Terri Collins
May 2018
Terri
Collins
,
DNP, FNP-BC
Medical Home Port Clinic
Sigonella Nurses Association
FPO, AE
United States
Because of Terri's widespread impact on numerous patients in the Medical Home Port Clinic, it was difficult to identify just one instance of quality and compassionate care. I would like to present one particular patient interaction to illustrate Nurse Terri Collins' exemplary compassion and unyielding dedication to quality patient care.
I observed the relationship that Terri established with a certain family who has a child with ongoing surgical needs. Terri engaged with this family from the beginning with the preterm birth of their son and his subsequent NICU admission. She gave insight and information to a family that was struggling to grasp the implications of an already scary life-altering moment in their family. After the family was discharged, Terri continued to unrelentingly follow-up on the many surgical and medical equipment needs of the patient all the while assuring the family and encouraging them to stay positive about the long clinical road they had to traverse with their son. This support and exemplary compassion were not demonstrated in a single instance; rather through partnering with the family and faithfully following through on every t-con, relay health message, phone call, and in-person support that the complex clinical course requires. Terri did not just coordinate care for the family, she engaged the family in the planning of care to the extent that she was able to identify, with the family, the necessity for a medevac to the states to receive the appropriate medical equipment.
During the 9 months that she was caring for this family, she had to spend multiple hours coordinating with the Pediatrician, the Case Manager, the Tricare patient liaisons, and translators. She made the immense work of coordinating care seem simple to the family allowing them to trust in her expertise and focus on their child. Her loyalty and dependability clearly impacted this family and she stands out as an example of the inherent 'good' a nurse can do when they commit to 'walking' with a patient in his or her difficulties or sufferings. As a nurse myself, I immensely admire Terri Collins and seek to emulate her devotion to patient care.
I observed the relationship that Terri established with a certain family who has a child with ongoing surgical needs. Terri engaged with this family from the beginning with the preterm birth of their son and his subsequent NICU admission. She gave insight and information to a family that was struggling to grasp the implications of an already scary life-altering moment in their family. After the family was discharged, Terri continued to unrelentingly follow-up on the many surgical and medical equipment needs of the patient all the while assuring the family and encouraging them to stay positive about the long clinical road they had to traverse with their son. This support and exemplary compassion were not demonstrated in a single instance; rather through partnering with the family and faithfully following through on every t-con, relay health message, phone call, and in-person support that the complex clinical course requires. Terri did not just coordinate care for the family, she engaged the family in the planning of care to the extent that she was able to identify, with the family, the necessity for a medevac to the states to receive the appropriate medical equipment.
During the 9 months that she was caring for this family, she had to spend multiple hours coordinating with the Pediatrician, the Case Manager, the Tricare patient liaisons, and translators. She made the immense work of coordinating care seem simple to the family allowing them to trust in her expertise and focus on their child. Her loyalty and dependability clearly impacted this family and she stands out as an example of the inherent 'good' a nurse can do when they commit to 'walking' with a patient in his or her difficulties or sufferings. As a nurse myself, I immensely admire Terri Collins and seek to emulate her devotion to patient care.