Misty demonstrates her"I CARE" principles and advocacy for our veterans.Misty had a walk-in patient who was blind. He had a significant burn on his hand from removing a hot towel from the microwave with his hand. The veteran was unable to see how injured his hand was, so he took the CAT bus to the clinic to have the nurses look at his wound. His wound was assessed by the nursing staff and wound care instructions were provided to him. The veteran did not have basic wound supplies at home, soMisty walked across the highway and purchased these items for this veteran with her own money. The veteran was so grateful thatMisty went above and beyond to help him and obtained the supplies he needed for care. This is only one example of the wayMisty exhibits "I CARE" principles. She is an excellent nurse and an asset to the team and patients at this CBOC. She embodies the "I CARE" principles every day. She treats Veterans and colleagues with respect.
On one occasion, a patient expressed concerns regarding his ability to obtain a very important prescription due to finances. This patient needed an anticoagulant for which he was paying over $500 per month in the community.Misty took upon herself to gather all the information needed for the provider to be able to order the medication through the VA at a much lesser cost. She reached out to the patient's community provider and requested information, however the community provider did not respond very quickly.Misty knew this situation was causing a significant amount of stress and anxiety to the patient. She continued to call the community provider and was very firm in explaining to them the importance of the request and the effect that their lack of response would have on the patient's well-being. She was very persistent and after much time and energy, all the necessary information was received. The patient was able to obtain his medication and was very pleased with the significant reduction in cost. Although this seems to be a very common situation in the CBOC, this example was different because it took persistence and determination. The patient in this case was elderly and was not able to assist much with the request.Misty took the lead and did not rest, until it was resolved.
This is only one of the many situations in whichMisty works every day, always keeping in mind the Veterans she serves.Misty is pleasant and always has a smile for all the Veterans she encounters. Many times, when I see the patients, they will tell me how "sweet the other nurse was". It is a pleasure and an honor to have an opportunity to work with such an amazing nurse. It is an honor to work with Misty, she deserves to be recognized for the outstanding work she does every day.