Jon exemplifies not only a veteran’s first work practice but also provides care for veteran families within our facility. I have worked with Jon for the past 4 years as both his peer and his manager. I have just a few of the many examples of how Jon shows excellence in the care he provides streamlined below. These are just a couple of examples of excellence and compassionate care that I have witnessed personally.

Extra work, additional roles beyond IR staff nurse expectation; 1 of 2 PICC line nurses for the entire facility which required additional training. This often pulls him from the department's daily schedule to complete incoming requests for PICC lines, Midlines, and US IVs. The completion of these IV access lines allows the veteran to promptly begin chemotherapy, antibiotics, IV hydration, etc.

Care coordinator role, this was on a volunteer basis to clean up and streamline our process of receiving consults, reviewing the request with the IR providers, working up the patient intake for scheduling, and completing the consult as a scheduled status. This may be considered an internal system redesign which Jon along with just 1 other nurse has taken on to improve the process and be committed to the workflow with a month-at-a-time rotation in this role so as to still maintain his proficiency in working within the procedure rooms as well.

Jon averages a completion rate of 35 scheduled consults per day and averages a completion rate of consult to offering the veteran an appointment within just 1-4 days of the consult request. Those numbers are reflected in the TDI Sharepoint and Above and Beyond Veteran Care.

Jon was caring for a patient who came in for a simple pain injection when Jon noticed the veteran’s swollen and discolored shin and foot. Jon notified our physician who evaluated the patient on the spot and the veteran was scheduled for a much-needed angiogram. Jon was working with a veteran for therapeutic thoracentesis who was accompanied by his wife. The veteran was not doing well clinically, and the wife expressed concern that they had not had home care out to their house yet but should be in the future. Jon began investigating more into the social work consults, past prime care appointments, etc. Jon advocated for the veteran's wishes. The veteran and the veteran's wife worked with our provider for a hospice consult. The veteran left our department and transferred from Jon's care in IR recovery to Hospice that same afternoon.

Jon was working with a veteran who was accompanied by his wife. The wife expressed concerns about her nervousness over her husband’s procedure had upset her stomach. As the morning went on and the veteran returned to recovery, Jon was in a position to assist the veteran’s wife to and from the bathroom down the hall. Just prior to discharging the veteran home, the veteran’s wife had an accident and soiled her pants. Jon helped set her up with bath wipes, bagged up her clothing, and found her a set of disposable scrub pants for making her way home. Jon escorted both the veteran and the wife out to their car.

These are just a few of the bedside nursing practice examples that I have personally witnessed. Jon’s focus and his passion, as it shows, is on the veterans and providing them the best care and the best plan of care possible.