Maria Giannino, Director of Hospital-at-Home Program at Nascentia Health, Syracuse, New York

For Maria Giannino, nursing isn’t just a job, it’s her life’s mission—a mission that began four decades ago when she started her career in the hospital setting as an intensive care pediatric nurse. With a passion for pediatrics and a desire to do something new, she eventually found herself in pediatric homecare at Nascentia Health. 

This was 32 years ago, and Giannino said that at the time, they were the only pediatric homecare in central New York. 

“When I came on, pediatrics was just starting,” she said. “They only had seven patients.” 

Now, Nascentia Health may serve more than 400 pediatric patients at a time, in part thanks to Giannino’s efforts. 

Giannino has championed the establishment of a pediatric foundation through the Visiting Nursing Association of Central New York. She uses her voice to call for better access to highquality homecare for those who might not be able to afford it. 

“Her dedication, not just to her patients, but to their families and the broader community, has created a legacy of care that will continue to influence and inspire generations of homecare workers,” Ryan Pyland wrote in his nomination for Giannino. “She is a true embodiment of the spirit of nursing, selflessly sacrificing her time, energy and personal moments to ensure her patients’ safety and comfort.” 

A special part of pediatric home health is the way caregivers become intertwined with the family they are helping. 

“I was invited to a wedding of one of our patients,” she said. “You really feel appreciated, and it just becomes part of who we are as nurses. We are there to help, and in return, they become part of our family, as well.” 

There are many standout moments in her career that make her believe she’s in the right profession and that have developed her into who she is today. 

She remembers a time when she was taking care of a child in end-of-life care. She sat with the child and his mother for most of the day and evening. 

“Just being able to be with her and him to help things go smoothly, I think that was a part that really said, ‘This is where you need to be,’” Giannino said. “That was many years ago, and she just kept telling me how much I was her angel. But in reality, it was them that gave me the insight that this is where my life belongs—in homecare, helping others.” 

Whether she’s in one-on-one moments with patients and families or tackling larger-scale projects, such as education and advocacy, Giannino says her focus is community. It’s something she says the world needs more of, ranging from support amongst older and younger health care workers to community services and the community needed to care for someone in their home. 

At the end of the day, she says, it’s people that make life seem kinder, even in the hardest moments. 

“I treat my families like I want to be treated—like I want my family to be treated,” she said. “I’m hoping that they take a little piece of that and maybe pass it on, because I think that’s what we need more of around here, is a lot of compassion for each other.” 

Once she found herself in homecare, Giannino couldn’t see herself doing anything else, and she doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. 

“If I didn’t go into home health and become a homecare nurse, who knows what I would’ve been like,” Giannino said. “I just feel that it just gives you so much empathy and compassion for people who really are in need. I love what I do, so when I think about eventually retiring, I’m still going to do this.”