I work with a great team of nurses in the Hinesville Clinic and with a nurse, Tanya Collins, VA liaison from Ft. Stewart. Last week she really showed integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence for a specific Veteran situation that far exceeded the usual high standard performed daily in this clinic.
Tanya Collins was notified on that a service member was inpatient and to be discharged from the Army in two weeks. There was some confusion as to how the Veteran would receive care on discharge. The preference was for residential care due to the fact the Veteran had not been able to stay at the hospital for more than a week in the last few months. Knowing she was against a holiday weekend timeline but thinking she had a week to complete the plan, Tanya Collins notified the Transition Care Management team and attempted contact with Dublin for information on having the Veteran placed in the Substance Abuse Residential program. She alerted the Savannah TCM case manager and TCM program manager of the specifics of the situation and worked with them to develop a plan to assist as quickly as possible. She showed great high moral principle and highest professional standards by not waiting to start working on this issue until after the holiday as several key staff were on leave. She fully understood her individual responsibilities in the situation and strived her best to fulfill it.
The Veteran was released from inpatient and discharge date from the Army was changed to the next day. Veteran also changed the VAMC clinic he wanted to receive his care from Savannah to Hinesville. This did not faze Tanya Collins. She immediately contacted the new TCM case manager and provided a briefing on the situation. Then she notified the TCM team of the change. Tanya Collins attempted contact with Dublin. Tanya and TCM case manager worked to get Veteran into the Hinesville clinic to be seen by mental health and set up healthcare quickly. The Hinesville CBOC Administrative Officer was notified of the needs of the Veteran and was able to make sure he would be scheduled for care with a Primary Care Provider he had seen in the military previously. It was scheduled with the Veteran that he would come to Hinesville CBOC to meet with TCM case manager to get all services started once he completed clearing the Ft. Stewart. Tanya kept up with the status of the Veteran throughout the day. He did not make the appointment with TCM case manager due to being unable to complete clear on Ft. Stewart. Both Tanya and TCM case manager contacted him to schedule the appointment for the next day. Tanya again kept up with Veteran's status throughout the day. Even though Veteran was being escorted around Ft. Steward, he was unable to complete clearing and missed his appointment in the Hinesville clinic again.
The next day Tanya and TCM case manager worked again to get him in the Hinesville CBOC to start care. The Veteran was contacted and agreed to meet with TCM case manager at 0900. At 0900, he had not made the appointment. He was contacted and stated he was at the Soldier Family Assistance Center on Ft. Stewart trying to get his new ID card and would come to the clinic afterward. TCM case manager notified Tanya of his location. She met the Veteran, assessed that he had been drinking and offered to let him and his escort follow her to the Hinesville clinic to ensure he started getting needed treatment. Veteran's escort drove him and followed Tanya to the Hinesville clinic, where he was able to meet with the TCM who had his appointments for medical care ready and the PCMHI that assisted with a STAR referral for substance abuse treatment.
Tanya truly embodied the I CARE standards. She showed great high moral principle and highest professional standards by not waiting to start working on this issue after the holiday, as at the time she was notified, it appeared she had a week after the holiday to assist the Veteran. She fully understood her individual responsibilities in the situation and strived her best to fulfill it. She never gave up on getting the Veteran to the Hinesville clinic to assist him with starting care. She respected the Veteran and his need for care and offered to let him follow her to clinic so he would be able to start care. She was extremely thoughtful and decisive in how she worked with the Veteran and his ever-changing situation to make sure a combat Veteran with five deployments got a chance to get the help he needed.