Like many people, registered nurse Joe Diekemper is in a different vocation than the one in which he started. Until just over two years ago, Diekemper was an attorney. He made the switch because law practice just wasn’t his calling.
“I found that I was more interested in visceral, hands-on caregiving than arguing over other people’s money,” Diekemper explains of his transition to the overnight shift on Cardinal Glennon’s Transitional Care Unit. “I’ve loved being a nurse.”
Diekemper was recognized Wednesday with the DAISY Award, a monthly presentation that honors nurses who go well beyond the expected in providing care and service to their patients.
“Joe was very comforting and patient while our son was in so much pain,” said one of the parent nominations read as Diekemper’s award was announced. “He made our son feel like he was his only patient and his first priority.”
That perception of personal attention is something for which Diekemper strives with every patient.
“My goal in being a nurse at Cardinal Glennon is to provide meaningful care to my patients and their families,” he explains. “It’s very rewarding to learn that with the help of my fellow nurses we can sometimes be successful.”