La'Wanda Bowers
December 2021
La'Wanda
Bowers
,
LPN
Outpatient Medical Specialty Clinics
VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System
Murfreesboro
,
TN
United States
La'Wanda came into work the next day and one of the first things she did was call the veteran to see how he was doing.
I am a new employee at ACY VAMC and for the past 6 weeks, I have shared office space with La'Wanda. I have witnessed the compassionate care that she provides to our veterans daily. She also extends that same caring attitude to her coworkers. La'Wanda is a wealth of knowledge and has assisted me as I learn my new role as the Renal RCT Nurse. She also reached out and mentored the ID/GI RCT nurse as to the flow of the clinic and answered questions. She always wears a smile and her laugh is infectious. This smile of hers can be “heard” over the phone!! Sounds crazy but true! When La'Wanda calls a veteran to remind them of their upcoming appointment she puts that smile in the words she is using when talking to the veterans. The conversation that she has with the veteran when she calls is uplifting, cheerful, and sincere. She shares her laugh and brightens their day!! She takes the time to listen to them and leaves them with a smile.
Last week she called a veteran to remind them of their upcoming Nephrology appointment. She could tell the Veteran wasn’t feeling well. She asked if he was ok and he said no he was sick and hadn’t been out of bed for 5 days and was very short of breath. She asked if he had someone with him he replied my sister but she is sick too. She voiced her concerns about him and his sister being so sick and that he needed to be seen. The veteran stated that he would be ok. La'Wanda continued to talk to the veteran and asked if he was eating and drinking and his reply was, no not really. She told the veteran that he might need to call an ambulance to get to a hospital to get the care he needed. He was concerned about an ambulance bill and a hospital bill. La'Wanda explained to him if it was an emergency he didn’t have a choice and she would call Community Care and get share the instructions she had given him and document their conversation in his chart. She then called the local sheriff's office about a well check and they stated that they would send an ambulance to the veteran’s home.
La'Wanda reached out to an RN in Community Care and asked what she should do so that the veteran wouldn’t be responsible for the bill. The CC RN assisted in what needed to be done. La'Wanda came into work the next day and one of the first things she did was call the veteran to see how he was doing. The veteran was in the hospital with COVID.
She went above and beyond to ensure not only that the veteran and his sister were taken care of but also that CC was aware of his medical emergency. This is just one of many examples of the wonderful things that La'Wanda does for our veterans. I have witnessed many. She is a blessing to our veterans and staff!!
Last week she called a veteran to remind them of their upcoming Nephrology appointment. She could tell the Veteran wasn’t feeling well. She asked if he was ok and he said no he was sick and hadn’t been out of bed for 5 days and was very short of breath. She asked if he had someone with him he replied my sister but she is sick too. She voiced her concerns about him and his sister being so sick and that he needed to be seen. The veteran stated that he would be ok. La'Wanda continued to talk to the veteran and asked if he was eating and drinking and his reply was, no not really. She told the veteran that he might need to call an ambulance to get to a hospital to get the care he needed. He was concerned about an ambulance bill and a hospital bill. La'Wanda explained to him if it was an emergency he didn’t have a choice and she would call Community Care and get share the instructions she had given him and document their conversation in his chart. She then called the local sheriff's office about a well check and they stated that they would send an ambulance to the veteran’s home.
La'Wanda reached out to an RN in Community Care and asked what she should do so that the veteran wouldn’t be responsible for the bill. The CC RN assisted in what needed to be done. La'Wanda came into work the next day and one of the first things she did was call the veteran to see how he was doing. The veteran was in the hospital with COVID.
She went above and beyond to ensure not only that the veteran and his sister were taken care of but also that CC was aware of his medical emergency. This is just one of many examples of the wonderful things that La'Wanda does for our veterans. I have witnessed many. She is a blessing to our veterans and staff!!