Heather Rood
Heather
Rood
,
RN
HCBC
St. Cloud VA Health Care System
St. Cloud
,
MN
United States

 

 

 

Heather, without hesitation, volunteered to attempt to coordinate care out of state, for 4 days, with short notice to ensure the Veteran was able to have his care needs met.
I would like to nominate Heather Rood from the Home and Community Based Care (HCBC) as a deserving recipient of the DAISY Award. This nurse's clinical skill and especially her compassionate care exemplify the kind of nurse who our patents, their families, and our staff recognize as an outstanding role model.

Heather works as an RN in the Home and Community Based Care program at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. She supports the mission of the VA for her outstanding services to Veterans and families who are needing community purchased services in order to remain in their home. She is kind and compassionate in her interactions with Veterans, always willing to go above and beyond to ensure each Veteran receives the services they are in need of.

An example of Heather's recent commitment: The Caregiver Support Program Coordinator was working with a Veteran and spouse who had received a trip from the ALS foundation to vacation in San Diego, California. The Veteran/spouse was in need of support during the trip to assist the Veteran in his personal care for 4 days. This type of short-term care for a trip had not been set up through the St. Cloud VA Health Care System in the past, but Heather, without hesitation, volunteered to attempt to coordinate care out of state, for 4 days, with short notice to ensure the Veteran was able to have his care needs met. Heather contacted the VA in California to get a list of local community home care agencies, and was able to find an agency close to the hotel to provide daily care for the Veteran. She spent extra time communicating with Veteran/Spouse about his daily care needs and coordinating those needs with the home care agency. She also ensured the home care agency received proper orders and had all their questions answered about billing and payment to provide services to the Veteran. Heather coordinated home care services for this veteran 1,940 miles from the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.

The Veteran had a successful trip to California with his spouse, he returned and had an article written by a local paper on his trip and military history. After the trip was completed, the community home care agency called Heather and thanked her for the opportunity to care for the Veteran, knowing it fulfilled his wish.