2012 Award Recipient
Selina Quandahl, RN

Congratulations to Selina Quandahl, RN, a recipient of the 2012 Compassionfirst Award. She currently works as a staff nurse at Winneshiek County Public Health Nursing Service in Decorah, IA. We are pleased to honor her hard work and commitment to caring.

Nominated by Krista Vanden Brink, Administrator at Winneshiek County Public Health Nursing Service, the following letter describes Selina’s incredible passion for caregiving, not only for her patients, but for her family too.

Selina is a very dedicated caregiver. Prior to beginning her employment with us, she worked in several area nursing homes. When I interviewed her, she said part of her dream was to open a hospice house. Little did anyone know how real this would become. Selina has been a staff nurse for our agency since October 2003. She needed very little training. Selina is a quick learner and is an eager learner. She is willing to step up to pick up referrals for home care clients. She has an amazing rapport with clients. Very quickly, trust is established between clients, families and herself.

Selina can be firm and yet very compassionate. One such instance is with her "client up north." When she received the referral, she knew that the larger family could be an issue. She worked to help ensure that client established a power of attorney and a medical power of attorney. She coordinated care between a local physician and the VA. This client had wounds that he thought and had been told would never heal. Selina, through her persistence, convinced the client to have life and limb saving surgery--and the wounds healed! He regularly tells Selina that she saved his life. She didn't give up on him.

Currently, as of today (August 9, 2012), Selina is the caregiver for her 4 year daughter. Kaitlyn was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor on July 29.

Selina and her family were told they only had a few precious weeks with Kaitlyn. On Tuesday, August 7, Selina and her husband took Kaitlyn home from the hospital. Kaitlyn is receiving hospice care from an area hospice agency but, in the meantime, Selina is providing care. She called our office the other day and mentioned that she didn't realize how much the hospital nurses were doing for her in caring for Kaitlyn because now much of it falls on her shoulders. Selina loves nothing more than to care for her daughter in her last days. She realizes this will be very difficult. In many ways, Selina has opened her hospice house. Many parents would too want to care for their dying child but, Selina has the skills of a nurse that also kick in and it's hard to separate Nurse Selina from being a Mommy. I cannot think of a more compassionate, dedicated nurse who provides simply some of the very best caregiving to her clients and her family.

As an award recipient, Selina Quandrahl received a $500 cash prize from HEALTHCAREfirst. She was also recognized by HEALTHCAREfirst at the 2012 National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) Annual Meeting and the 2012 NHPCO (National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization) Clinical Team Conference.

2012 Award Recipient
Myra Clark

Congratulations to Myra Clark, a recipient of the 2012 Compassionfirst Award. She currently works as the Clinical Manager at Mount Carmel Hospice and Palliative Care in Columbus, OH. We are pleased to honor her many years of dedication to hospice care.

Nominated by Lori Yosick, Executive Director at Mount Carmel Hospice and Palliative Care, the following letter describes Myra’s long standing devotion of caring for others in hospice.

Myra has devoted over 30 years (more than 1/2 of her life) to hospice work. As a clinician, a mentor, a coach and manager, she has a tenacity and fearlessness in developing programs, leading teams, mentoring staff, and helping people leave this world with the same sense of peace and love that most experienced when they entered this world.

Myra’s B.S and M.A degrees are in Counseling. She has worked in a helping capacity since the mid 1970’s at Suicide Prevention, and Community Mental Health.

In 1979 she began her journey and life’s work with Hospice as an Education and Bereavement Coordinator at Hospice of Columbus. Before “Hospice” was even a Medicare benefit, Myra was part of a team that recognized the unmet needs of dying patients, and grieving family members, and worked to provide care and support.

In 1985, when Mount Carmel Health System opened a Hospice Program, Myra recognized the needs of families not only during a loved one’s stay in hospice but continuing after the death. She pioneered the bereavement program at Mount Carmel. She recognized the need for a place for families to share their grief and to learn from each other while they processed their loss.

She is the force behind the Mount Carmel Hospice Evergreen Program, developing the concept, making it work and continuing to foster innovation in the program.

