Barbara Davis
March 2026
Barbara
Davis
,
LPN
Syracuse VA Medical Center
Syracuse
,
NY
United States
Barb took it upon herself to call the patient daily for several days after that to ensure she was still safe and not at risk.
I am honored to recognize Barb Davis, LPN, for her extraordinary compassion, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to Veteran care and overall excellence.
Barb is a dedicated LPN who works in the Women’s Wellness Center. She was assisting the Nurse Case Manager on a busy Monday morning by contacting Veterans who needed follow-up phone calls due to having multiple no-shows both with their women’s healthcare provider and mental health appointments.
She contacted one of her team’s Veterans whom she knew very well from her extended time working in this clinic. She knew she had underlying mental health concerns coupled with an extensively complex medical history.
Upon speaking with the Veteran, Barb immediately identified that something was wrong. Barb proceeded to screen her for depression using the C-SSRS screening tool and determined this Veteran was not doing well mentally health-wise and was in grave danger of harming herself.
Barb knew this Veteran would not want to come to the hospital to be seen; therefore, Barb took the initiative to get mental health services involved while maintaining the Veteran on the telephone, talking to her about her life and her children and about her future in an effort to de-escalate the Veteran.
Barb was very successful in this, and the Veteran no longer voiced concerns for self-harm, and when the Veteran spoke with mental health services, she was deemed not to be at imminent risk for self-harm.
Barb took it upon herself to call the patient daily for several days after that to ensure she was still safe and not at risk.
The Veteran ended up rescheduling with her PCP and mental health providers, and upon her visit to the clinic, she thanked Barb and hugged her, telling her and her provider that it was because of her that she is still with us today.
Barb’s unwavering commitment to excellence has not only elevated the quality of her own work but has also inspired those around her to excel at their jobs. She continuously has a positive attitude with high standards practiced by her each day.
She embodies what nursing is meant to be: patient-centered, compassionate, skilled, and deeply human. Her care and diligence will leave a lasting impression on this Veteran and have prolonged this Veteran's life and encouraged her to get re-engaged with her medical professionals.
Barb is a dedicated LPN who works in the Women’s Wellness Center. She was assisting the Nurse Case Manager on a busy Monday morning by contacting Veterans who needed follow-up phone calls due to having multiple no-shows both with their women’s healthcare provider and mental health appointments.
She contacted one of her team’s Veterans whom she knew very well from her extended time working in this clinic. She knew she had underlying mental health concerns coupled with an extensively complex medical history.
Upon speaking with the Veteran, Barb immediately identified that something was wrong. Barb proceeded to screen her for depression using the C-SSRS screening tool and determined this Veteran was not doing well mentally health-wise and was in grave danger of harming herself.
Barb knew this Veteran would not want to come to the hospital to be seen; therefore, Barb took the initiative to get mental health services involved while maintaining the Veteran on the telephone, talking to her about her life and her children and about her future in an effort to de-escalate the Veteran.
Barb was very successful in this, and the Veteran no longer voiced concerns for self-harm, and when the Veteran spoke with mental health services, she was deemed not to be at imminent risk for self-harm.
Barb took it upon herself to call the patient daily for several days after that to ensure she was still safe and not at risk.
The Veteran ended up rescheduling with her PCP and mental health providers, and upon her visit to the clinic, she thanked Barb and hugged her, telling her and her provider that it was because of her that she is still with us today.
Barb’s unwavering commitment to excellence has not only elevated the quality of her own work but has also inspired those around her to excel at their jobs. She continuously has a positive attitude with high standards practiced by her each day.
She embodies what nursing is meant to be: patient-centered, compassionate, skilled, and deeply human. Her care and diligence will leave a lasting impression on this Veteran and have prolonged this Veteran's life and encouraged her to get re-engaged with her medical professionals.