Denise Rapoza is amazing, knowledgeable, thorough, organized, kind, and helps everybody all of the time because that is the type of person and nurse that she is. Over the last 21 years, there were thousands of times that Denise has clarified, stood beside, and filled in for staff needs as well as doing her Clinical Coordinator duties. She was a leader before there were clinical coordinator positions.

One example was the initiation of the Code Crimson protocol.

There was a time when a Code Crimson was called in the C-Section room, and Denise and RN A were infusing 45 units of blood as fast as they could. Many times, when all of the other nurses needed to go to L&D because every room was filled, Denise took care of the whole floor by herself. I have the utmost respect and admiration for her, and I will miss her with all my heart. Denise treats all people fairly, with respect, and aloha.

She recently has started decorating: for Christmas (making a board with badge reels-secret Santa gifts from each of us while pinning them on a decorated board), for Valentine's Day, Denise made envelopes with hearts and encouraged us to write notes for each other were to bring up morale. Morale was brought up as a result of these two things, but Denise has been doing these things and many more for all of the years that I have been here. Denise is courteous, compassionate, attentive, approachable, respectful, empathetic, and enthusiastic, and is truly an inspiration to all of us. My only regret is that I have waited so long to honor her in this way.