lalanda johnson, RN, BSN

As one of the hospitalist physicians on staff, I have had the opportunity to directly work with Ms. Johnson on a number of occasions with shared patients. At every interaction, I have found her to be kind, highly professional, and a provider of excellent patient; care that is always respectful to the veteran.
In response to the COVID pandemic related patient surge, Ms. Johnson was part of a group of nursing staff to be reassigned from the domiciliary to the step-down and intensive care units to assist with patient care. As a testament to her professionalism and dedication to providing the highest quality of patient care to our veterans, she fully embraced the challenge of caring for medically complex and critically ill patients, and she has truly done an excellent job, quickly becoming one of the most proficient and likable nurses on staff.
One recent example of "veteran-centric" care I have personally witnessed was in the recent care of a patient with multiple serious medical comorbidities, including a previous anoxic brain injury that made the patient prone to episodes of agitation and refusal of care. At the time Ms. Johnson initially became the patient's nurse, he had required restraints for multiple shifts, and because of the patient's cognitive deficits and continuous need for hemodynamic monitoring, was considered the most medically challenging patient on the floor.
In spite of this, Ms. Johnson very quickly established a rapport with the patient and was the first nurse to successfully keep the patient off restraints for an extended period, through a combination of dedication and advocacy. The patient has begun regularly accepting all facets of his medical care and is making strides in his recovery after a prolonged hospitalization.