Cynthia VanKuren began working for CommUnityCare 3 years ago. She began her healthcare career first as a Medic in the Army stationed at Ft. Sam Houston. She became an LVN working in numerous OB/Gyn practices for 13 years. Cynthia then worked hard and became an RN. She came to us by recommendations of a friend of hers and began working at CUC, currently working at Hornsby Bend in the community she lives. Cynthia's family has lived in South Austin since the 1800s, in fact, her great-great-grandmother was a midwife who birthed many babies of former slaves, and poor white families. Like her great-great-grandmother Cynthia was attracted to CUC due to the mission, strengthening the health and well-being of the communities we serve. She wants to help people better themselves and be able to care for themselves.
Cynthia truly cares for her community, riding her bike to work when she can to help the environment. Cynthia has a beautiful smile that is contagious when you are around her. With the amount of energy she uses working the clinic running around caring for all, it's surprising she has the energy to ride home! Cynthia is a strong patient advocate making sure patients have their needed resources. She is willing to go the extra mile for anyone she meets. The following is the nomination that was submitted:
To summarize Cynthia and their nursing care into a few words it would include exemplary, compassionate, and relatable. I watch how they interact with patients and staff. A nurse who can walk into any room, with any patient at various levels of contentment regarding their visit, and find a way to relate and put the patient at ease. Many times, you can hear their infectious laugh from across the clinic as they brighten someone's day and lifts the spirits of those around them.
Also, don't blink while in the clinic or you might miss Cynthia as she whizzes by on her way to help the next team member in need of assistance, extra training, reminders on how to properly document vaccines or administer an injection, etc. She embodies the go-getter attitude and takes initiative at every opportunity. Clinic staff knows Cynthia is a knowledge source for questions and will make every effort to support them and the patient to remedy the problem at hand. Her fervency for patient care is backed by years of experience and a desire to care for others that can be nothing other than an innate ability. I jokingly say, "Cynthia is the kind of Nurse I want to be when I grow up." But it really is full of truth. The entire team is thankful for their persistently positive attitude, leadership, and quality patient care.