After more than a century of service, Staten Island visiting nurse service is closing

STATEN ISLAND, NY – After more than a century of serving Staten Islanders, the Staten Island Visiting Nurses Association (VNASI) has closed, laying off its nurses and selling its remaining assets.

“It was very unfortunate. We were all so happy and then this happened so suddenly,” said one of the 15 nurses who was released, who spoke to Advance/SILive.com on condition of anonymity. “I wish there had been a little more transparency about what was going on, because it was so dazzling.”

VNASI, a nonprofit agency, has been providing home health care to the community since 1917. Staffed by registered nurses, the agency assessed patients’ home health needs and provided high-quality therapeutic, supportive and remedial services, according to their website. Preventive health services outside the hospital environment.

The agency’s old building was located in Mariners Harbor and was later converted into the Randall Mansion.

As of today nonprofit organization no longer activebut was an important part of the community through the years.

“VNA is known as part of the fabric of Staten Island healthcare, and my career has come full circle as a Staten Islander returning to serve my home community,” said Hope Iliceto, a registered nurse who became president and CEO of VNASI in 2020. Advance/Silive.com.

During the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic, VNASI also played a vital role in supporting the recovery of discharged COVID-19 patients.

It’s not yet clear why the agency was shutting down or what precipitated the move, but VNASI had been operating officially under the University of Richmond Medical Center (RUMC) umbrella since 2022 before being sold this year, according to hospital spokesman Alex Lutz.

“Prime Home Health Services, LLC has acquired a portion of VNASI’s remaining assets,” Lutz said.

Prime Home Health Services is a Brooklyn-based Certified Home Care Agency serving New York City and Long Island. The agency did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

According to the nurse who spoke to Advance/SILive.com, all staff and patients at VNASI were given a 30-day notice.

“30 days may seem like a long time, but it’s not a very long time, especially considering we’re union workers and it’s hard to find a job like that,” the nurse said.

All nurses received severance packages limited to four weeks based on their years of service, according to the source.

The source stated that all patients were transferred to other institutions and VNASI was closed.

“When you’re with patients for that long, they obviously become accustomed to you and your institution, whether they’re in service or not. “They’re getting used to you,” the nurse explained. “I don’t know if it was because the agency was closing or if it was because they lost the nurses they were used to, but it was hard for them.”

As VNASI prepared to close, the staff’s caseload gradually decreased. But at their peak, nurses cared for an average of up to 30 patients each, the source recalled.

Most of the patients were elderly and would receive care for up to 60 days, according to the source. Because they had built strong relationships over the years, most of those who returned to the hospital for any reason were relapses.

“They all loved us,” the source added.

According to the source, many staff members were stunned by the fleeting announcement of the agency’s closure.

“We are extremely grateful to the entire VNASI staff for their dedication to maintaining VNASI’s strong tradition and outstanding reputation,” Lutz said.