Year
Five Heroes
The fifth National Heroes of the Year were announced and recognized in
May 2004 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 1st quarter 2003, the 2nd quarter 2003, 3rd Quarter
2003, the 4th quarter 2003. It is from these four quarters that eligible
nominees for the fifth Heroes of the Year were chosen.
Fifth 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: Eileen Stengel, Burlington
(BUR) Office, Maple Shade, NJ
LPN Category: Maryann Parvasse,
Lawrenceville (LAW) Office, Lawrenceville, NJ
HHA Category: Maria L. Garcia,
Union (UNI) Office, Union, NJ
1st
Quarter 2003 National and Division Heroes
2nd Quarter 2003 National and Division
Heroes
3rd Quarter 2003 National and Division
Heroes
4th Quarter 2003 National and Division
Heroes
Eileen Stengel, RN, has worked
for Bayada Nurses since 2000. During this time, she has primarily worked
with a quadriplegic client who has a trach and vent. Her work with this
client and his family is evident in the heartfelt words they submitted
as part of the award nomination package. From the client: “Lee is
very caring and always puts that extra ‘umph’ in whatever
she does for me and my family. She is always cheerful and happy and that
overflows to our family. Sometimes it is not so pleasant at home, but
she adds some sunshine to make it a little easier. I feel I would have
never made it as far and accomplished as much without the help of Lee
Stengel.” From the client’s wife: “She is on top of
things that go into caring for my husband. She will go above and beyond
the call of duty to be a great nurse and friend to him. Knowing she is
taking care of him is such a great comfort to me, and I have the utmost
confidence in her. She makes this way of life easier to handle because
of her positive and upbeat attitude. She is so supportive of my husband,
our children and myself. She will fill in the empty slots in the schedule
so that I am able to work and have time to meet my children’s needs.
She will work with the other nurses so that they can be flexible with
their hours. She makes his friends feel comfortable. She makes us all
feel that this is not a job to her—she genuinely cares about his
well-being, happiness and his health and does all she can to make things
better for him. We are all very, very fortunate to have her in our lives.
Maryann Parvasse, LPN, is an adult and pediatric trach/vent nurse who has worked for Bayada Nurses for almost three years. Maryann was nominated as a Hero on the Home Front by her Nursing Supervisors Laura Latour and Tess Kaminski, who praised Maryann for her skill, dedication, reliability and flexibility. One example of Maryann's exceptional nursing skills and tremendous compassion were demonstrated when she worked with a terminally ill patient. Maryann served as the full-time day nurse-working into the evening as needed. The skilled care she provided gave clinical support to the patient, but the gentleness and caring she showed gave much more. Examples include small things like cutting and coloring the patient's hair and big things like learning to read lips to better communicate with the patient. In addition to supporting her patient, she also helped the patient's husband get through a very difficult time. Because he needed to work, Maryann worked her schedule around his business needs-staying late so he could attend meetings and even travel as necessary. She also helped the patient cook dinner for her family-helping to create lasting memories the family will cherish forever. When the patient died, Maryann was by her side-stroking her hair and offering comfort as she slipped away. Maryann has also demonstrated her skills with pediatric patients-working on a difficult case with a patient who is angry, frustrated and very strong. However, Maryann has been able to get the child to respond to her and is often able to get the child to school with no problems or tantrums. Her commitment and dedication to all her clients truly demonstrate what makes Maryann such a gifted and special nurse.
Maria
Garcia is a CHHA who has worked for Bayada Nurses
for nearly two years. Nursing Supervisor Laura Eppel says: "She has
proven time and time again that she can make lemonade out of a basket
of overripe lemons." One of Maria's clients had been discharged from
other agencies due to a myriad of psychiatric issues. The client was a
350-pound, unkempt woman with a dirty apartment, known by the local police
for complaints about her surly nature. Laura shared, "By the end
of our tenure with this client, she was showering every day, eating a
low-fat diet, and smiling and telling jokes with me. Maria redecorated
the apartment for the client, cleaning every nook and cranny until it
positively glistened. By example, Maria taught this woman respect for
herself and others." Similar results were attained with a client
who has Parkinson's disease, was severely depressed and who primarily
speaks Cantonese. Although Maria's primary language is Spanish, Laura
explains, "Somehow, the universal language of love and caring that
Maria exhibits in her daily activities has brought this client out of
her depression." Turning this client from "a woman unable to
have a happy thought" to someone who "smiles during monthly
visits and takes more of an active interest in daily care" is another
testament to Maria's efforts, says Laura. Maria is known to spread smiles
wherever she treads-including Bayada's Union office. Taking it upon herself
to learn when all the staff birthdays are, she personally bakes each a
special cake. Laura concludes by indicating Maria's "chutzpah and
sparkle, caring nature and phenomenal sense of duty" are what distinguish
her as a Bayada Nurses Hero on the Home Front.
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