An Extraordinary Healer Inside and Out

It is an honor to nominate Denise Hauser, RN, BSN, OCN, for the 2024 CURE Extraordinary Healer Award. For more than35 years of Denise’s nursing career, she has touched thousands of lives including her patients, their lovedones and her colleagues. Each person Denise encounters is left feeling important and valued after interacting with her.

It is impossible to choose which area she excels in best: extraordinary expertise, compassion and helpfulness. She is equally outstanding in each domain, as you will read. Denise’s oncology career has spanned multiple states and multiple settings: inpatient bedside nursing, infusion nursing and the last stop on her journey is in the outpatient nurse navigation setting.

Before receiving her BSN, Denise worked in social work, which has served her well over these years as she continually focuses on the “big picture” and seeks to care for the mind, body and spirit of her patients. She has curated her own professional career by combining the roles of nurse, social worker, mentor, friend, wife and mom into one beautiful and selfless cheerleader for all who cross her path. Countless peers will tell you that Denise “goes above and beyond for her patients and her colleagues.”

The majority of her career has been spent caring for the hematology, oncology and stem cell transplant patients at our hospital and she, in many ways, has become the face of nursing within our cancer center. A patient needs to see hematology today? Call Denise. A patient has some “weird labs?” Call Denise. How can we schedule multiple diagnostic tests on the same day and squeeze in a treatment? Call Denise. The answer is always to call Denise. She uses her incredible understanding of the disease processes and kind spirit to help her patients navigate a very difficult time in their lives.

Denise shines brightest when it comes to patient education and advocacy. Having maintained her oncology nursing certification (OCN) for more than 20 years, Denise has remained dedicated to the highest standards and has raised the bar in patient education within our cancer center. She is an active member of the Chicago Chapter Oncology Nursing Society and attends as many learning events as possible. She takes the time to listen, learn and network with peers and educators on her quest to acquire patient resources. She comes back from these events with stacks of booklets, handouts and pocket guides to stockpile her library of materials in several languages and she freely shares them with everyone. She frequently references The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Imerman Angels and American Cancer Society materials to provide evidence-based information to our patients and their caregivers. Despite her longevity in oncology nursing, Denise hasremained hungry for up-to-date, best practice learning opportunities and activelydisseminates what she learns andacquires in a meaningful way to our patients.

Additionally, she reflects on her own experiences in nursing, what she humorously calls “the good, the bad and the ugly,” to bring real world, personal stories to aid patients as they go through their personal journeys.

Of all the nurse navigators on our team, Denise spends the most time providing education sessions with patients and caregivers prior to starting treatment. She does this in person or over the phone and will remain with the patient until each and every question is answered, which can sometimes take two or more hours. She touches on sensitive topics, drives home important points for patient safety and reminds patients that she is always available for them. Denise is a major proponent of “doing what is right for the patient” for the continuum of their care, regardless of whether that is two months or two decades.

Denise's commitment extends beyond the call of duty; she is often one of the last nurses on campus, tirelessly caring for patients and addressing the myriad messages her team receives. She is never one to question if it is within her scope to ask a respectfully question a provider, challenge leadership or voice a concern. Rather, she feels it is her obligation and ethical duty to the patient to advocate for them, even if it means working late several nights per week. She takes time out of her day to speak with outside institutions caring for mutual patients to make sure those clinics are also aware of the plan of care so that all needs can be coordinated safely and efficiently.

A recent example of her dedication comes from a pharmacist on our team who recounts that it was Denise who noticed a patient’s platelet count skyrocketed after initiation of therapy based on labs from an outside hospital. Denise immediatelygot in touch with the pharmacy and her attending physician to sound the alarm, discuss management and was on the phone with the patient numerous times during this after-hours incident to educate and provide reassurance. Denise's quick follow-up helped this patient avoid serious side effects, and her willingness to put patients first no matter the time of day proves how much of a caring individual she is. This is one of hundreds of examples to highlight her care, concern and healing nature throughout her career.

Her advocacy to foster healing within each patient she meets goes beyond the clinic setting. Denise has a robust commitment to volunteer service and nurse empowerment. During the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, Denise volunteered dozens of hours at our hospital’s vaccination clinic, always after hours and also on weekends. She has served as captain of the Rush University team for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Light the Night fundraiser and walk. This year, she helped host bake sales and off-campus events to increase donations. Each year, she spearheads gift basket committees and invites patients and caregivers to the Rush University Cancer Survivors’ Day. Every summer, she volunteers her time at the Lymphoma Research Foundation walk and receiveda special recognition for her years of outstanding service. She is also the unofficial team photographer, capturing precious moments and interactions between patients and our team. At each volunteer event, Denise brings patients, survivors, caregivers and peers together to celebrate the victories and cherish those lost.

On numerous occasions, Denise has run into patients and caregivers who recognize her outside of work. One of the best stories is from when a patient recognized her on a lake from a moving boat several yards away. The patient was so thrilled to see Denise and yelled to her, “Denise! I’m your patient! Remember me? You gave me my chemo all those years back and I’m doing great!” Those who know Denise can attest that there are so many patients who have shared similar experiences with Denise. The long-term relationships that Denise has with these patients are equally important to Denise as they are for her patients.

As Denise winds down her professional career, she is steadfast in that she wants her advocacy for and impact on her fellow nurses to be her legacy. Her expertise as an oncology nurse is unparalleled; offering invaluable insights and guidance to those fortunate enough to work alongside her and to be mentored by her. Her infectious positivity, personality and pleasant demeanor create an uplifting atmosphere that lingers long after her shifts. Denise takes her unofficial role as “work mom” to heart and always offers a listening ear devoid of judgment and willing to talk through a problem. She welcomes new ideas, fosters relationships with younger nurses and encourages us all to grow professionally as much as possible.

She has worn many hats as a nursing advocate serving as co-chairperson for our unit advisory committee, which serves as a safe space for nurses to discuss concerns and work together for solutions. She has been invited to take part in rapid improvement projects related to the nurse navigation role and has been a key member in our unit based oral oncolytic workflow project, which has produced positive outcomes in patient safety since its inception.

It is because of her selflessness and commitment to nursing that she has carved out a lasting impact on generations of nurses after her, who will be charged with picking up the baton of caregiver and healer now and in future generations. In a career that is widely known for burnout, Denise is an outlier who has continued to rise above and find the beautiful moments in nursing. Her goal in becoming a nurse and focusing on hematology/oncology was never to receive recognition; she just wanted to make a positive impact on patients’ lives. In doing all the wonderful things she has done and touching so many lives in a way that is uniquely Denise, she has made those who work with her better nurses, and she has healed the hearts and minds of thousands of patients and caregivers along the way.

Denise is undeniably deserving of recognition for her outstanding contributions and unwavering dedication to nursing excellence and the pursuit of patient care, empowerment, and healing.

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