Teresa Morris, Director, Advocacy & Government Relations

Greetings NOVA Members –

I write this from my home in Maryland as we are now on a continued stay at home order due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  I want to commend all of you – VA nurses and healthcare professionals – for what you do and are doing every day to take care of those in your care. It cannot be understated that you are all the Heroes and Warriors of this crisis.

I want to assure you that I am in constant contact with Hill staff (primarily VA Committee) and Veterans Service Organization representatives during this time so that NOVA is represented and provided important information. Congress and staff are working from home but remain busy working on legislative priorities and of course making sure VA has guidance and what it needs to continue its mission. VA is part of the country’s  emergency preparedness team and must be ready should their 4^th mission be activated. The 4^th mission is described as ensuring continued service to Veterans, while supporting national, state, and local emergency management, public health, safety and homeland security efforts.

On March 23, VHA Office of Emergency Management posted an updated report on its COVID-19 Response Plan.  It can be found here: https://www.va.gov/opa/docs/VHA_COVID_19_03232020_vF_1.pdf

NOVA posted its own statement on the virus as well, providing our views on the importance of ensuring VA nurses across the country have the resources needed to protect themselves and the Veterans they serve. We also included some of the priorities we share with the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) and the need for all of us to remain vigilant in ensuring VA can continue to carry out its most sacred mission.

The statement can be found on the front of the NOVA website: https://www.vanurse.org/news/497045/NOVA-Nurses-Remain-Vigilant-During-Pandemic.htm

I urge you to watch the NOVA website as we will continue to provide important information/ links to valuable resources that are reliable and accurate.

As we go through the next weeks and months, I encourage all of you to keep a close eye on our advocacy efforts by visiting the NOVA’s website and watching our Social Media accounts – information and updates on the pandemic and nationwide efforts are critical to all of us. If you have something that you want to relay to your Member of Congress or staff, please do – they need to hear from you.

I believe that we will get through this and be able to look at data and lessons learned which in the turn will make us all stronger and more prepared as a nation. I am hopeful that VA will remain the model for all healthcare delivery. It is because of all of you, and what you provide every day for Veterans, and the communities in which you serve that VA remains at the center of healthcare in this nation.   

Stay Tuned!