Tzviki Manies
“I Wanted a Profession Where I Could Give Back”
Tzviki Manies said that his desire to be a nurse stemmed from his difficult childhood. “I wanted to choose a profession where I could give back and help people,” said Manies, who plans to specialize in pediatric oncology with a focus on palliative care. Manies did his prerequisites at Touro’s Machon L’Parnassah program and credits the school with preparing him for nursing school.
Why do you want to be a nurse?
I knew I wanted a profession where I would be able to give back in a way. I always felt disenfranchised and felt that something was stolen from me because of my childhood. I felt that working in pediatric oncology allows me to work with those in a similar situation—my patients' childhood has been impacted—but allows me to help them.
Pediatric Oncology is a difficult field and you mentioned that you wanted to specialize in palliative care, can you describe what attracted you to that specific part of medicine?
I volunteered in Chai Lifeline, a camp for children with terminal illnesses. I learned that it wasn’t about changing their circumstances—there is only so much you can do medically—but it was about making the best of their circumstances. That’s something I’ve always tried to accomplish: making life the best it can possibly be. I can’t change my past, but I can focus on the present and the future.
What is it like working with people in palliative care?
It’s difficult. You need to be able to smile through difficult things. You also need to be aware of your own mental state. You get close to people and they die. You need to go to therapy to ensure you are okay. Ultimately in palliative care, you realize you can’t cure your patients, but you can make them comfortable during their end-of-life process.
What is a nurse’s chief responsibility?
The holistic care of patients: their mental health status, their social well-being, and of course, their physical status.
Do you think you’ve changed during nursing school?
I’m much softer. I can understand different situations a little bit better and I’m not as judgmental as I might have been once. People go through different scenarios and situations and many times things are beyond their control and the outcomes are not their fault. Nursing school has made me more compassionate.
Did you have any memorable experiences during your clinicals?
There was a patient who was dying—she was scheduled to have her breathing tube taken out. Extubating was scheduled at two p.m. and we cleaned her up before that. I felt that we were able to let her die with a sense of dignity.
