One word truly sums up Ms. Ravenscroft, Commitment. I met Ms. Ravenscroft approximately 4 years ago as she began a new role transitioning from staff nursing to an outpatient role assisting with the behavioral health program within the Tomah VAMC. Ms. Ravenscroft, at that time, inspired many of the outpatient clinical workers to provide a more holistic approach to the patients they served. Through her inspiring personal stories and providing different approaches to patient care the staff had previously ignored, the primary care patients received a different kind of care than any other location previously provided. Ms. Ravenscroft challenged each staff person to better the care provided to each and every patient in this new more holistic, patient-centered modality.
It wasn't until today that I stood back and was in absolute awe at my co-worker and friend with concerns about not only her commitment to the Veterans we serve but to the facility in general. Today, I spent approximately 4 hours with Ms. Ravenscroft within the drive-thru influenza vaccine clinic. After leaving our close working experience nearly two years ago now it was nice to have the opportunity to see a previous co-worker and to catch up on where life has taken me both professionally and personally. I entered these 4 hours feeling overwhelmed with my role both personally and professionally, overwhelmed with COVID-19, and overwhelmed with the facility in general. I left these four hours in awe of my co-worker. In awe of the grace, intelligence, leadership, and commitment to the Tomah VA mission that Ms. Ravenscroft continually displays. I watched Ms. Ravenscroft screen employees over her personal cellphone, discuss CDC guidelines, provide empathetic listening, and providing confident leadership with next actions needed by the employees to ensure our Veteran population is protected from this deadly virus. I watched Ms. Ravenscroft receive poor feedback from employees who did not enjoy the information she was providing even though she was providing the information that provided the best potential outcome for not only the facility but for the employee as well. I watched Ms. Ravenscroft remove her 'nurse hat' and put on her 'mom hat' providing detailed instructions to an employee regarding the needed quarantine guidance based off the employee's current living situation. Through these four hours, Ms. Ravenscroft exhumed what each RN at the Tomah VA should strive to become. Ms. Ravenscroft never once complained about the hours behind her, never once complained about the report she thought she submitted but was quickly reminded that she never hit the send button, never once complained about the constant overwhelming power and control the Tomah VA mission has succumbed her life, never once complained! Ms. Ravenscroft spoke of her commitment to this mission, spoke of her willingness to place her family on hold even though personally suffering a great deal of stress with job insecurity and rearing young children, and most of all spoke of her commitment to the Tomah VA employees.
I looked at Ms. Ravenscroft and quickly remembered the stories she had told of her previous military career. I believe the Tomah VA has the US Army to thank for her abilities to set the stage for this pandemic and her current role. I cannot express the almost jealousy I felt over her abilities to lead during this pandemic with an attitude of ingrained leadership that appears absolutely flawless and effortless on the surface. I hope other staff can be a witness to this leadership as I was fortunate to have this experience. Staff need to see this, staff need to learn from this, staff need to strive to the bar Ms. Ravenscroft has set for each of us to aspire. Ms. Ravenscroft served in the US Army and was deployed to Iraq. This experience, I believe, aligned Ms. Ravenscroft for a high stress and high demand event that we are all enduring. Ms. Ravenscroft has transformed her life to making sure the Tomah VAMC could provide the utmost care to our Nation's Veterans; spending endless hours monitoring spreadsheets, contacting employees, following up with employees, and keeping leadership abreast of the current employee COVID-19 pandemic with concerns to the Tomah VAMC. Ms. Ravenscroft seemingly has morphed her current mindset to that of a deployment placing her personal life somewhat on hold in order to keep the Tomah VAMC mission moving forward.
Seemingly one would read the above and think, how can one person fit anything else into their life, but Ms. Ravenscroft has and will continue. Throughout her endless hours both professionally and personally, Ms. Ravenscroft continues to forward her educational desires seeking a Master's degree with graduation scheduled for approximately one year in the future. She somehow finds time to study, compose scholarly papers, listen to lectures, research scholarly articles, and participate within her virtual school role. In review of the above, I am not certain if Ms. Ravenscroft finds any time to sleep! Our facility will not only benefit from the expanded knowledge but our VISN will benefit. Ms. Ravenscroft will certainly take her knowledge gained from this schooling and teach our facility, teach our VISN, and take VISN 12 to heights it could never dream to aspire before her involvement.
Overall, my four hours spent with Ms. Ravenscroft refueled my nursing tank. I returned to my clinic setting with a renewed desire to continue forward, with a renewed remembrance of the mission at hand, and a renewed internal strength of what I can accomplish to better our facility. I do not believe the impact I will ever make will supersede the impact made to the commitment Ms. Ravenscroft has made but I will continue to strive. I will continue to strive as I am a witness to one person who has truly set the bar high with flawless grace, intelligence, organization, and a positive attitude. Ms. Ravenscroft continually shows empathy, appreciation, and true grace not only as an RN but as a human being. In a world filled with hate, disparity, and the vast unknown, we truly need more Ms. Ravenscroft's out there. More people to guide, support, and encourage the world around us as she has for the Tomah VAMC.