Over the past five years in my position as RN Care Coordinator in Home Telehealth, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Breana, HBPC RN, as we have Veterans in both Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) and Home Telehealth. Aside from her dedication to the profession of nursing, I am inspired, as her nurse peer, by her ability to juggle multi-faceted care with the highest level of commitment to ensure a beneficial outcome to the Veterans and the families she serves. Being an in-home provider takes some creativity sometimes and Breana is constantly looking for new ways to engage and motivate her patients, thus empowering them to care for themselves and improving their quality of life by maintaining autonomy. HBPC Veterans whom Breana cares for comment on her ability to provide unwavering support to them through the most difficult times and her impeccable bedside manner. In working with Breana, I have been very impressed with her positive and compassionate demeanor even when discussing the most challenging cases.
One veteran commented that Breana is the "ray of sunshine" he needs when he is feeling down. Another commented, "she treats me like a person and not just a patient." Breana has taught me something as well, as a nurse of 22 years, I can get stuck in a mental slump, negative thinking, like why do I waste my breath...and she has always approached a situation with the perspective of - we are here for the Veterans, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but at the end of the day, we all impact a life. Breana has impacted many Veterans' lives, as she has mine and this is why she is a DAISY Nurse.