Jenn is the definition of a DAISY Nurse. The ICARE principles are a solid foundation of her practice each and every day. Jenn practices with such strong integrity that she is able to establish amazing bonds with her veterans and they trust her implicitly. Her commitment to the VA Mission is astounding. She consistently practices with one main focus-the veteran. She ensures she gets to know all aspects of the veteran, not because she has to ask about their dog or their vacation, but because she wants to and it is important to her. This is Jenn- she cannot function any other way. She throws her whole heart and soul into advocating for her veterans.
Jenn will make sure each of her veterans receive a birthday card on their birthday or sympathy card if the loved one has died. If she finds out one of her veterans is in need of an item, she will do everything in her power to ensure they get what they need. Jenn also made of a huge sacrifice when she put her own personal health and safety at risk by preventing a veteran from injuring himself and other fellow staff members. These are all things she does without hesitation, as her goal is to take care of our veterans. It is no wonder her veterans adore her.
Jenn recently had a situation in which she demonstrated an extraordinary example of advocacy and respect for one of her veterans. He was in his 90s and had no family, friends, or emergency contacts. The transfer request from a non-VA Hospital had been documented in his chart and was denied. Upon following up to check on his status, the facility he had been at informed Jenn that the veteran had been discharged but the facility was unsure where he had gone post discharge as there was no record of this in the chart. Concerned for his safety and well-being, Jenn worked tirelessly to investigate his whereabouts. She eventually found out he had been discharged to a rehab facility, but the hospital he had been and was not sure which one or where he had been discharged to. Jenn got on the phone and called every possible rehabilitation facility in the area, which required (as you can imagine) many phone calls and hours of work. After multiple failed attempts working off of what the previous facility had given her, she collaborated with the primary care social worker, and received a list of more possible facilities to try. Eventually, they were able to locate the facility the veteran had been discharged to.
Jenn invested a full day's work in finding this veteran in order to ensure his safety. She would do it again without hesitation; her dedication to her veterans and the excellence in care she demonstrates on a daily basis exemplifies the mission of the VA and is her goal each and every day. All of her coworkers respect her ability to function as an exceptional nurse and undying advocate for the veteran.
Jenn is deserving of this recognition, as she is a perfect example of the type of nurse the Barnes family was referring to when they said that "the nurses show an extraordinary active compassion or relationship they have created with the patient the truly made a difference."