Although the time Joseph gets with each patient is brief, he makes every moment count. I have had the honor of watching him over several months, and he is nothing short of inspiring.
On one occasion, I was rounding on patients in the ED and came across an elderly patient who needed to be repositioned due to significant pain. The nurse assigned to the patient was unavailable, so I went to Joseph as the charge to ask what our options were. Having not had lift training, I knew I could not do this on my own. Despite being extremely busy, Joseph stopped what he was doing and walked back to the patient's pod with me. In what seemed like an instant, his multi-tasking demeanor melted away the moment he entered the room. His facial expression and voice softened as he greeted this woman by name. He asked her a few questions and looked quickly at her chart. As he turned back to her, he did a quick visual assessment. He explained to her what he needed to do in order to make her more comfortable, asking her first for permission to proceed. Joseph cared for this patient as if she were his own family, speaking to her with such kindness and dignity. Once she was repositioned, he asked her if there was anything else he could do for her before he left the room. He gave her a brief summary of what the notes stated in her chart, taking the time to provide transparency and communicating to her next steps. She reached for his hand thanking him, to which he took her hand warmly setting her at ease. As we exited the room, Joseph took the opportunity to ask me if I had any questions using this as a learning opportunity for me.
On another occasion, Joseph worked triage as the front line nurse. Patients came in with such a wide variety of acuity and temperament. Joseph treated each and every patient as if they were the only patient he had for the day. His kindness, compassion, and clinical attention to detail make every single patient feel as if he only cared for about their needs. Joseph allowed me to ask questions when possible, again taking each patient as a learning opportunity. Despite interactions being brief, Joseph makes a personal connection with every patient he cares for. He takes it a step further ensuring their families are kept in communication and are also checked on.
Joseph is a DAISY Nurse with every patient, every time. He does not have the luxury of time as most inpatient nurses do to build a bond, however that does not stop him from making a meaningful connection with every person he treats. His quick thinking and passion for what he does are only outweighed by the dedication to giving dignity and serving our ministry. Working in the ED can be quite stressful and at times, relentlessly draining. Joseph provides a sense of calmness in the storm, not only to his patients but to all who are around him. Mercy is so very lucky to have such a wonderful young man and coworker.