Maxim Healthcare Services proudly announces that Tina Swoda, LVN, has been named Maxim’s Caregiver of the Year for the West region. The Caregiver of the Year award recognizes nurses, caregivers and behavioral health professionals who embody our values and demonstrate excellence with their patients and communities. In her four years with Maxim, Tina has significantly impacted the military and veteran communities in the Austin, Texas, area.
A caregiver since the age of 15 and mother to a veteran – Tina has a deep-rooted appreciation for the nation’s service members and calls herself ‘A Nurse for ALS Veterans.’ Her first Maxim patient had ALS and suffered from panic attacks and anxiety due to their disease, and Tina was able to put them and their family at ease through her passion and commitment. Unfortunately, the patient passed away due to a combination of ALS and COVID-19, but Tina cared for them up to the end while following COVID protocols.
Currently, Tina cares for Carol Carter, another veteran with ALS who needs care with all of her daily activities. Carol and her family recalled an instance where the power went out and compromised the equipment Carol relied on. Tina did not panic and immediately got the generator going, “I knew then that she was the missing piece of the puzzle that my family and I needed to help us organize our lives and return to some form of normalcy.”
Ahmad Abderrahman, Senior Business Development Manager, shared, “There hasn’t been a single family that we have taken Tina to that hasn’t said I need more of Tina. She stands for everything that the company believes in… Tina’s compassion and commitment to caring for the veteran community is truly remarkable. She makes such a difference in the lives of her patients and their families every day, and we are incredibly proud of her for this much deserved recognition.”
In addition to her responsibilities to her patients, Tina helps train and orient new nurses by facilitating skills advancement training courses. Her extensive experience and expertise have made her a trusted resource for new nurses and an integral part of her office. In recognition of her contributions, her office has presented her with all of its available awards: The Passionate Professional Award, Leadership Award, Caregiver of the Month and Office Caregiver of the Year. Jennifer Havins, Clinical Supervisor in the Austin office, commented, “Tina is one of the best nurses I have ever worked with. I deeply admire her passion and willingness to always help others, whether that’s caring for her clients or helping her colleagues.”
Tina is one of four regional winners selected from hundreds of nominations across the country. One of our regional winners will be chosen as the National Caregiver of the Year at this year’s award ceremony.
Watch Tina’s video to learn more about how she provides necessary care to members of the military community.
*Patient information and likeness featured with the consent of the patient/family*
