Yojana Tsui, RN, MSN

When Yojana Tsui first started working at Islands Hospice more than five years ago as a hospice RN case manager, she admits she had no idea what hospice or case management meant. However, within a couple of days, she knew this was exactly where she belonged.

“I like caring for patients, listening to their stories, and crying with them. Hospice and palliative care is my home!” she said. 

Yojana also worked as a Supportive Care RN Case Manager and Clinical Liaison before transitioning to her current role, Transitional Care RN. 

Transitional care involves educating patients and coordinating their care. Yojana visits patients in the community and at home, listens to their needs and works with insurance companies, health care providers, social workers, liaisons and other members of the care team.

“I absolutely love each and every one of my coworkers,” she said. “I work with wonderful individuals who have the biggest heart for the people in need and I am humbled everyday by the amount of love and care they give to our patients out in the community. It’s all about the teamwork!”

She recalls one patient who was in pain for months but did not want to question their provider’s treatment plan. Yojana listened to the patient and encouraged them to visit an oncologist. After several visits, the patient finally agreed to seek a second opinion and was diagnosed with early-stage cancer. Without the transitional care program, Yojana says the patient may have waited too long to see a doctor and had far less treatment options.

Although her job keeps her busy, Yojana has managed to balance work with continuing her education. She earned her Master of Science in nursing from the University of Hawaii, and recently earned her post-master’s adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner certificate from Hawaii Pacific University and is working toward her board exam. Being a nurse practitioner will enable her to expand her role and provide an even higher level of care to her patients.

Caring for people is Yojana’s biggest passion. In 2016, she started a small children’s home in Nepal, where she was born, to provide a place for children and their caregivers who don’t have anywhere else to go. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons and considers her patients at Islands Hospice her extended family.

“I tend to get attached to [my patients]. I am always blessed more in return by their love, generosity and open arms,” Yojana said. "They look forward to my visits and I look forward to visiting them.”