Victoria Burch is one of our Youth & Family nurses who cross covers to our Homeless Outreach department. I covered one of her clinics that she previously covered the week before me. I was checking in a patient when I heard people in front of the mobile medical unit laughing and talking. Once I was done with the patient I was taking care of I looked to see what the big fuss was about. I was covering one of the shelters that cares for patients going through rehabilitation for drugs and alcohol. These patients are usually estranged from their families but during the holidays they never hesitate to tell us stories of what they would eat when at home with the families. Victoria cared for a patient who spoke to her about how he missed eating a sweet potato pie. As Victoria proceeded to discharge him and educate him on his discharge plans. The patient hesitated to go get his labs done at Main Parkland. He was a no show already on several occasions. Victoria promised him if he got his labs completed she would send him a homemade sweet potato pie to the clinic. This explained the disappointed look on his face when he saw me that day instead of Victoria with his sweet potato pie! The laughs that I heard when I assessed a patient was his laughter and voice saying, "She really sent me a sweet potato pie!" The smile that he radiated from ear to ear as he tightly held his sweet potato pie was priceless. Come to find out the results came back and the importance of him being treated could have caused him harm in the long run. Victoria could not be there to give the patient his sweet potato pie, but she made sure that one of our HOMES drivers could hand deliver his pie to him.
The patient went on to say that Victoria was a good and kind nurse. As her Nurse Manager, I was happy to hear and see how our nurses are going above and beyond. The smile he had might have meant nothing to others but when you care for an addict who is in recovery these are the small things that will help them in the process. My heart was full on this day. Thank you, Victoria.