As VA nurses, we truly protect those who have protected us – “caring for our nation’s heroes.” VA nurses strive to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise, “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans. The nurse I am nominating for the DAISY Award exemplifies the mission/vision of the VA and fulfills the meaning in her daily work ethic and interactions with the Veteran population. The nurse I am nominating for the VA DAISY Award is Ms. Cynthia Ceroky, RN, BSN, WCC, CWCN.

Ms. Ceroky shows a caring attitude and displays empathy in her day-to-day nursing behaviors. For example, although she is not a “floor nurse” and serves in the consultant role, I have frequently witnessed her helping patients on the medical floors and in the CARES Tower. Most recently, a resident was discharged from the CARES Tower to a Community Nursing Home for extended care needs. This Veteran stopped down to her office in his electric scooter, stating that the wound on his bottom was reopening because the nursing home was not providing him with the correct diapers or under pads for his bed. He stated they were using cloth diapers and cloth under pads, and the moisture was sitting on his skin and causing breakdown. He did not have much time left to wait at the VA Medical Center because he rode in on the County Van for an appointment and needed to get back so he would not miss his ride. Ms. Ceroky immediately dropped what she was doing and went to SPS to obtain enough supplies to get him through until the consults/orders she was requesting could be placed and filled and the supplies mailed to his nursing home to maintain his dignity. He repeatedly thanked her and was almost tearful and he felt she was truly a “lifesaver” and helped him so much to maintain his dignity and quality of life.

Another example of Ms. Ceroky’s positive and caring attitude was displayed in a situation with a Hospice patient on Heroes Harbor. She worked closely with the Hospice team and Medical Doctor to meet this dying patient’s last wishes – a trip to the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. She helped to obtain the supplies and formulate ideas to make his trip a success. Given his impaired mobility and inability to reposition, combined with urinary incontinence, going to the Circus would have been almost impossible without her innovative suggestions and input into his plan of care. Ms. Ceroky ensured he had a seating cushion in his wheelchair to prevent skin breakdown, ordered specialty moisture absorbent pull-ups, and made suggestions for barrier creams/incontinence management ideas to maintain this Veteran’s dignity and ensure he had a successful Circus adventure. This resident went to the Circus and had a successful trip, with no skin breakdown, being up in his chair for several hours. He truly enjoyed his hours away from the medical center and was so grateful for Ms. Ceroky’s input into his care.

Truly, Ms. Ceroky has made so many contributions to the medical center and to providing the best care anywhere. The little things she does to improve a resident’s stay at the VA Medical Center add up to big things, causing her to stand out among nurses. From trialing different ostomy bags until she finds one that doesn’t leak for the resident (promoting their dignity), to taking the time to customize a plan of care holistically to meet the resident’s needs entirely. For example, Ms. Ceroky will frequently rearrange her busy schedule in order to accommodate a resident who wants to shower prior to a dressing or wound VAC change. She also provides thorough and multiple educational sessions/lessons to residents going home with a new ostomy and their family members. Ms. Ceroky also follows up with ostomy patients after discharge, always referring them to the Outpatient Wound Care Center at the VA Medical Center when appropriate. Her resident, family and staff education goes above and beyond what is expected of any nurse.

She interacts with all members of the health care team professionally and treats everyone with respect. Ms. Ceroky interacts daily with providers, other nurses, nutrition, therapy and specialty services, ensuring every Veteran’s stay is approached inter-professionally. She shows enthusiasm in her nursing role by taking the lead in many pressure ulcer prevention education opportunities hospital-wide. From her “BOO to HAPU” project in the MICU, to mini in-services on wound VACs and simple dressing changes in CARES Tower, her enthusiasm toward pressure ulcer prevention cannot be missed.
For these aforementioned reasons, and for many, many more, I am nominating Ms. Cynthia Ceroky for the VA DAISY Award for Excellence in Nursing.

Ms. Ceroky has been such a positive and uplifting influence in my life and in the lives of many other nurses throughout the medical center, instilling her confidence in others. She is truly a resource for many people and treats every patient encounter as “her patient.” The Cleveland VA Medical Center is truly lucky to have a nurse as dedicated and passionate as Ms. Ceroky and she is more than deserving of the DAISY Award.