Over the last decade, it has been my privilege to work with Sue Meeks in our Huntington's Disease and ALS Clinics, two remarkably difficult diseases for all touched by them, to say the least. Throughout, Sue has demonstrated considerable skill in managing these clinics; she has consistently established and then maintained an impressive degree of rapport with her patients and their families (personable, generous with her time, clearly interested in them as people - compassionate, and always seems to have considerable understanding of each patient's particular circumstances.) She is also consistently helpful and accommodating to the many other professionals who work in these specialty clinics. There is also her long history of volunteerism outside of her professional role. Sue certainly deserves recognition for her contributions and professional role.
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She consistently goes above and beyond for our ALS patients. I have seen her cry with her patients and their families many times. She will stay late to make sure no patient has to wait for answers. She not only provides excellent RN care, but strives for the ALSA mission of a world without ALS - participating in walks, gala events, and other volunteer hours.
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Mary Meeks ("Sue") is the core and backbone for two very specialized and difficulty multidisciplinary clinics at Hennepin Healthcare: Huntington's disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. She triages many challenging phone calls that are emotionally complex and medically specialized. Sue approaches each patient, caregiver, and family member with empathy, compassion, unconditional respect, and timely care. To imagine these clinics without Sue is difficult. I wish all patients could have someone like Sue involved in their care. I certainly hope that when I or my family members need complex patient care, they have someone like Sue on their side. Advocating for them. Caring for them. Caring about them.
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Sue is exceptional with our HD patients and families, both in person when they are in the clinic, and on the phone when getting their appointments coordinated with our Neurologist. Her personal skills with people are a major asset to our clinic.
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Mary always displays her continued commitment to very challenging patients and families. They look to Mary for guidance, compassion and superb medical knowledge to their disease process. Mary is kind and always willing to "be there" for staff and her patients. It is an honor to recognize her as a DAISY Nurse.
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Sue (Mary) Meeks is the Staff RN Coordinator for our Specialty Clinics of ALS and Huntington's Disease. These are extremely difficult diagnoses for our patients and families and she individually cares for each and every one of them with love and support. It is amazing to watch/listen to her work both personally with patients and families as well as on the phone. Not only is she loving and caring of them, but she is highly organized and efficiently sees that their needs are met. She also works closely with a large supportive multidisciplinary team with both clinics and coordinates all of their patient care needs. In the community, she is viewed as an expert. She is a blessing to us all with her professional and personal care. She epitomizes a DAISY Nurse with clinical expertise, extraordinary service, compassionate care, and clinical expertise.
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Always available to answer questions. Does her job with a smile. Knows all of her clients by their first name. She consistently demonstrates excellence through clinical expertise, extraordinary service, and compassionate care community. She makes the very heartbeat of the ALS clinic beat.
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Sue is the RN who holds together the Huntington's Disease Center of Excellence at HCMC (and the ALS Clinic, but I know her as the director of the HD Clinic). I am only on-site one day a week, which means that she handles phone calls, paperwork, and coordination of activities for a team that includes specialists from multiple different departments the rest of the week. Her clinical skills are strong so that I trust her to handle RN-level issues, and when she calls me, it is because the problem requires the physician's attention or authority. She is a keen judge of the moods and needs of patients and families, can see below the surface to how a person is really doing, when they need gentle support and when they need a firm but supportive hand. She keeps ME organized and devotes her efforts day in and day out to patients and families with this fatal neurodegenerative disease, patiently answering questions, making sure prescriptions are filled and medications are taken, and always maintaining a "we'll figure it out" attitude when presented with impossible problems to solve. We are indebted to her for her ongoing commitment. For example, we had a homeless patient who was receiving an "orphan medication" that had to be mailed somewhere, so she organized for the medication to be delivered to the neurology clinic for the patient to pick up each month.