I want to recognize an extraordinary nurse, Leola Williams, who provides phenomenal care to our veteran patients. She is a RN that works on an extremely challenging unit. Although she works hard on the unit daily providing basic nursing care she consistently comes in with ideas to serve our veterans better. She has been noted to be involved in several organizations that assist nurses, and patients in various areas. She is also the queen of providing healing touch to our patients every day she is scheduled to work, and continually encourage other staff to do the same. In addition she helps nurses resolve conflicts and other non-patient care areas that in turn helps our patient and our organization. She is a part of the reason that our veterans return to the VA for care, and that our veterans gives our unit high scores related to patient centered care.

Leola is an inspirational role model and mentor to other healthcare workers for the following reasons: She works a full time schedule and comes to work daily and promptly, she is involved with the union, with nursing education, nurse recruitment, staff development, research projects, health and wellness programs, she takes time to decorate the unit to create visual healing and overall well being, she sings, she teaches, she is at the VA even on her off days and most of all she is a veteran herself! She is involved in much more than I mentioned but I think that is more than enough when all of her time is dedicated to serve the nation's veterans!

Leola has contributed so much to improve the quality of care for our veterans with committee involvement, work practice, suggestions, or affiliations with organizations for over 25 years. She is a leader, she adheres to the policies set forth by the VA, she uses evidence based practice to care for our veterans, she is a true patient advocate, and she is extraordinary.