Terri Willems consistently goes above and beyond for her patients, our Nation's Heroes.
Integrity: By simple definition, this word means honest. Ms. Willems displays integrity every day by telling the veteran the truth, in a very diplomatic way. Being a nurse in the VA is not always easy. There is a lot of red tape, medications the VA doesn't have, services the VA doesn't have and patients don't understand the logistics of an organization as large as the VA. Ms. Willems is always truthful regarding what the VA can and can't do. She doesn't stop there, she lets the veteran know alternatives to the constraints for patient care. For example, Ms. Willems was covering another team in the absence of the team nurse. She was asked to fax for records for the provider. When the documents didn't come through, she kept requesting until the facility finally faxed the records. Most nurses would have done it only once, but Ms. Willems knew the patient needed certain services and couldn't get them until the provider had the documents.
Commitment: Talk is cheap. Real commitment is seen in the person willing to go the extra mile, without recognition. Terri is a veteran, just like her patients, so she understands the obstacles that can seem insurmountable. She comes to work every day with the mindset that she will make a difference in someone's life today. For example, Terri left a message for one of her patients to call back. When he didn't, she kept calling. After a day, Terri was very worried about her patient. She called local authorities to complete a welfare check. Later is was discovered the patient had fallen. The police called for paramedics and the patient was taken to the hospital, a little dehydrated, but otherwise was ok. Thanks to Terri's commitment, this veteran is alive.
Advocacy: No one advocates for a veteran, better than another veteran. Terri, a retired USAF Captain, is a staunch believer in taking care of our nation's heroes. She keeps a pulse on ground-breaking Congressional legislature in order to keep her veteran patients on the cutting edge of healthcare. When Choice, HealthNet, came on the scene, Terri immersed herself into the rules and regulations in order to help her patients navigate the system. During one such encounter, her patient needed a consult to Orthopedics. After giving the patient the phone numbers for Choice, she sought advice from the guru in Denver. Together, they were able to expedite an appointment for this veteran.
Respect: The absolute one quality that exudes from Ms. Willems is respect. She is respectful to patients, family and staff. She actively listens to her patients and goes above the expectations of a PACT RN. Her calm demeanor has proven effective in de-escalating disruptive behaviors. For example, one day a patient was becoming agitated at the front desk, the MSA's had called for a Code Yellow (a disruptive patient). Before the police and mental health professionals arrived on scene, Terri had calmed the patient down and was attempting to attend to his needs.
Excellence: The quality of being outstanding. Terri is actively studying for her certification in Ambulatory Care. From the moment that Terri stepped foot into the VA system she has performed above any expectations. Her goal is to be the best nurse possible. For example, she attended a Diabetic Education seminar in Denver so she could provide the most current recommendations to her patients. As a result, she has less than 2% of her patients with HgbA1C greater than 9, working diligently to decrease that number.
Theresa "Terri" Willems is an outstanding nurse and a true asset to the VA. Her compassion, skill and knowledge makes a difference every day for the Veterans in our system.