Henry Ford Home Health Care Nurse Chin Won Hwang has never let obstacles come between her and her love of nursing, nor has she allowed obstacles to come between her patients and their care.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Chin spoke limited English when she moved to the United States. She was educated at EWHA Women's University of Korea and had a background in nursing when she arrived in California. Determined to practice here in the U.S., Chin refused to let cultural or language barriers deter her from pursuing her passion.

Through her own perseverance, as well as the help of her co-workers, Chin became more fluent in her speech. She found her niche in community nursing and practiced as a case manager and IV nurse for a home health agency in Torrance, Calif. During the Los Angeles riots in 1992, Chin acted as the Korean community liaison to ensure that the community was represented during the recovery period. She has also helped Korean patients understand their diagnosis and care plans by acting as a translator. Chin has always been an advocate for the needs of others.

Seven years ago, Chin and her husband relocated to southeast Michigan and Chin brought her passion for nursing to Henry Ford Health System.

As a community health nurse at Henry Ford Home Health Care's Harper Woods office, Chin faces each patient care challenge with a creative and open mind.

Recently, when one of Chin's patients traveled to Thailand for stem cell transplantation, Chin was determined to make the patient's trip as safe and as comfortable as possible. Chin quickly realized that the patient, who was being treated for congestive heart failure, and his wife, were anxious not only about the stem cell procedure, but also about the 22-hour trip.

Chin knew that the challenge of maintaining the patient's IV Milrinone medication and infusion pump during his stay would deter most patients from even making the journey. But Chin's compassion, dedication and ability to teach the patient and his wife how to safely overcome their obstacles helped resolve their fears.

Prior to the patient's departure, Chin reviewed all of the needed supplies with him and his wife. She made sure they had the correct amount of medication and that all items were properly packed to ensure that the medication would remain cold for the long trip. Chin exchanged e-mail addresses with the patient's wife and maintained regular contact with her from across the globe to answer their questions and address their concerns.

"Chin was able to build our confidence and better prepare us for the long trip to Thailand," the patient's wife said. "We are optimistic. I feel that Chin had a lot to do with us handling this long and scary process."

As a nurse, Chin has the rare ability to provide complicated care including PICC/Mid-line insertion, Left Ventricular Assistive Device (LVAD) care and high-tech infusion care, while managing a panel of patients with a family-centered approach.

Her technical skills are top-notch and are complemented by her detailed assessment and documentation skills. Patients, family members and staff are immediately captivated by her bright and genuine smile and are quickly comforted and impressed by her clinical expertise. And Chin is willing to take on any case at any time. She travels from Rochester Hills to Detroit on weekdays and weekends, and eagerly helps her colleagues as they strive to provide the type of care they would all want for their own family members.