I was a patient in Santa Clara's Cardiac Critical Unit for 12 days. During those 12 days, I received exceptional care from this Nurse. Johnny Zapanta took care of me during the last few days of my CCU stay. This Nurse stood out because the moment this Nurse took over my care, this Nurse made sure that my needs and personal comfort were addressed. For example, This Nurse questioned why I still had the unused IV sprint on my left hand for 9 days and removed it. Unfortunately, contracture had set in. This Nurse helped me do the range of motion exercises to regain flexibility. This Nurse was very attentive to my emotional health and felt that I would improve my spirits if I sat in a cardiac chair instead of lying in this bed 24/7. Johnny went through the unit and found me the chair. Although I was hooked up to 16 monitoring panels with "spaghetti wires," 8 bags of IV meds, a dialysis machine, and a suction apparatus, this Nurse was undaunted, and with the help provided, he had me sit in a chair. Johnny was right, I felt better. Johnny is a strong patient advocate; he understood my frustrations and depression of being intubated and tube fed for 12 days. He was supportive and kept my spirits high with his warmth and encouragement. When the tube was finally removed, Johnny celebrated with me while I indulged in a soda, Jell-o, and apple sauce. I was grateful for his watchful eyes and humor while I feasted. Johnny is kind, caring, and compassionate. This Nurse made special efforts to improve my mental and physical health. Along the way, he took the time to give me a shampoo (this Nurse called it a "spa treatment"). Before I transferred to Telemetry, I was concerned about the discontinuation of the various tubes that I relied on for every bodily function; Johnny advised me not to be embarrassed and encouraged me not to be afraid to ask for help. Johnny was very patient with my family in easing their anxieties. He was calm and set the tone when addressing their concerns. As an RN and a nurse administrator, I was impressed and grateful for the care that I received from your CCU staff and especially Johnny Zapanta for the reasons I stated above. Johnny made a difference in my care and stay at CCU. His attentiveness, emotional support, and extraordinary kindness were a gift I will always cherish. Thank you for your kind consideration of this nomination.