I have known Ms. Alison Rafferty for nearly a year. I am a combat disabled veteran who was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in November 2023. It was a tough and trying time for me, and the future held many unknowns, as well as questions about life itself. I initially worked with the liver transplant coordinator at my home facility, the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Mountain Home, Tennessee. She was responsible for coordinating all the initially required testing, assessments, and procedures, which were completed quickly and with precision. My results were then forwarded to the Liver Transplant Center in the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Nashville. I was then essentially handed off to Ms. Rafferty, and through her and her staff, I was scheduled for final assessments for consideration for inclusion on the liver transplant list.

I made frequent visits to Nashville for testing and surveillance. In May 2024, I was placed on the liver transplant registry and continued my visits to Nashville. It quickly became apparent to me that the heartbeat of the Liver Transplant Center was essentially Ms. Rafferty. If there was a problem or a concern, Ms. Rafferty was the point of contact and got things done. She would do an extraordinary job of tightly scheduling tests, imaging, and other related needs, which would minimize my visits. I developed a sense of comfort, reliance, and reassurance with Ms. Rafferty due to her exemplary handling of my case. Scheduling and informing me of tasks, lodging, and travel were among her many tasks. She had to possess an understanding of all the medical procedures, terms, and other relevant information. She possessed skills that exceeded those of a line nurse.

270 days after being on the liver transplant list, I received the call I had been waiting for early in the morning and headed to Nashville. The Vanderbilt University Medical Center accomplishes liver transplants with intense and thorough coordination with Ms. Rafferty. Almost without fail, everyone I came in contact with at the VUMC knew Ms Rafferty and commented on how she has finely tuned the coordination between the two complex healthcare systems. Having tested the system, I can attest that it is indeed seamless, smooth, and truly works like a well-oiled machine in large part due to Ms. Rafferty. When a healthcare organization loses a person like Ms. Rafferty, patients can suffer the loss of that efficient corporate knowledge. I feel fortunate to have Ms. Rafferty overseeing the details of my successful liver transplant.

Ms. Rafferty has played a crucial role in ensuring the system operates effectively. She is managing the tasks that enable many veterans to receive an extraordinary opportunity to further their lives, and this is, in itself, a tremendously extraordinary contribution. Ms. Rafferty has taken care of this veteran to my complete satisfaction. As such, it is truly my pleasure to nominate Ms. Alison Rafferty for a DAISY Award. Ms. Rafferty reflects exemplary credit upon herself, her work center, the Veterans Healthcare Administration, and her nursing profession.