(upbeat music)
- My name is Gregory Jones.
I served for 26 years active duty in the US Navy.
I joined as a very young person.
I was enlisted.
I jumped out of helicopters and then I moved
over to weapon systems.
And then I realized I needed a different career path.
And I became a nurse.
What that means is that I'm caring for those
that came before me and came after me
with the skill sets that I've actually learned
while on active duty.
So that allows me to have an instant rapport
with another veteran, no matter when they served.
I have to make sure that they get the level of care
that they deserve and have earned.
And that I would wanna receive.
- All started with my great aunt, Betty Borkin.
I remember watching her as a retired nurse,
take care of people in our community
and I wanted to do that, I wanted to help people.
And she was an inspiration for me.
You really gotta understand the role of a nurse
is to take someone who was in a very feeble situation
and get them to a very functioning situation.
And they're able to come into the hospital,
receive the services that they need, and then they go home.
That's kinda the care process, right?
But then there is a personal and a human connection
to that, which we tap into here.
And I use the word family.
We get to know our veterans, we get to know
their first names or last names, their nicknames.
And I'm happy to say that I've been able to support
our veterans in their healing process,
both physically and mental and understanding
where they are when they come into this facility
and helping them to get where they wanna be when they leave.
- I started my second career when I came to the US I was...
I had a degree in economics and statistics.
I had a personal experience that made me change my mind
to go into nursing.
I had a still birth at seven months.
I was in the hospital and there was no heartbeat.
And this lady walked in there,
and treated me like I was the only person in the hospital.
She made an impact I said, "Oh, I'd like to do that."
And that impacts my job, when I take care of somebody,
I take care of them like they are the only person there,
right there.
I'm here for you now.
And that's been my way of practicing nursing.
- I think nursing is in my blood.
I cannot think of anything else other than
being a good nurse and doing what I do every day,
that gives you the utmost satisfaction when you go home
and lay your head on your pillow in the night
that you have done something to make someone's life better.
These people here, they come and they tell us their stories
and they have different needs.
The PTSD that they go through.
And with all that, they come here and they look up
to a person who can show them compassion and kindness.
And then just a smile from you will brighten up their day.
- My personality changed after coming
to VA and started working.
And I learned how to be more thankful each day.
Nursing for veterans is more than just nursing.
This is like you're caring like your own family member
who deserves the best.
- Sometimes it's as simple as just listening.
Yes I'm here to do all those medical things,
but I'm also here to be human and to listen to you
and to be in the moment with what you need.
If I have to deliver news, that isn't what we wanted,
I wanna to be the one to give it to them.
I wanna be there for the good times and the bad times.
And I also want them to know that when it is the bad times
that I'm gonna help them, and they're not gonna be alone.
When patients come in and they wanna give you a hug
when they're leaving, they're just happy to see you.
And you get to know them after a time period.
And for some of them, they knew me when I came here
and my kids were babies.
And now they're...
Some are young adults.
So I think it's just...
It really becomes a family.
And you're kinda there for them through thick or thin.