1st Quarter 2004 National and Division Heroes

National Heroes

RN Category: Linda Barker—Magnolia Division, Conover (CON) Office, Conover, NC
LPN Category: Bonnie Lynch—Snapdragon Division, Burlington (BUR) Office, Maple Shade, NJ
HHA Category: Martha McNair—Magnolia Division, Charlotte Personal Care (CPC) Office, Charlotte, NC

Division Heroes

* denotes National Hero of the Quarter

Linda Barker, RN, started working for the Conover, NC Office after moving from Connecticut a little over a year ago. Skilled with trachs and vents, Staff Supervisor Kathryn Saine felt Linda would be the perfect match for her nine-year-old, non-verbal client who used a wheelchair. Linda eagerly completed the PEPP course as a refresher and then quickly became oriented to the case. One could say that in many ways already, Linda really went the distance for this little boy. It didn’t take long for the family to appreciate all that Linda offered. The boy’s mother recalls Linda’s time commitment—sometimes putting in 14 hours a day, for over a week straight—was without complaint. The mother also notes that Linda is nothing less than passionate about her son’s care. The only day Linda had taken off from work was the result of her falling down some steps and breaking her foot in three places—two days after it happened! Immediately following the injury, despite the obvious pain, Linda proceeded to put in her full 14-hour shift. It was only after x-rays were taken two days later that she knew the foot was broken. Director Angie Roberson comments: “Linda allows [her client] to project the truly happy little boy inside despite his disability.” The care Linda provided on a day-to-day basis can be rivaled only by the care she provided on her client’s road to recovery. One day an infection resulted in Linda’s client being airlifted to the hospital, fully incubated and on a ventilator. Knowing the importance of the parents being able to offer the client support at the hospital, Linda offered to help keep things running smoothly at home. Administrative Assistant Jennifer Settlemyre adds: “I believe Linda even went [to the hospital] on her own time and stayed with [her client] so the parents could come back and work.” Because the quality of care Linda’s client received was evident to the doctors, he was able return home in a matter of days. Quickly, Linda converted the road to recovery into a road of good health. She clarified orders, started the IV antibiotics, created a schedule for all the nurses on the team, and more!

Bonnie Lynch, LPN, has worked with Bayada since August of 2000, when she started caring for a newly injured, trached and vented client, 4-5 day shifts per week. Despite having to travel about 45 minutes, Bonnie fit right in when the dream team approach was developed, often taking weekend work and covering call-outs. About two years ago, Bonnie suffered after a tragic turn of events outside of her job when she was badly burned. Although she remained home while trying to heal, she called the office often to check on her client. The client, who is active in the community, said he felt lost without Bonnie, who kept track of much of his paperwork. After her physician gave approval, Bonnie, newly outfitted in a body brace, which would accompany her uniform for the next year, was finally reunited with her client. Nursing Supervisor Michelle Keenan shares: “There were days in the summertime when Bonnie would be very hot from the sun and from the brace, but she never complained. She was always more concerned with her patient’s well-being.” Despite the recent personal challenges Bonnie faced, Michelle attests that her skill level remained “beyond measure.” Bonnie’s resourcefulness and expertise is characterized by a recent incident that occurred en route in the client’s van. Michelle explains that Bonnie’s client is “totally dependent on the ventilator to breathe and on his Bayada nurses for almost every aspect of life’s activities. The client began coughing, inducing a high-pressure alarm on the ventilator. Bonnie pulled over onto the side of the road and tried to suction him. This wasn’t producing any results so she tried changing his inner cannula, and then started to bag him with the hand ventilator. Bonnie took charge and continued trying to clear her patient’s airway by doing what she was trained to do. She kept suctioning, adding saline lavages, and hand ventilating the client, all the while remaining composed during this life or death situation.” The client’s brother-in-law pulled behind the van and managed to drive everyone to the nearest gas station, where Bonnie was able to plug in the coughalator she ironically thought she might need to bring. Michelle concludes, “The client was then relieved from the thick secretions that were causing the high-pressure alarms. Bonnie saved his life.”

Martha McNair, HHA, has worked with Bayada Nurses for three years, but Staff Supervisor Elizabeth Adams has known her in another capacity for a deal longer. Elizabeth says, “I came to know Martha very early in my life when she was my babysitter.” Even at an early age, Martha impressed her as someone who “never sat down.” Elizabeth continues: “I can still remember watching her work. Whether it was giving a bath, vacuuming or simply wiping down the counters, she always remained busy.” One client’s mother echoes that Martha comes in with a “can-do” attitude, never complains, and is the one constant that [she and her mother] can depend on.” The client’s case manager has even offered that Martha has gone “above and beyond with her concern and caring while providing in-home services for over two years,” despite her client’s many medical and personal challenges during that time. Even Nursing Supervisor Donna Lee commends Martha by adding, “Her work ethic and devotion to her clients is truly admirable.” Donna recalls one client sharing during a supervisory visit that Martha needed new shoes because her feet hurt. She comments: “I had forgotten that Martha did not have a car and must walk from case to case or take the bus. I wondered how many miles this 61-year-old lady had on her shoes. I’ve never heard her complain.” Elizabeth adds, “Amazingly, through the snow and ice storms of recent years and many days of inclement weather, she has called out only once.” Martha is known to get around and spread sunshine to her clients, and yes, office staff as well. When one of Martha’s clients passed away, she would come in to her office every week to remind everyone that she was available for work. Staff Supervisor Nicole Combs recalls her visits. “It’s like a ray of sunshine has entered the office. No matter how bad of a day it has been, Martha brightens up the day.”