Page 18 - MidWeek - May 4, 2022

18 MIDWEEK MAY 4, 2022 MIDWEEK COVER STORY
FROM PAGE 17
NAoelani Comorposa, RN Straub Medical Center
s the eldest of three daughters raised in a first-generation Filipino-American household, Noelani Comorposa grew to
treasure qualities such as sacrifice and personal industry. Her parents epitomized these values after emigrating from the Philippines and were willing to work long hours or hold down multiple jobs just to give their children the opportunities they never had.
“Their belief in hard work was instilled in me and my sisters,” explains Comorposa. “My par- ents’ top priority for their children was education, so although we didn’t have much money, they helped me pay for college so I could earn my de- gree in nursing.”
Grateful for her parents’ example and sacri- fice, Comorposa entered the medical profession 16 years ago and never looked back. Indeed, she was intent on following in her parents’ footsteps by working long and hard in the service of others.
For the past 11 years, she’s been employed as a registered nurse in Straub’s Cardiac Electrophys- iology Clinic. It’s a job she wouldn’t change for
Tayler Rex, RN Wilcox Medical Center
ayler Rex is probably one of the few people around who can honestly say they work in the same place where they
entered the world.
“I was born at Wilcox (Medical Center) and
discovered that some of my bosses started work- ing at Wilcox the same year I was born,” she reveals. “How cool is that?!”
Of course, Rex’s connection to the Kaua‘i hospital goes even deeper, because her interest in nursing was first birthed there, too. At age 13, she was involved in a motorcycle accident that required a splenectomy and follow-up care.
“I needed to be in and out of the hospital several times and developed an admiration for the nurses and the physicians who treated me,” recalls Rex. “Every time I’d go in for an X-ray or CT scan, or to the Emergency Department in general, I felt safe when I was with them, and I wanted to be that for other people.”
After graduating from the nursing program at Kaua‘i Community College, she joined the staff at Wilcox Medical Center, where she has spent the last two-and-a-half years working as a
the world.
“I never imagined myself in cardiac care, but I
fell in love with it,” she says. “Many heart condi- tions are chronic, so we see patients regularly and build relationships with them. Knowing that what we do has such an impact on their lives, and being able to see them through it, is truly rewarding.”
While her parents remain her inspiration, Co- morposa has other heroes, too, including her fellow registered nurse at Straub, Phyllis Kamada.
“She has a wealth of knowledge, is very thor- ough, and patients love her because she makes them feel at ease. She introduced me to the world of electrophysiology, mentored me and made me cry a few times,” offers Comorposa. “But honestly, you haven’t been a nurse if you haven’t cried.”
For those willing to join this vital profession, Comorposa has the following advice: “Start work- ing in the hospitals while you’re in college, so you can get a feel of nursing early. Also, communicate, take good notes, don’t be afraid to speak up if you need help and never stop learning.”
And, like Comorposa, never stop working hard.
registered nurse. She says she enjoys all roles
in nursing, in-
cluding critical care, but her passion these days is in postpartum care for mothers and babies — and there’s good reason why. Rex is pregnant with her first child, a daughter, and is due to give birth in October.
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to work with babies and be a mom,” she acknowledges. “It’s such a special time for the introduction of new life ... it’s so beautiful. People remember their delivery nurse. I aspire to be a part of that transition for the families.”
Rex also welcomes those considering a career in nursing and encourages them to “always have an open mind” and to “trust your gut!” Just as importantly, she hopes they remain intellectual- ly curious and, ahem, pregnant with ideas.
“New science is coming out all the time, so you need to be open to learning, practicing and evolving because you’re never going to stop learning something new,” she says.
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