Watch Temple Health Nurses Surprise Their Coworker with a 25th Anniversary Celebration

When Indira Kwaadu, BSN, RN learned Rosemarie Martinez, RN was about to celebrate her 25th anniversary at Temple Heath, she knew she had to make it extra special. 

“Rosemarie is like the mother of our unit,” says Kwaadu, Associate Director of Nursing for 8 Boyer at TUH-Main Campus. “If I were sick, I would want her taking care of me. When I first started in this role, Director of Nursing Services Marie Ciceron, MSN, RN, SCRN introduced me to her by saying, ‘This is Rosemarie. She knows everything about the unit.’ She took me under her wing and showed me where everything was and taught me how things were done. She knows so much, and she’s still so humble and profoundly self-accountable. She’s always asking, ‘What can I be doing better?’ She cares so much for our staff and our patients, and she’s just a wonderful person.” 

“When I found out her 25th anniversary was coming up, I looked at her schedule and saw she was working,” Kwaadu continues. “I thought, ‘It’s just like Rosemarie to work on her anniversary.’ I reached out to our other nurses and let them know I was planning a surprise celebration, and I picked up lunch and two dozen roses—plus one more, to make it 25. Since I wasn’t scheduled to work, I texted everyone when I was on my way in, and we were able to surprise her.” 

A Career of Mentorship and Service 

“I was really taken aback,” laughs Martinez, who calls the celebration “really beautiful.” She was especially touched to see her that her sister Lisa Shead, RN, who works on Boyer’s 7N unit, was one of the nurses in the room. “My sister just finished nursing school about a year ago, and I’m so happy she stuck with it,” Martinez says. “I feel like she’s following in my footsteps, and that makes me feel seen.” 

Martinez has been at TUH-Main Campus since she graduated from what was the Temple-Episcopal Hospital School of Nursing. She started on a Med/Surg floor specializing in Orthopedic trauma, before transferring to work in Orthopedics in Boyer.  

“You actually had to write a letter asking to be transferred, showing how you wanted to make a real difference in Orthopedics customer service,” Martinez remembers. “I love customer service, because I know that without the patients, we wouldn’t be here. I want everybody to be treated like they’re somebody’s mother, somebody’s daughter, somebody’s friend, because they are.” 

Martinez also takes great pride in helping other nurses. “I love mentoring and precepting,” she says. “Being a charge nurse is one of my favorite things. Thanks to my years of experience, I feel like I can bring wisdom, and I have a lot of clinical skills and love helping others. I keep a little book of essential information so when new staff come to the floor, I can give them everything they need to know.” 

Passing on Generational Knowledge 

“The generation of nurses that trained me—nurses like Rosemarie—is just so special,” Kwaadu reflects. “They’ve been here through so many generational changes. When I first started at Temple in 2012, we were still paper charting, but they were nurses when there were no computers. They have so much wisdom and patience and institutional knowledge, and they set the standard for exceptional care. I’ve learned so much from Rosemarie, and she’s still the go-to person I ask for feedback: ‘How do you think we should do this?’ or ‘What worked in the past?’” 

“It’s really rewarding to be able to pass my knowledge on to the next generation,” Martinez says. “Working with new nurses is wonderful, and then when the nursing students come—I love it all. If I can use my knowledge to help us better serve the patients, then I’m happy, because that’s exactly what I want. That’s why I’ve connected with Indira: she has a big heart and deeply cares about our patients, which is why all of us are here.” 

“I’m just so happy that we could honor Rosemarie, because she should be celebrated,” Kwaadu says. “I was raised to show honor and respect where it’s due, and she definitely deserves it.”