4th Quarter 2001 National and Division Heroes

National Heroes

RN Category: Billie Norton - Edelweiss Division, Paoli (PAO) Office, Paoli, PA
LPN Category: Christine Olweean - Dogwood Division, Winston-Salem Skilled (WS) Office, Winston-Salem, NC
HHA Category: Dorian Burchell - Snapdragon Division, Cherry Hill (CH) Office, Cherry Hill, NJ

Division Heroes

Division

Name / Category

 Office / City / State
Cattails Loretta McMillan, HHA

PCA West (PW) Office, Philadelphia, PA
Dogwoods Vincent Szwarc, RN
Christine Olweean, LPN*
Jodi MacGill, HHA 		Winston-Salem (WIN) Office, Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem (WIN) Office, Winston-Salem, NC
Charlotte Personal Care (CPC) Office, Charlotte, NC
Edelweiss Billie Norton, RN*
Hattie Hennigan, LPN
Wendy Isaac, HHA 		Paoli (PAO) Office, Paoli, PA
Wayne (WAY) Office, Wayne, PA
King of Prussia (KOP) Office, King of Prussia, PA
Forget-Me-Nots Suzanne Onstine, RN
Irene Jackson, HHA 		Pinellas Park (PP) Office, Pinellas Park, FL
Tampa (TAM) Office, Tampa, FL
Roses Charmane Braxton, HHA University City (UC) Office, Philadelphia, PA
Snapdragons Suzanne Justice, RN
Joan Grillo, LPN
Dorian Burchell, HHA* 		Lawrenceville (LAW) Office, Lawrenceville, NJ
Burlington (BUR) Office, Burlington, NJ
Cherry Hill (CH) Office, Cherry Hill, NJ
Sunflowers

Suzanne Seaman, RN
Tracy Johnson, LPN
Vivian Gianfarcaro, HHA

Pediatrics (PED) Office, Morris Plains, NJ
Wilkes Barre - Scranton (WBS) Office, Pittston, PA
Wilkes Barre - Scranton (WBS) Office, Pittston, PA
Tulips Sonia Albany, RN
Shanna Riale, LPN
Karen Wilson, HHA 		Wilmington Visits (WV) Office, Wilmington, DE
Delaware Pediatrics (DP) Office, New Castle, DE
Wilmington Private Duty (WPD) Office, Wilmington, DE

* denotes National Hero of the Quarter

Billie Norton's skill, caring and compassion are demonstrated by her work with a pediatric patient who suffered from a rare disorder that is often fatal. Although many nurses declined to work on this difficult and heart-wrenching case, Billie accepted the night shift for five nights a week without hesitation. She quickly formed a strong bond and friendship with her patient-earning the endearment "My Billie." A heartfelt letter written by the patient's mother highlights the special skill and talent that Norton brings to her work: "My respect, admiration and love for Billie's dedication to her profession…cannot be expressed in words. It was only through her help and compassion (and the rest of the Bayada staff) that my daughter was given the comfort and dignity to die in her own home. She deserves [this honor] because she stood tall professionally during the medical crisis, yet shared her time and heart with a little girl and her family when they needed it most."

Christine Olweean's skill, caring and compassion are illustrated by her years of work on a very high-tech case. She goes to great lengths to meet the needs of the entire family and ensure coverage for the family's two special needs children. This involves regularly rearranging her schedule to accommodate the family's needs-going so far as to reschedule her own vacation, her own children's schedules, and working on holidays during a time of need. She is also extremely reliable-never calling out once in the past two years. On one of the rare times she did call out, it was because a tornado had removed the top of her house. Olweean's skills are also exemplary. She helped keep one of her patients with a central line free of infection for more than 8 years. The parents also appreciate her willingness to consider the needs of the entire family-not just her patients. On the nomination form, the mother of her two patients wrote: "I couldn't make it without her, and I don't want to try."

 
Dorian Burchell is a Hero on the Home Front for several reasons. On one occasion, Dorian was caring for her client, who went to sit on the porch to smoke a cigarette. Dorian was standing in the doorway, talking to the client's primary caregiver, when she noticed that the client had accidentally left his lighter on and put it in his pocket. Noticing the flames, Dorian raced to the client, quickly removed his shirt, and smothered the flames on his chest while the caregiver called 911. According to the caregiver and the client, Dorian saved the client's life: "Due to her quick thinking, he is alive today-she is great." Afterwards, the Fire Chief called Bayada Nurses to praise Dorian's excellent thinking and quick response. Dorian is also a hero because of her work with a client who suffers from severe Alzheimer's. Dorian is the only aide who has been able to consistently get the client dressed and ready for day care. The client is very difficult and requires tremendous patience, which Dorian has shown in abundance. Her cheerfulness, willingness to help, and reliability make Dorian a hero to both office staff and clients.  
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