Whitney Sommer
November 2022
Whitney
Sommer
,
BSN, RN, CMSRN
6 North
VA St. Louis Health Care System
St. Louis
,
MO
United States
Without Ms. Sommer's intervention, leadership, and compassion the Veteran's needs could have easily been minimized or overlooked.
Ms. Whitney Sommer, role models the VA ICARE principles daily. She demonstrates excellence in her clinical expertise and compassionate care. She is truly a role model for all nurses to see the Veteran as a person first, then as a patient. Ms. Sommer regularly accesses support services to advocate for Veterans and their specific needs. At times, this exceptional compassion reveals itself as Ms. Sommer going out of her way to provide a list of support group meetings in the area upon discharge, personally walk a patient downstairs upon discharge from an acute care stay, or volunteer for additional training opportunities such as VIP-POST (Veterans in Pain - Pain Management, Opioid Safety, Suicide Prevention Teams} and VA Caregiver Support Program.
Recently, Ms. Whitney Sommer was serving in the role of Charge Nurse for 6 North. There was an inpatient Veteran at risk for elopement and self-harm secondary to Suicidal Ideation and lingering substance abuse withdrawal symptoms. Ms. Sommer identified an opportunity to support the staff nurse caring for the at-risk Veteran by advocating to the medical team the Veteran's need for a psychiatry consultation. Through shared commitment with the Nursing Supervisor, Staff Nurse, and Ms. Sommer, a psychiatry consult was obtained, resulting in the Veteran's transfer to the inpatient psychiatry unit at JB. The outcome for this Veteran was a safe and effective treatment for his mental health diagnosis. Without Ms. Sommer's intervention, leadership, and compassion the Veteran's needs could have easily been minimized or overlooked resulting in a Code Orange, elopement event, or unsafe discharge. Ms. Sommer is truly a role model in our nursing community.
Recently, Ms. Whitney Sommer was serving in the role of Charge Nurse for 6 North. There was an inpatient Veteran at risk for elopement and self-harm secondary to Suicidal Ideation and lingering substance abuse withdrawal symptoms. Ms. Sommer identified an opportunity to support the staff nurse caring for the at-risk Veteran by advocating to the medical team the Veteran's need for a psychiatry consultation. Through shared commitment with the Nursing Supervisor, Staff Nurse, and Ms. Sommer, a psychiatry consult was obtained, resulting in the Veteran's transfer to the inpatient psychiatry unit at JB. The outcome for this Veteran was a safe and effective treatment for his mental health diagnosis. Without Ms. Sommer's intervention, leadership, and compassion the Veteran's needs could have easily been minimized or overlooked resulting in a Code Orange, elopement event, or unsafe discharge. Ms. Sommer is truly a role model in our nursing community.