Meet Janine: The Quiet Strength Behind the Care
Some of the most meaningful nursing happens quietly, at the bedside, in conversation, and in the moments when a nurse notices what someone needs before they even have to ask, offering care with intention, respect and compassion.
For Ninotchka Janine Galut, BSN, RN, that care has become part of her everyday practice.
Janine, who works in the Lānaʻi unit at the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home, was honored through the 25th edition of the DAISY Award, an annual tradition that recognizes nurses for the difference they make in the lives of their patients, families and colleagues. The DAISY Foundation celebrates nurses for the extraordinary, compassionate care they provide every day. Janine is the first DAISY Award honoree at a Veterans care home in Hawaiʻi, marking a special milestone for the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home.
In June 2025, the facility was only about three to four months into its journey after opening. During that same period, the Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi units opened, bringing new residents, new routines and new opportunities for the nursing team to establish what compassionate care would look like in their new home.
There was a lot to learn and a lot to do, but through it all, Janine became someone her colleagues could depend on. Quiet, confident and proactive, she knows what she is doing, she works well with others and pays close attention to what residents need. She takes initiative, follows through and stays one step ahead, making sure residents have the information and support they need while helping her team provide thoughtful, dependable care.
Whether it is explaining what a resident should expect, following up on vital signs, preparing for an X-ray or making sure important information is communicated, she is thinking ahead.
More Than Completing Tasks
Before joining the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home, Janine brought prior experience caring for older adults from her work in a skilled nursing facility. For her, nursing is about more than completing tasks. It is about getting to know the person behind the care plan, noticing when something feels different, paying attention to the little things and being present.
She wants to see what she has with her patients and get a sense of what the day may bring. By starting early, she can prepare, understand what each resident may need and stay ahead of their care. It is a simple routine, but it shows her sense of responsibility to the Veterans she serves and the team she works with.
Checking In, Not Just Checking On
Director of Nursing Brian Lesko described Janine's approach in a way that gets to the heart of her nursing practice.
“Janine never just checks on a resident; she truly checks in with them.”
Janine takes the extra moment to sit at eye level, listen to residents' stories and make sure they feel seen as people, not simply as patients.
That same sense of care extends to the people around her. She works closely with her fellow nurses, steps in when help is needed and brings a steady presence to the team.
The Calm in the Center of the Storm
When asked what he would want Janine to know about why she is so valued by Veterans, their families and her fellow nurses, Brian said:
“I’d want Janine to know that she is the calm in the center of the storm.”
For Veterans, he said, Janine brings a sense of peace and dignity that honors their lives and their service. For families, she provides the reassurance they need when they leave their loved ones at the facility and return home. And for the nursing team, she is the steady, reliable presence they can lean on.
“She doesn’t just provide care; she builds trust,” Brian said. Sometimes the greatest impact a nurse can make is not through one extraordinary act, but through hundreds of small acts of care that tell another person: You are seen. You are heard. You matter.
And that is exactly the kind of nursing worth celebrating.
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