Testimonial - Yelena Mijatovic

Yelena Mijatovic
ICU Nursing Assistant  

"Nursing assistants promote well-being and serve as a bridge"

After moving to France from Serbia in 2007 following her training as a nursing assistant, Yelena Mijatovic chose Gustave Roussy for her first job. “It was while watching the TV show *Le Magazine de la santé* that I first heard about the Institute, which was right next to my home.” Hired in the Indre-et-Loire brachytherapy unit, she learned on the job and, within a few months, mastered both the language and the role of a nursing assistant in oncology. “The work is different from what you might see in a more traditional medical department, because we care for chronic patients with whom we develop close relationships.”

Quickly put at ease by a “caring” team, she joined the intensive care unit in 2017 within Gustave Roussy’s Interdisciplinary Department of Patient Care Pathways to continue learning. The young nursing assistant, who is professionally curious, discovered various medical conditions and new procedures there. “The job is both technical—with a focus on cleanliness, infection prevention, and pressure sores—all key elements of good patient care. Furthermore, we play a central role in defining the care plan: at a time when respecting the wishes and values of the patient is essential, nursing assistants receive information from patients that they sometimes don’t share with anyone else—and that only we can relay to the doctors.” Yelena also joined the Gustave Roussy Paramedical Research Commission (CoRePa) when it was founded in January 2022 to support professionals in developing research projects.

Skilled in active listening and empathy, she likes to think that “a nursing assistant promotes well-being and serves as a link between the patient, their loved ones, and the doctor.” Proud of her “noble profession,” her greatest reward is seeing the smiles or gestures of those she cares for every day—sometimes right up until the end.

While there’s no real cure for letting off steam, Yelena enjoys meeting up with her colleagues in the break room “to chat and try to improve. Every new day is different, with a new life coming in and another story beginning.”

The young woman appreciates her three-day workweek with 12-hour shifts, “which allows for better patient care.” She envisions continuing her career at Gustave Roussy, where “working conditions are good, with plenty of resources and short training sessions available.” Her favorite? Hypnosis.

Outside of work, Yelena enjoys going out with her colleagues, who have become her “little family and friends.” Like her, many have chosen a career in healthcare driven by the same desire to “show compassion.”