Heather Berkin
August 2022
Heather
Berkin
,
RN
Emergency Department
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
Milwaukee
,
WI
United States

 

 

 

She discovered a tune that this severely confused veteran recognized. The two of them sang along as the patient happily and calmly received care.
Heather is a beacon of positivity for her colleagues and patients. We recently took care of an elderly gentleman with dementia. The patient was very confused and would become easily agitated. While drawing labs and performing care, Heather put on old songs on her phone; she discovered a tune that this severely confused veteran recognized. The two of them sang along as the patient happily and calmly received care. Heather says she is the ‘head of the morale committee.’ She regularly plans events and celebrations for the department, not because she has to, but because she loves making people happy. Over the past year, Heather arranged for a lunch and gifts for our managers, a ‘tropical theme day’ for an employee whose vacation was canceled due to COVID, and ER ‘Fun Run” and an ER relay race at the Pettit Center.