Joe Manley
November 2023
Joe
Manley
,
RN
Cardio/Advanced Care
Park Nicollet/HealthPartners Methodist Hospital
St. Louis Park
,
MN
United States
Joe provided an upbeat, constant presence and felt more like a friend than a health provider – though, of course, he provided excellent care as well. He always offered a listening, empathetic ear.
I am nominating Joe Manley, with the help of a grateful patient and daughter of a patient, for the DAISY Award as we feel Joe exemplifies everything this award stands for. This nomination comes from an article that was written in the Star Tribune by a patient of Joe's (L) following her frightening experience with Guillan-Barré. While this article was not about Joe, he was mentioned and pictured in it, which was exciting! I was chatting with him about it when it came out, and he had passed on a kind message to me he received from L stating the following:
“After it [the article] went up online today, I was delighted, but not surprised, to hear from others who benefitted from having you as a nurse. One was a friend who said you cared for his mother-in-law in her final days; another was a young woman who said you got her through her first open-heart surgery. My friend said you were the best nurse ever: ‘What an amazing human being.’”
I was incredibly touched hearing about the responses L had received regarding her article relating to Joe and his care. Knowing firsthand how passionate and caring Joe is as a nurse working bedside with him for the last six years, learning from him as a new nurse in my early days, and now being one of his leaders, I knew I needed to reach out to L and ask her if she knew about the DAISY Award so we could nominate him – and to my surprise, this was already in her plans so we teamed up! While I could write my own personal nomination, the words and sharing of experiences from patients and loved ones of patients goes much further; so, L, as well as her friend, have provided their experiences for Joe’s nomination, which speak to the wonderful nurse he is and why he is being nominated.
From L:
“Joe was my nurse for the four days I was treated at Methodist Hospital for Guillain-Barré Syndrome this summer. While I’ve come to understand that my condition was relatively mild, suddenly losing my mobility as an otherwise healthy person was very frightening at the time. As I awaited test results to rule out more serious disorders, Joe provided an upbeat, constant presence and felt more like a friend than a health provider – though, of course, he provided excellent care as well. He always offered a listening, empathetic ear.
Joe also innately understood the old saying that “disclosure begets disclosure.” I was fascinated to hear he left a career in federal law enforcement before he became a nurse, a profession that requires daily, tireless compassion. His stories, sense of humor and humanity kept my spirits up. Even my friends who came to visit me remarked how lucky I was to have Joe as my nurse. After I wrote a story in the Star Tribune about my medical scare, I heard from other Methodist patients and family members who had similarly positive interactions with Joe. When we were at our most vulnerable, his genuine ability to connect on a human level made us feel less alone. I’ve since made a 100% recovery, and I think back on my time in the hospital as mostly positive because of the camaraderie I had with people like Joe.”
One of those friends who reached out, having shared a positive interaction with Joe, was C. C wrote in the following:
“Joe Manley was my mom’s nurse in the final days of her life, and my whole family feels fortunate to have met him and experienced his unique, exemplary skills. My mom, P, entered Methodist Hospital on a Saturday morning and passed away 8 days later. Across those days, we navigated the heartbreaking journey of worsening symptoms from her aggressive cancer, palliative care consultation and decisions, and finally, her end of life. Throughout that time - a confusing, rapidly changing, surprising, and saddening situation - we had Joe. P instantly liked Joe and his care. He lifted her spirits when he was with her. His genuine energy, engagement, mannerisms, and even a sense of joy stood out. He handled every development with an artful combination of skill, guidance, empathy, and comfort. He knew our names, laughed and joked with us, and gave us helpful information and perspective at hard moments. During those difficult days, it felt like we adopted Joe into the family. Our final hours with P were easier to navigate because of his care and presence. I read that this award emerged from its founder’s experience of the difference nurses can make in care through clinical excellence and outstanding compassion. Joe exemplifies this. He was first-class in every way, and we’re deeply grateful to him. We’ll never forget him.”
As you can see, Joe is incredibly deserving of the DAISY Award!
“After it [the article] went up online today, I was delighted, but not surprised, to hear from others who benefitted from having you as a nurse. One was a friend who said you cared for his mother-in-law in her final days; another was a young woman who said you got her through her first open-heart surgery. My friend said you were the best nurse ever: ‘What an amazing human being.’”
I was incredibly touched hearing about the responses L had received regarding her article relating to Joe and his care. Knowing firsthand how passionate and caring Joe is as a nurse working bedside with him for the last six years, learning from him as a new nurse in my early days, and now being one of his leaders, I knew I needed to reach out to L and ask her if she knew about the DAISY Award so we could nominate him – and to my surprise, this was already in her plans so we teamed up! While I could write my own personal nomination, the words and sharing of experiences from patients and loved ones of patients goes much further; so, L, as well as her friend, have provided their experiences for Joe’s nomination, which speak to the wonderful nurse he is and why he is being nominated.
From L:
“Joe was my nurse for the four days I was treated at Methodist Hospital for Guillain-Barré Syndrome this summer. While I’ve come to understand that my condition was relatively mild, suddenly losing my mobility as an otherwise healthy person was very frightening at the time. As I awaited test results to rule out more serious disorders, Joe provided an upbeat, constant presence and felt more like a friend than a health provider – though, of course, he provided excellent care as well. He always offered a listening, empathetic ear.
Joe also innately understood the old saying that “disclosure begets disclosure.” I was fascinated to hear he left a career in federal law enforcement before he became a nurse, a profession that requires daily, tireless compassion. His stories, sense of humor and humanity kept my spirits up. Even my friends who came to visit me remarked how lucky I was to have Joe as my nurse. After I wrote a story in the Star Tribune about my medical scare, I heard from other Methodist patients and family members who had similarly positive interactions with Joe. When we were at our most vulnerable, his genuine ability to connect on a human level made us feel less alone. I’ve since made a 100% recovery, and I think back on my time in the hospital as mostly positive because of the camaraderie I had with people like Joe.”
One of those friends who reached out, having shared a positive interaction with Joe, was C. C wrote in the following:
“Joe Manley was my mom’s nurse in the final days of her life, and my whole family feels fortunate to have met him and experienced his unique, exemplary skills. My mom, P, entered Methodist Hospital on a Saturday morning and passed away 8 days later. Across those days, we navigated the heartbreaking journey of worsening symptoms from her aggressive cancer, palliative care consultation and decisions, and finally, her end of life. Throughout that time - a confusing, rapidly changing, surprising, and saddening situation - we had Joe. P instantly liked Joe and his care. He lifted her spirits when he was with her. His genuine energy, engagement, mannerisms, and even a sense of joy stood out. He handled every development with an artful combination of skill, guidance, empathy, and comfort. He knew our names, laughed and joked with us, and gave us helpful information and perspective at hard moments. During those difficult days, it felt like we adopted Joe into the family. Our final hours with P were easier to navigate because of his care and presence. I read that this award emerged from its founder’s experience of the difference nurses can make in care through clinical excellence and outstanding compassion. Joe exemplifies this. He was first-class in every way, and we’re deeply grateful to him. We’ll never forget him.”
As you can see, Joe is incredibly deserving of the DAISY Award!