The Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA) is excited to be back in-person for our 42nd Annual Meeting. Join us October 19-20 in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the only conference solely dedicated to VA Nurses. The Schedule at a Glance is now available to help you plan your itinerary and get the most out of the meeting.   

Attendees can claim up to 12.5 Nursing Continuing Professional Development Contact Hours (NCPD) for their participation in this year’s event.

Upon completion of the Annual Meeting, participants will be able to:

• Identify resources to support shared governance for VA Nurses

• Identify methods for VA Nurses to mitigate burnout by managing stress and self-care

• Identify improvements in healthcare for veterans through contributions from APRN practice, education, advocacy, research, and leadership

• Describe methods for VA Nurses to find resiliency

• Describe treatment options supporting sobriety for veterans experiencing opioid crisis

• Describe a comprehensive approach to identify veterans at risk for suicide and identify treatment plans for those veterans

• Summarize changes in the promotion process for VA Nurses, including the role of the Nurse Professional Standards Board

• Demonstrate the process of facilitating the development of an evidence-based culture

• Describe practices to increase VA Nurse satisfaction in today’s workplace

• Identify ways NOVA and Veterans Service Organizations can strengthen partnerships to work together on behalf of veterans

Click here to learn more about this year’s Annual Meeting and register by Thursday, September 1 to take advantage of early bird pricing!

By Kellie Lovett, BSN, RN

I went to West Virginia Wesleyan College for my BSN and graduated in May 1987. I started my first job at Allegheny General Hospital, a Trauma Center (Pittsburgh, PA) in the neurosurgery department, where I worked for two years. We took care of patients who had brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, back surgery, brain surgery, eye surgery, seizure patients and those with multiple traumas.

My next job was at Holy Spirit Hospital (Harrisburg, PA), where I worked in the ICU and was ACLS certified. We took care of medical and surgical  patients. I went through a six-week critical care course where we learned a lot about multiple organ issues and learned how to monitor critical patients. I worked with central lines, arterial lines, intubation, ETT placement and management. We monitored the patients continuously and used life-saving medications. I learned how to rely on my coworkers to help me when needed and I helped them when they needed something. I worked there for two years and it was one of my best experiences. 

I then moved to Richmond, VA to work in the ICU at Stuart Circle Hospital. It was similar to my other ICU experience. After a couple years in the ICU, I moved to the PACU. It was a new experience, but we still took care of some critical patients. I helped the anesthesiologist with blocks and line placement. My ICU experience helped me transition into the PACU. I worked there until six months before Stuart Circle Hospital closed. 

Then, I transferred to St. Mary’s Hospital as a pre-op nurse and post-op nurse. I continued to take care of pre and postoperative surgical patients. It was an ambulatory surgery clinic, so the patients were less critical,  and  I  started taking care of children. I then got my PALS certification with my ACLS certification. I worked with many different surgeons and surgical patients. I worked there for about 10 years before leaving to work as a pre-operative nurse for OrthoVirginia Operatory Center. At OrthoVirginia, I worked closely with the anesthesiologists; I helped with blocks, started IV’s and did pre-op assessments. I helped in both the OR and PACU as needed. I ran the holding area for 10 years and restocked and ordered supplies. I was known for my proficiency in starting IVs. I learned to be good at IVs from my ICU days.  

In 2018, I moved to Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center to work in the 2D Surgical Specialty Clinic. I always loved surgery, so I wanted to stay in the surgical field. On 2D, I have been the charge nurse and lead charge nurse. I am on many committees such as Professional Practice, Staff Methodology, Pharmacy, and Safe Patient Handling. During the beginning of COVID, I was deployed to the COVID ICU. I worked there for three months and I got to use my ICU skills again. I have worked with my supervisor and ENT attending to start a rapid Covid testing lab in the clinic to keep patients and staff satisfied. I am a care coordinator for Vascular Surgery, ENT, and Plastic Wound Ostomy. I have worked on many of the surgical services in the 2D clinic.

By Teresa Morris, NOVA Director, Advocacy & Government Relations

Greetings NOVA Members –

August Recess is almost here – I urge all of you to get out there and talk about VA issues important to you and the Veterans you serve. During August recess (which runs until after Labor Day), Members of Congress will be working in their District and State offices catching up on constituent needs and hosting Town Hall meetings as midterm elections approach.

Schedule a meeting with your members (either in-person or virtually) in their office or catch up with them at a Town Hall or other community event they plan to attend. NOVA’s webinar “Contacting Your Congressional Representatives” can help you set up and plan your meeting. You can find this and other webinars here: NOVA Webinars (vanurse.org). Other information on our Advocacy Toolkit provides step by step instructions as well.

Talk about what you do – even under these most challenging times – to provide the best treatment for your patient. Ask them to support pay increases and a review of all pay scales so VA can remain competitive with the private sector and fill staffing vacancies to continue delivering the best care to our nation’s Veterans.

Remind Congress that VA is where Veterans prefer their healthcare. Use NOVA’s 2022 Legislative Priority Goals as your talking points and as a leave behind at your meetings.

Stay tuned to NOVA’s website and social media and post pictures from your congressional meetings or events.

Now is the perfect time to become familiar with VA nursing issues and to educate your members about what is important to you and how you do your job as a healthcare provider taking care of Veterans.

