Marie Manthey facts for kids

Marie Schuber Manthey, born on July 17, 1935, is an American nurse, writer, and businesswoman. She is famous for helping create Primary Nursing. This is a new way of organizing how nurses care for patients.

In 2015, Marie Manthey was honored as a "Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing." This special award goes to people who have made amazing contributions to the nursing profession throughout their lives.

Marie Manthey's Education

Marie Manthey earned her nursing diploma in 1956 from St. Elizabeth Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. After that, she worked as a staff nurse at the University of Chicago Medical Center. She later became an assistant head nurse and then a head nurse there.

She continued her studies at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing in Minneapolis. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing Administration in 1962. She then earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing Administration in 1964. In 1999, the University of Minnesota gave her an honorary doctorate degree.

What is Primary Nursing?

Primary Nursing is a special way of caring for patients. It means one main nurse, usually a registered nurse (RN), takes responsibility for a patient's care for a longer time. This helps make sure the patient gets continuous care.

The nursing team includes the Primary Nurse and other staff, like a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or a nursing assistant (NA). Together, they provide full care for a group of patients in a hospital.

How Primary Nursing Started

Marie Manthey helped start Primary Nursing in 1968–1969. At that time, she was an assistant director of Nursing at the University of Minnesota Hospital. She led a team of nurses who tried out this new system on a medical ward.

Before Primary Nursing, nurses often felt frustrated. Their work was very spread out, and it felt like "everyone was responsible for everything, and nobody was responsible for anything."

In the past, nurses usually followed strict rules and orders. They didn't often make decisions about patient care on their own. Also, nurses who cared for patients directly didn't usually talk to doctors. Instead, a unit manager or nurse in charge would pass messages back and forth.

Big Changes in Nursing Care

Primary Nursing changed things a lot. It removed one level of nursing supervision. This meant nurses at the patient's bedside had more power. Each registered nurse became responsible for planning care for a small group of patients, 24 hours a day.

The results were very good. Nurses felt more in charge and could make important decisions. Communication also improved right away. Doctors started talking directly with the nurses who were caring for their patients.

This new model focuses on "relationship-based care." It means one nurse takes responsibility for a small group of patients. They give personalized care for the whole time the patient is in the hospital. The main idea is that the nurse accepts responsibility for managing the patients' care.

Empowering Nurses

Primary Nursing also helped nurses feel more powerful and important. It changed the focus of nurse managers. Instead of just controlling things, they started helping nurses grow and develop their skills.

Later, the ideas of Primary Nursing grew to include all healthcare workers. Everyone started to see themselves as the "primary" caregiver for each patient and family. Marie Manthey's leadership helped share these important ideas about patient care all over the world.

Marie Manthey's Career Journey

After working at the University of Minnesota, Marie Manthey became an Assistant Administrator and Director of Nursing at Miller Hospital. This hospital later joined with St. Lukes to become United Hospitals of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

In 1976, Manthey moved to New Haven, Connecticut. There, she became the Vice President of Patient Services at Yale New Haven Hospital. During this time, she also taught as a professor at the University of Connecticut and Yale School of Nursing.

In 1978, she started her own company. This company helps healthcare places organize and deliver their services. It was first called Creative Nursing Management, but since 2002, it's known as Creative HealthCare Management. Its main office is in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Marie Manthey also helped the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a study on Primary Nursing. This study was published in 1983. She has also stayed involved with the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. She was even the President of the Nursing Alumni Society from 1999 to 2003.

Throughout her career, Marie Manthey has always supported and helped the nursing profession grow. She believes nurses must continue to define their role. She says nurses need to be skilled and also truly "be with" the people they are caring for. She believes that connecting with vulnerable people is a special privilege of nursing.

Awards and Honors

• 1994 - Marie Manthey was chosen as a fellow in the Royal College of Nursing in the United Kingdom. At that time, she was one of only four American nurses to receive this honor.
• 1998 - Marie Manthey was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
• 1999 - The University of Minnesota gave Marie Manthey an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
• 2015 - Marie Manthey received the American Academy of Nursing Living Legend Award.

See also

• List of Living Legends of the American Academy of Nursing
• WorldCat