Wendy Joe
September 2025
Wendy
Joe
,
RN
Nephrology
San Juan Regional Medical Center
Farmington
,
NM
United States
She always made it seem as if my aunt were the only patient in the hospital.
My aunt had a very eventful and lengthy stay, which was also unexpected. It was beyond frustrating for her and her children. During this time, we were blessed and thankful for the care we received on the second floor, especially from Nurse Wendy. She was very compassionate, thoughtful, caring, and very informative regarding my aunt’s health. We cannot forget her sense of humor, and it's said that laughter is the best medicine. I believe that is what made my aunt feel much better.
There were moments when my aunt would consider leaving. She would always ask who her night nurse would be and I believe Wendy was on a five day stretch of working, she always walked in happily with great energy and held onto my aunts hand which then lead to hugs after every shift. My aunt was very grateful for the way she explained her condition, updates, and medications. Wendy always made sure my aunt was repositioned, ensured she was clean, and always made sure she smelled great, which meant a great deal to my aunt. We noticed several times that the staff were very tired and busy due to the lights and bells going off constantly, almost all night long, but Wendy was always very tentative and patient. She always made it seem as if my aunt were the only patient in the hospital.
With every interaction, Wendy always made us feel at home. Her kind and sweet energy is definitely needed in a place like this. The passion she has for her job is evident. The leadership that she has amongst her staff, including the CNA, is definitely what made her stand out the most. She treated all the staff who interacted with her in the room with great respect, and it was evident that they valued her as a leader. The way she interacted with my aunt, along with the CNAs, lab personnel, dietary staff, and the day shift staff, was what led us to consider this nomination. We’ve stayed at many other healthcare facilities and were never treated this way. After a while, my aunt felt more comfortable, and we noticed a positive change in her health status, which we attributed to Wendy and the staff. Great leaders are rare; it’s amazing to see a local indigenous healthcare worker enjoy and love her job. I imagine that many of the patients she has cared for feel the same. Thank you. Robin is forever grateful to have had a positive experience.
There were moments when my aunt would consider leaving. She would always ask who her night nurse would be and I believe Wendy was on a five day stretch of working, she always walked in happily with great energy and held onto my aunts hand which then lead to hugs after every shift. My aunt was very grateful for the way she explained her condition, updates, and medications. Wendy always made sure my aunt was repositioned, ensured she was clean, and always made sure she smelled great, which meant a great deal to my aunt. We noticed several times that the staff were very tired and busy due to the lights and bells going off constantly, almost all night long, but Wendy was always very tentative and patient. She always made it seem as if my aunt were the only patient in the hospital.
With every interaction, Wendy always made us feel at home. Her kind and sweet energy is definitely needed in a place like this. The passion she has for her job is evident. The leadership that she has amongst her staff, including the CNA, is definitely what made her stand out the most. She treated all the staff who interacted with her in the room with great respect, and it was evident that they valued her as a leader. The way she interacted with my aunt, along with the CNAs, lab personnel, dietary staff, and the day shift staff, was what led us to consider this nomination. We’ve stayed at many other healthcare facilities and were never treated this way. After a while, my aunt felt more comfortable, and we noticed a positive change in her health status, which we attributed to Wendy and the staff. Great leaders are rare; it’s amazing to see a local indigenous healthcare worker enjoy and love her job. I imagine that many of the patients she has cared for feel the same. Thank you. Robin is forever grateful to have had a positive experience.