Katia is the nurse on our Team for PACT, working with individuals with persistent and severe mental illness. We have a client, HC, who has struggled with basic life skill tasks for a long time and often voids out his symptoms by drinking alcohol. We were informed that HC was going to be evicted and had a few days to clean up his apartment, as he had allowed it to become unlivable. Katia immediately volunteered to go to his home and assist him in cleaning and getting it to be livable and a safe environment again. I also volunteered to go but was not prepared for what we walked into. HC had allowed his apartment to get to the point of inhabitable--not only covered in trash but the smell that was coming from the apartment was unbearable. Katia remained positive and motivational the entire time. As a true nurse who has probably seen and smelled it all, Katia was never phased by the stuff we uncovered when we removed the trash and the smell that was also unleashed. Me, being a therapist, was not prepared and almost vomited several times. Katia told me to go get some fresh air, and she pushed on, continuing to assist HC in cleaning while also providing him insight into how unsafe this environment is for him. She provided inspiration, life skills training, reflective listening, and positive coping mechanisms all while bagging up old food and trash that was all over the apartment, guiding the client on how to properly manage his day-to-day cleaning habits. Katia made such a positive impact on this day that the client, HC, noted that her kindness and willingness to dive in and help inspired him to make a change and motivated him to continue to do a deep cleaning dive and requested bleach and a mop and trash bags so he could continue to clean and organize his apartment even after we left.

This client continues to check in with Katia and give apartment updates. And because of Katia's willingness to work alongside a client in the most horrendous of settings, not only did she motivate him to make some lifestyle changes, but he was not evicted and still is able to remain in his apartment! So many people in Katia's position would have never volunteered to do what she did, as technically, it is not her job. But she knew that she had to be the example and to work alongside the client and not just dictate or preach at him but instead get "down in the dirt" alongside him. It was beautiful and inspiring, and I feel blessed to work alongside Katia, as she has a heart of gold and is one of the most empathetic nurses I have ever met.