Carolyn Nkiria
May 2025
Carolyn
Nkiria
,
LPN
Chattanooga PACT
Tennessee Valley Healthcare System
Chattnooga
,
TN
United States
Beyond her clinical expertise, Ms. Nkiria has served as a mentor, leader, and staunch advocate for patient-centered care for “her” veterans. Her remarkable ability to connect with patients, instill trust, and provide comfort has profoundly impacted countless lives.
It is with immense respect and admiration that we at the Chattanooga Outpatient Clinic nominate Carolyn Nkiria, LPN, for the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award. With a remarkable career spanning 45 years of military and VA service, Ms. Nkiria has exemplified unwavering dedication, compassion, and excellence in nursing.
Throughout her distinguished career, she has been a steadfast source of strength and care for veterans, service members, and their families. Her journey began in the U.S. Army, where she provided vital nursing support to those who bravely served our country. As a member of a MASH unit, Ms. Nkiria was deployed to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where she took pride in her team’s ability to set up a mobile hospital unit in less than 45 minutes.
Transitioning to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2008, she continued her mission to offer exceptional healthcare to those “who have borne the battle.” Beyond her clinical expertise, Ms. Nkiria has served as a mentor, leader, and staunch advocate for patient-centered care for “her” veterans. Her remarkable ability to connect with patients, instill trust, and provide comfort has profoundly impacted countless lives.
In addition to providing direct care, she has trained and inspired generations of new nurses, ensuring that the values of integrity, compassion, advocacy, respect, and excellence continue to define the future of VA healthcare. Ms. Nkiria has established exceptionally high standards for nursing integrity, guided by a faith-based approach characterized by caring, listening, and serving. She often shares, “These veterans need to talk. They have a story to tell, and I am always willing to listen.” Furthermore, she emphasizes humility in her work, stating, “There’s no job that I’m too good for. I will do whatever they need me to do.”
Her impact extends far beyond direct patient care; her unwavering commitment to veterans sets a gold standard for all who have the privilege of working alongside her. As she concludes her remarkable career, the legacy of Carolyn Nkiria stands as a testament to the profound impact one nurse can make over a lifetime of service. Her dedication to healing, mentoring, and advocating for patients embodies the very essence of the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award.
Throughout her distinguished career, she has been a steadfast source of strength and care for veterans, service members, and their families. Her journey began in the U.S. Army, where she provided vital nursing support to those who bravely served our country. As a member of a MASH unit, Ms. Nkiria was deployed to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where she took pride in her team’s ability to set up a mobile hospital unit in less than 45 minutes.
Transitioning to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2008, she continued her mission to offer exceptional healthcare to those “who have borne the battle.” Beyond her clinical expertise, Ms. Nkiria has served as a mentor, leader, and staunch advocate for patient-centered care for “her” veterans. Her remarkable ability to connect with patients, instill trust, and provide comfort has profoundly impacted countless lives.
In addition to providing direct care, she has trained and inspired generations of new nurses, ensuring that the values of integrity, compassion, advocacy, respect, and excellence continue to define the future of VA healthcare. Ms. Nkiria has established exceptionally high standards for nursing integrity, guided by a faith-based approach characterized by caring, listening, and serving. She often shares, “These veterans need to talk. They have a story to tell, and I am always willing to listen.” Furthermore, she emphasizes humility in her work, stating, “There’s no job that I’m too good for. I will do whatever they need me to do.”
Her impact extends far beyond direct patient care; her unwavering commitment to veterans sets a gold standard for all who have the privilege of working alongside her. As she concludes her remarkable career, the legacy of Carolyn Nkiria stands as a testament to the profound impact one nurse can make over a lifetime of service. Her dedication to healing, mentoring, and advocating for patients embodies the very essence of the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award.