Vorsha Sherfield, RN – Nurse Manager
Nurse Manager Vorsha Sherfield tracks nurses’ schedules, works closely with the pre-admissions process, and coordinates patient care with the medical and clinical teams. La Hacienda’s nursing staff. About 25 women and men of whom 17 are fulltime nurses—cares 24/7 for patients starting in their first hour on campus and continuing through discharge. Their interaction with patients is critical to successful treatment. Our nurses care for patients with dignity and respect. Maintaining their dignity is vital,” says Vorsha, who grew up in Austin and joined the La Hacienda team in 2003.
Continuing Care and Education are Important
Knowing the stigma that some still attach to addiction treatment, Vorsha wants to provide “non-judgmental, respectful care to people who feel quite vulnerable.”
“When a patient takes that first step to seek substance use disorder treatment, he/she/they are often emotionally and physically fragile. It is a privilege to be part of a team that helps each patient recover and heal the body, mind, and spirit.”
She also seeks to help educate people about SUDs so that they will have more compassion and understanding.
Encouraged to Enter Nursing
“It was a blessing to be mentored by other nurses in my career,” says Vorsha. “A sister-in-law who was an LVN encouraged me to become a nurse, assurring me I had the qualities necessary to advocate for patients.”
After Vorsha became an LVN in 1993, the same sister-in-law invited her to enter school together to get associate’s degrees and become Registered Nurses (RN).
“We graduated together in 1995. I will always be grateful to this very special lady for guiding me to this profession.”
Focuses on Addiction Treatment
Vorsha started her nursing career working in cardiac care then as a school nurse. During the latter, a nurse colleague suggested Vorsha take an as-needed position with a detox unit for the additional income. The part-time work introduced her to chemical dependency treatment, and it became the focus of her career.
“All nursing helps people but working in the treatment field amplified that sense of service for me. It increased my understanding of the disease and the patients’ needs. Helping people recover became my purpose.”
The same friend told her about job openings at La Hacienda. Vorsha applied, interviewed, and accepted the position of Charge Nurse in 2003. She became Nurse Manager in August 2007.
Finds Joy in Walking and Traveling
In her spare time, Vorsha likes to travel and walk a lot. She has walked in all 50 states. She accomplished most of her perambulating through activities sponsored through AVA: America’s Walking Club. Her mother asked Vorsha to join with her and they walked together many times. “I’ve seen many beautiful places I would not have seen if I had not been motivated to do the walks.” For example, in Spring 2021 she went with an AVA trip to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest and went snowshoeing for the first time. She finds enjoyment in all types of settings—forests, beaches, mountains.
“I’m an easy-to-please traveler. Traveling is fun for me because I take pleasure in whatever the experience brings. I always find joy.”
