conjunction with other employee assistance program findings. Over time, this aggregate data can also help employers evaluate return on investment for wellness initiatives.

• The Comprehensive Wellness Portal: A full suite of wellness activities and supports can be linked to the company’s website or intranet, providing a more robust and long-term wellness approach. This one-stop hub addresses various health topics such as healthy eating, stress management, relationship health, mental health, lifestyle, etc and provides access to a huge library of more than 15,000 articles. A bank of 27 self-assessments allows employees to keep track of their health progress over time. Employees can challenge themselves using three health program modules; one for weight loss/diet, for stress reduction and for physical activity. A series of monthly newsletters and teleconference workshops are also provided Download our HRA and Wellness Portal fact sheet for information

  *All program rights owned by wellness Factors Empowering Self Care Inc.

Further Options

• Adult Immunizations:

  • Seasonal Flu Shots: To further protect the health of your workforce, many employers offer a flu shot to their employees on an annual basis. The savings, in terms of reduced sick days, is well documented. VON has extensive experience in managing seasonal workplace flu clinics under the What are you bringing to work this season? banner and would be happy to provide this program as requested.
    
    More about Seasonal Flu Clinics

  • Travel Vaccines: VON has special expertise in providing care for business travellers who may travel at short notice to high risk destinations. Frequent business travellers can keep up to date with their vaccination schedules. Available at select VON sites in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Alberta.
    
    More about Pre-Travel Clinics

• Wellness Workshops: VON can deliver selected wellness workshops in a 45 minute ‘lunch and learn’ format ideally suited for small employee groups of 10-20 participants. If you have the option of providing face to face education for your employees, VON will tailor a workshop to fit your organization’s needs. Our two most popular topics are Heart Health and Healthy Nutrition.

Book Your Wellness Program

Book a VON Workplace Wellness program to engage and encourage a healthy and productive workforce. Please complete this form and submit:

Contact Information

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For more information contact:

Linda Bain
National Director of Sales
416-346-6629
Email: linda.bain@von.ca