Josh Velie

Left to right: DM of Eau Claire, left, nominated Josh Velie, RN for the DAISY Award for his care of her mother-in-law who died in February.

An honor and a privilege. That’s how registered nurse Josh Velie described the end-of-life situation in which he cared for patient “Peg”, who died in February. His efforts were much appreciated by Peg’s family.

Josh was a great nurse when caring for my mother-in-law. He was kind and caring. Not only did he tend to her needs, he always wanted to know if we wanted anything, had any questions, explained to us what we could expect to happen. One night about 3 (a.m.), she tried to get out of bed. She was very weak. I called for him to help us settle her down. When he came in, he asked her where she was going. She said she wanted to sit on the edge of her bed. She hadn’t been out of bed for days, and she was very weak. So, he helped her to sit on the edge of her bed, and he sat down next to her with his arm around her for support. He truly cared for her. She only sat there for about five minutes. It made her happy!

He always treated her with the respect she deserved. Many times when he worked and wasn’t her nurse, he always came to check on her and he always made sure we had everything we needed. During Peg’s 12-day stay, she had wonderful care by wonderful nurses. Josh was just the best. You are very lucky to have him on your floor.

The emotional connection Josh makes with all patients and their families is something he demands of himself. “It’s not a requirement of the job, but it’s certainly something I make a requirement for myself,” Josh says. “For me, I’ve walked through some difficult losses in my life personally. I recognize the importance and value of connecting on that very human level. It’s deeply important. I think, ultimately, it’s the only thing that matters.”