Stay Tuned!

by Thelma Roach-Serry, BSN, RN, NE-BC

“Her Passion is Caring for Others…”

Linda Lewis, LPN, WTA has been a nurse for over 35 years.  She graduated from the Richmond Technical Center, Richmond, Virginia in 1985 as a licensed practical nurse excited and ready to care for others. She started her nursing career at Richmond Memorial Hospital  on a medical-surgical inpatient unit. After obtaining a solid foundation in nursing, she was hired as a charge nurse at Libbie Convalescent Center and Chippenham Manor.

Ms. Lewis identified an opportunity to provide home health care visiting patients in their homes throughout the Richmond Metropolitan area. Later she worked as an anesthesia aide at the Richmond Eye and Ear Hospital until she became a contract nurse working for Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation.

While working for a local agency, she was selected  to serve on a special team to initiate a preventative healthcare patient education program at the Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RVAMC).  While working in this capacity, she developed a desire to work with Veterans full time.  She applied and was selected for a position in the hemodialysis unit where she worked for approximately two years. Later she sought a position in primary care and later in specialty care.  For the past nine years, Linda has worked in surgical specialty clinics (SSC) where she developed a profound passion for providing care to surgical and vascular patients who require specialized wound care treatments.  Many providers started seeking her advice for the treatment of various wounds. Because of her interest and knowledge in wound care, Linda  was advised to pursue certification as a Wound Treatment Associate. Linda did just that and became one of the first certified Wound Treatment Associates (WTA) at RVAMC.  

When asked why she became a nurse, Linda replied, “I became a nurse because I loved watching my mother care for the older people in the  community.  Her caring actions inspired me to go to school to get my degree in nursing.  I will continue her legacy by caring for the people in my community which will have an everlasting positive impact.  I love taking care of people, the way I would want or like to be taken care of.” Linda is the chair of the SSC Professional Practice and Customer Service Committee and loves being a member of NOVA and the Riverside Baptist Church Nurses Corps.

Ms. Lewis is married to Curvan Lewis, a Vietnam Veteran.  She is the mother of 6 children, a grandmother and great grandmother.  Besides caring for others, her passions also include gardening and cooking a fine dinner, which she learned from her father who was a World War II Veteran.

One of her favorite quotes is “Kindness can transform someone’s dark moment with a blaze of light. You’ll never know how much your caring matters. Make a difference for another today.” by Amy Leigh Mercree, Author

Thanks Linda for your compassionate care of others.          

By Teresa Morris, NOVA Director, Advocacy & Government Relations

Greetings NOVA Members –

It is hard to believe that it is already July, and we are quickly moving towards the last weeks of the 117^th congressional session. It is a busy month as August recess approaches and the Midterm election looms. Deadlines for finalizing FY 2023 funding, legislative packages and important policy become urgent.

The VA Committees who have jurisdiction over Veterans policy continue to be focused on getting toxic exposure (PACT Act) and other critical legislation passed before the session ends. One item that looks to be stalled is the completion of the Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission that was tasked with reviewing and making recommendations to Congress and the President on modernizing and realigning VA’s aging healthcare system.

As background, the AIR Commission was included as part of the MISSION Act and mandated a review of VA’s healthcare infrastructure through market assessments and evaluating its footprint and ability to care for Veterans across the country. The final report was released in March and organized by Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), the plan included closing three major hospitals and dozens of clinics, but also recommended building about eighty new clinics across the country.

VA Recommendations to the AIR Commission Home

Congress and veteran advocates immediately reacted to recommendations and to the knowledge that much of the report and its assessments were made prior to the pandemic. The Commission and its work seemed doomed before it began and as often happens any news of VA hospital closures in congressional districts raised the ire of many including Senators who said “they would not approve the nine nominees up for confirmation to establish the AIR Commission." So, any decision to shift services for a constituency as crucial as veterans seems DOA for now.

VA and others have said that although lawmakers have left the agency with no blueprint to modernize its aging system, they plan to continue to fight for the funding and modernization that veterans deserve.

NOVA provided its opinion on provisions included in the MISSION Act in 2018 and was wary of the AIR process. There is a need to look at infrastructure use and aging facilities, but Congress has not provided adequate funding for VA construction and maintenance needs for decades. NOVA supports the Independent Budget recommendations for these accounts. The Independent Budget Veterans Agenda

Some see AIR as another way to increase the number of Veterans using community for care which was expanded as part of MISSION. Veterans surveyed by the VFW overwhelming prefer care at a VA. (VFW-Our-Care-2017--Executive-Summary.pdf (azureedge.net). NOVA stands by our views that Veterans prefer VA healthcare and that treatment at a VA facility is far better suited to their individual health care needs and service-connected disabilities.

I ask all of you to continue to watch NOVA’s website and social media for our August Recess Priorities. Congress will be home working the entire month of August with most campaigning for reelection. Now is the perfect time to become familiar with VA nursing issues and to educate your members about what is important to you and how you do your job as a healthcare provider taking care of Veterans.

I also encourage you to review NOVA’s Legislative Priority Goals on the website under the Advocacy dropdown and help us continue our work on behalf of all VA nurses. Links to the toolkit can be found here: NOVA Advocacy Toolkit (vanurse.org)

Stay Tuned!