Cheryl is a leader among her peers in-home telehealth. She applies above-standard nursing care to Veterans on her panel and above approach professionalism to nursing as she precepts and mentors through the home telehealth program.

Cheryl took upon the challenge when home telehealth was detailed with monitoring COVID-positive veterans being discharged from inpatient from VA and outside private hospitals. Cheryl improved the flow of working with CBOC to set up that peripheral devices of pulse oximeters, BP monitors, and thermometers would be available for pick up from local CBOC when Veterans were discharged to start monitoring post-discharge immediately. Cheryl stepped up to be the point Care Coordinator for monitoring veterans with COVID through calling and surveillance until able to come off home telehealth safely. If additional monitoring would be needed Cheryl would continue to care for Veterans until vital signs and symptoms had improved. 

Cheryl worked directly with prosthetics to help ensure monitoring devices would be available without delay from being mailed from DALC (Denver Logistic Acquisition Center). This saved Veterans the ability to be monitored in real-time after recovery from COVID instead of waiting 3-5 days of getting equipment from DALC.

Cheryl and the shared co-lead developed a plan through home telehealth that was shared with the VA service line but also with outside facilities on how to contact the VA on setting up monitoring post-discharge for COVID. The process that both co-leads in home telehealth provided is above the current nursing process and grade since it implemented this project at the community level not only through the VA. 

Cheryl recently has taken on monitoring consults that were being entered through other services (Cardiology). She volunteered to have the provider have one person to contact and complete consult which provides continuity of care for those veterans being monitored from Cardiology providers with CHF, hypertension, and heart-related diseases that could be improved by home telehealth intervention and remote patient monitoring. 

Cheryl has shown her dedication not only through 2020 but before this and beyond. She is shared as the co-lead which is not currently listed as a position in home telehealth and does it with no compliant because she loves caring for Veterans at Marion VA and ensuring they get the top-notch care. She helps to precept new staff and is available to be a resource for Care Coordinators in home telehealth. Cheryl will attend national meetings as required and help to present any information to incorporate and assist any RN that would need additional support. Even with the extra duties that she has agreed to do, she carries a panel of 40-60 Veterans. Cheryl has completed peer-to-peer reviews at VISN which recognized her and co-lead as Best Practice in Connected Care Rising Star. 

Cheryl has dedicated extra time to make home telehealth recognized at the local and national levels. She strives to promote whole health to Veterans and communicating how to set goals for Veterans carried on her panel along, she ensured that other nurses in home telehealth strive to become stronger in the daily practice of caring for our American HERO!