Year Two Heroes
The second National Heroes of the Year were announced and recognized in March 2001 at the Bayada Nurses Awards Weekend. The links below provide information on the National Heroes of the Year plus all the National and Division Heroes for the 2nd quarter 2000, the 3rd quarter 2000, the 4th quarter 2000 and the 1st quarter 2001. It is from these four quarters that eligible nominees for the second Heroes of the Year were chosen.

Second Annual National Heroes of the Year
By rising to the challenge of meeting our high standards for skilled, caring, and reliable home care, our national heroes represent all we can be proud of at Bayada Nurses. Their work epitomizes our noble purpose of helping people live with independence and dignity in the comfort of their own home, despite illness or disability. Having gained the respect of both their supervisors and their clients, we are excited to honor them with the recognition they deserve.

RN Category: Nancy Bojarski, Burlington (BUR) Office, Burlington NJ
LPN Category: Charles Costello, Burlington (BUR) Office, Burlington NJ
HHA Category: Iris Rodriguez, Philadelphia Contract (PCA) Office, Philadelphia, PA

1st Quarter 2001 National and Division Heroes
4th Quarter 2000 National and Division Heroes
3rd Quarter 2000 National and Division Heroes
2nd Quarter 2000 National and Division Heroes

Nancy Bojarski, RN, has been nurse to her quadriplegic client for 8 years, but the client's declining health over the past two years has truly been a test of her skill. The client has been hospitalized frequently, sometimes for up to six months at a time. Nursing Supervisor Ellen Weist explains: "Nancy traveled to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia for her shifts. The client was at 'death's door' many times and it was Nancy who interceded with the hospital staff. They often depended on her years of experience with and knowledge of the patient. I feel she was responsible for saving the patient's life more than once. When the patient was trached and vented, Nancy willingly became skilled and competent in these areas through training. She is currently in the final process of obtaining her Pennsylvania license. All this in order to provide continuity of care." Ellen continued, "Each summer, Nancy travels to Ocean City-again to assist her client in his home there. Together with her skill and caring, Nancy maintains her sense of humor, often joking and teasing her patient into good quality of life." Staff Supervisor Mary Hockstein indicated, "Nancy is a day-to-day heroine. She is dedicated beyond measure to her client and his family while maintaining her professional demeanor. She is only frustrated when she feels she cannot do enough for him".

Charles "Chuck" Costello, LPN, has been faced with challenges of his own over the past two years during which his client has required many hospitalizations. Nursing Supervisor Ellen Wiest explained that Chuck faithfully traveled to Philadelphia to cover each of his shifts during that time. Because his client's condition had been so critical most of that time, the hospital staff did not know the client. However, Ellen says, "Chuck did. He interceded so often and literally was responsible for saving the client's life many times." Dedicated to being able to meet his client's changing needs, Chuck undertook a lengthy trach/vent training program at the hospital and subsequently fulfilled all of Bayada's competency requirements. Ellen commented, "He excelled in all aspects of care and even acted as troubleshooter and mechanical genius when needed." Having originally been considered assigned to one of the office's "easy" cases, Chuck has proven to the office staff and his client that he can successfully rise to a challenge.

Iris Rodriguez has been providing dependable, sensitive, quality service over the nearly 20 years she has been with Bayada, according to Director David Roarty. He added, "Because she is bilingual, she has assisted supervisors in translating for many Spanish speaking clients over the years." Senior Staff Supervisor Beth Jemison was quick to point out that Iris is not just someone who quietly goes about her work, merely doing what is expected. Beth says, "Iris has changed the lives of many clients. When Iris started on (one case in particular), the house was pest-ridden and the client was bed-bound." Iris' hard work and resourcefulness has resulted in a "home that is now much less pest-ridden and the consumer is able to ambulate on the second floor." The client agrees that Iris takes very good care of him, and says she even calls him at home on the days she is not scheduled. In his book, "She's the best!"