She brings to all of her work in hospice her sense of personal commitment to helping others heal, a commitment to worth of the individual, and a sense of personal strength and dignity.

While she is primarily in a manager role, she never hesitates to go on a patient visit, or meet with a grieving family member in our hospitals. She continues to provide direct care and supports the team in any way that is needed.

Myra continues to be a core foundation of the program, and the barometer of the mission and passion that drives our care. She is so much deserved of this award that will honor over 30 years of dedication and service to Hospice, and is a true pioneer for what we continue to do each and every day.

As the award recipient, Myra Clark received a $500 cash prize from HEALTHCAREfirst. She was also recognized by HEALTHCAREfirst at the 2012 National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) Annual Meeting and the 2012 NHPCO (National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization) Clinical Team Conference.

2012 Award Finalist
Joe Turnell

Congratulations to Joe Turnell, a finalist of the 2012 Compassionfirst Award. He is currently a volunteer at St. Mary’s Hospice in Watkinsville, GA. We are pleased to honor his many of years volunteering in hospice and beyond.

Nominated by Patsy Massey, Volunteer Services Coordinator at St. Mary’s Hospice the following letter describes Joe’s incredible dedication and commitment to volunteer work for hospice.

Joe graduated from high school and went into the Army. He served in Vietnam. The terrible things he saw in the war caused Joe to examine himself. Joe knew he wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. When he came home, Joe went to college taking a full load of courses and working 40 hours per week for 4 years, summers included. Joe worked for 33 years. He retired and informed his wife that he wanted to do the Lord’s work and give back as much as he could to his community. Joe’s mother lost her eyesight in 1999 and his stepfather had the beginnings of dementia. Joe was their caregiver for the next 11 years . Joe’s mother died in 2004 and his stepfather died in 2010. Joe continued to care for his stepfather after his mother passed. Joe spent 16 hours a day with them, but it was out of love, not because he had to do it.

Joe was the St. Mary’s volunteer assigned to a gentleman who served in the military. The gentleman felt unworthy of forgiveness because of the things he did in wartime and was afraid of dying. Joe was a devoted volunteer for over two years to this man. If the patient went to the hospital, Joe went to visit. If the patient was at the Hospice House, Joe went to visit. It did not matter where the patient went, Joe would visit him faithfully. Joe spent countless hours talking with this gentleman about his own war experiences. This helped the gentleman accept forgiveness and made the patient’s passing easier. Joe invested in this person on a unique level. That level made a world of difference to this dying patient. The patient passed away at peace with himself and God.

2012 Award Finalist
James Vearil

Congratulations to James Vearil, a finalist of the 2012 Compassionfirst Award. He currently works at PHC Home Health in Charleston, SC as a staff Occupational Therapist. We are pleased to honor his hard work and commitment to caring.

Nominated by Sarah Gassman Schultz, Director of Home Health at PHC Home Health, the following letter describes Jame’s tireless dedication and compassion for home health care.

Jim Vearil gives of himself selflessly over and over again to our patients and staff. He is humble and quietly works behind the scenes to help others have a better life.

In home health we so often have patients who are in need. Jim’s second job is shopping at the Goodwill where he stocks up on much needed DME that he knows our patients will need and will not be able to afford. On any given day he can be seen delivering bedside commodes, bath benches, walkers, canes, hospital beds, anything we can imagine to a patient or to another therapist needing one for their patient. He gives his personal time to families who need support.

Jim is the “go to guy” for any staff member in need. He is the only ray of sunshine some of his elderly patients may see over the weekend when he drops in with food and cheer and does not leave without doing a chore. He gives so much of his personal time and resources to benefit the patients of PHC, not just his own, but others as well. I honestly do not know a more compassionate, kind and dedicated individual.

This nomination and gift would come as such as a surprise to Jim. His motivation and rewards are internal and he does not realize he is doing anything out of the ordinary. This award would show Jim just what a positive impact he makes in the lives of others, not once or twice but on a daily basis. We are truly blessed to have Jim on our team.