Nurse Dawn has worked for the VA Surgical Specialty Outpatient Clinics for nine years. She has worked closely with the General Surgery Providers who encounter wounds on a regular basis. For many years, she came across numerous Veterans who had to be sent out into the community for wound care. Often, the outcome was not good, and the wounds would worsen and/or multiply. Seeing this happen repetitively was disturbing to Nurse James. She believed the Veterans deserved better options in wound care.

Nurse James took the initiative to become an expert in wound care. She felt this was the best way to advocate for the Veterans. She worked and studied independently to obtain her "Wound Care Certification (WCC) through the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy." The certification allows her to assess and make recommendations for treatments to Providers. Over time, she built what is now the "Wound Care Clinic" at the Charlotte HCC, servicing Veterans in need of specialized wound care. She is regularly called upon by Providers throughout the VA facility to provide her expertise. With each wound care patient, Nurse James assesses and determines if they are able to perform home treatments themselves, if a family member/caregiver is needed, or if Home Health should be involved. She collaborates with Providers and includes needed personnel in wound care visits.

Nurse James not only educates the Veterans but also takes the time to address fears and concerns. She patiently offers clarification, encouragement, and support to work jointly as a collaborative team for the betterment of all her patients. This is especially essential for the very high-risk population of chronic wound care patients, where inconsistent or untimely interventions can have catastrophic results. There have been numerous instances where Nurse James has exemplified the ICARE Values set forth by the VA. Below are just a few examples of her many occurrences:

1) A clinic nurse and provider recalled an elderly veteran on dialysis who presented for his scheduled wound care appointment. Upon his visit, Nurse James felt something was off. After taking a full assessment, she had the Veteran taken to the ED, where it was discovered that the Veteran was in congestive heart failure. The Veteran stayed in the hospital for several days. Nurse James’s care didn’t end there. She continued to call and check on the patient regularly. It was during this time that the Veteran’s tearful daughter stopped by the clinic to see and thank Nurse James for the care she had provided her father and how the actions she took saved her father’s life. When the Veteran presented to his future appointments, each time, he continued to speak of how appreciative he was for Nurse James and how she was so dedicated to being there for him.

2) One of the General Surgery Providers remembers Nurse James, while working with a seemingly noncompliant wound care patient; she took the time to carefully discuss the process with the patient. She then discovered that the patient was getting confused by the intent and order of the products prescribed and had trouble reading the pharmacy instructions. Nurse James then generously typed large-font instructions for the elderly patient and color-coded the products to eliminate confusion. This extra time and care given to this patient resulted in improved adherence to the treatment plan and wound healing, but more importantly addressed the core need of the patient, showing that Veteran the empathy and attention that she needed and deserved.

3) Recently, the mother of a paraplegic Veteran shared a heartfelt story about the battles she and her son have faced over the years with her son’s chronic pressure ulcers. She explained how everywhere they went, the Providers weren’t sure exactly what to do and ended up passing him around. This resulted in the Veteran refusing to go to appointments. It wasn’t until they met Nurse James that they began to have hope. The mother could not hold her tears back when she stated, "Dawn hasn’t treated my boy like he’s just a body; she really cares." She continued to list the numerous wounds that the Veteran had experienced over the years and how many have now healed or improved since seeing Nurse James. The veteran and mother both expressed how thankful they are that they have someone they can depend on for help. Nurse Dawn James has just recently passed the NCLEX-RN exam and is continuing to serve Veterans with compassion and the highest level of care. She is truly an asset to the VA, Veterans, and their families.