We are VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System: Abey Lissane

These Veterans come from all walks of life in middle Tennessee, southern Kentucky, and northern Georgia. A team of over 5,000 doctors, nurses, administrative staff, engineers, and more, are challenged every day with providing health care for thousands of Veterans.

“We are VA Tennessee Valley, and it is our mission to provide world-class care to our Veterans,” said Daniel Dücker, TVHS Executive Director.

It is a mission that can only be accomplished by the best people.

Hero among us

Few know that Abey Lissane is a hero.

He is a friendly, charming, and knowledgeable individual with over 20 years of nursing experience. Lissane, a registered nurse, works as a transition coordinator with community care at TVHS. Every day, he happily assists Veterans and their families in transitioning between TVHS clinics and private hospitals to ensure they receive the best care.

In 2018, Lissane’s senses were alerted when a Veteran’s behavior grew more aggressive toward a fellow nurse. His extensive experience in mental health allowed him to anticipate the impending danger. With lightning speed, he intervened, enduring a series of blows from the Veteran until he could be safely restrained. The other nurse was rescued, and the Veteran was stabilized, but it came at a cost. Lissane’s arm had been severely injured in the process.

To appreciate Lissane’s heroic actions, you must understand his origin story.

Lissane was born in Ethiopia. Growing up, he always wanted to learn how people think, interact, and work together. That idea drew him to an education in nursing and mental health. He attended Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

“I [was] always fascinated with how people interact. How we are intertwined in thinking the way we think and engaging with other people. It’s a passion that I have,” said Lissane, his eyes lighting up with the fervor of his commitment.

In 2008, Lissane embarked on a significant journey, moving from Ethiopia to Tennessee. He brought his nursing expertise and mental health understanding to HCA Healthcare, where he spent seven years supporting his patients' well-being. In 2015, he took another leap, this time to work with Veterans at TVHS. 

“I was very excited to come to VA,” said Lissane. “[Veterans] are a very focused group of people and community.”

At TVHS, Lissane worked closely with Veterans and gained a deeper understanding of their unique needs and challenges. He learned that Veterans come from various backgrounds and bring a wealth of experiences that require different approaches to care. For instance, some Veterans may struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder while others may have physical injuries that also impact their mental health. This insight fueled his passion to support the Veteran community, and he was determined to make a difference in their lives.

What surprised him was how much he learned about Ethiopia from the Veterans he met and treated.

“I'm originally from Ethiopia, and I have not had anybody in my nursing career ask me or provide me with information about what they know about Ethiopia. But the men and women from our military – some of them who have been exposed to the area – they know and they are open to talk about it. It was truly eye-opening to learn more about my culture from [Veterans] that have met Ethiopians prior to me,” said Lissane.

When reflecting back on the events that transpired in 2018, Lissane was not worried about himself. Rather, he was concerned about the safety of his worker and the Veteran. 

“It’s not like the person did it because they wanted to do it, but because they were experiencing a mental health disturbance,” he admitted. “This is the very reason we have mental health care to help provide support to those who need it.”

Lissane proudly noted that his actions and those of others at Alvin C. York VA Medical Center helped save the Veteran.

He was happy to report the Veteran was able to receive mental health care and return home. Lissane’s actions, and the actions of the mental health care team at TVHS, gave this Veteran a second chance.

“You need to have [mental health] care in the hospital to provide for Veterans,” said Lissane. “To [help them understand] how to maintain a decent lifestyle, proper medication, and different kinds of counseling. It provides a huge impact.”

Because of the injury to his arm, Lissane was moved from acute mental health inpatient to the outpatient clinic, and then to community care, where he helps Veterans and their families daily.

“One of the things that I share with nursing students is that you must have a passion. This is human care. This is not a machine, nor is it something that you can drop off at the garage. These are human beings,” said Lissane.

He had no regrets as he looked back on the events that unfolded that day.

“I was devastated when that happened. But I know for a fact that I was there for a reason,” Lissane said. “If I wasn't there, what [might] have happened to the other nurse?”