(l) Mary Ballantyne, Yana Kindrachuk and Deborah Jacques from Oregon Hospice Association (OHA) pose after Yana’s selection to the OHA Dream Team.
Yana Kindrachuk, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) for Housecall Providers Hospice was selected to the 2014 Oregon Hospice Dream Team at an award ceremony held September 30th in Bend, Oregon. The ceremony, part of the annual Oregon Hospice Conference, honors individuals who exemplify the best in quality hospice care. Yana is Housecall Providers’ second Dream Team member following the selection last year of Volunteer Coordinator, Todd Lawrence.
“I’m sincerely grateful and surprised to receive this award; it means a great deal to me,” Yana said. “I feel affirmed and inspired to do an even better job as I continue to work towards my goal of becoming a nurse. This award wouldn’t have been possible without the great team at Housecall Providers.”
The Dream Team is comprised of a statewide winner from each discipline within hospice, the medical, social services, bereavement, and volunteer fields. Yana was nominated by her supervisor, Mary Ballantyne, RN-BC who was immediately impressed by the young woman’s professional work ethic and spirit. “Yana’s ambition, intelligence and dependability are second only to the compassionate care she brings to each and every patient she sees. She is one of our exceptional ambassadors and I am privileged to work with her.”
A special skill set that Yana brings to her work is being fluent in Russian. The ability to speak two languages has been a great asset when delivering care to Russian patients who are not bilingual. In such instances, first encounters are smoothed over as soon as she starts conversing to patients in their native tongue. Her calm and comfortable manner puts all at ease, especially those patients who are particularly stressed or worried.
“I believe CNAs have one of the hardest jobs in the medical profession and one that is so relevant to the care of our frail and elderly patients. Yana is one of those aides who gives 100% to each of her patients and as a result, they feel emotionally and physically supported,” Mary said.
Visiting Bend was an experience to remember for Yana who took pleasure in meeting so many wonderful and accomplished people from hospices all over Oregon. Even so, it is apparent the limelight is not a comfortable place for her and at first opportunity she looks to share the spotlight with those around her. “As much as I appreciate this award and as grateful as I am for it, the greatest reward I’ve ever been given is the simple opportunity to work with so many kindhearted and selfless people,” she said.
