August 2017
Karla
Morinville
,
LPN
Mental Health
St. Cloud VA Health Care System
St. Cloud
,
MN
United States
I had a patient in Mental Health Triage requiring an ambulance transfer to the Fargo VA. It was 4:30 PM and Building 115 did not have the staffing to sit with the patient which is the usual protocol at shift change. I caught Karla walking out at the end of her shift and asked if she would be willing to stay with the patient. She did not hesitate even though we did not know how long this would take. She coordinated with her husband so he could do the pick up at their daycare so she could stay to take care of this Veteran. I observed Karla sitting with the patient and his brother making sure they were comfortable. She brought the Veteran to Urgent Care for clearance and sat with him while he slept. Karla ended up staying until 7:30 PM to take care of the patient. Karla is a compassionate nurse who shows respect to all of her patients and is a wonderful example of a team player. She is always willing to accept additional responsibilities and to assist her colleagues in the clinic when needed. This particular event is a great example of the type of nurse Karla is and the type of care provided that makes the St. Cloud VA a wonderful place to receive mental health care.