Our March 2020 Employee of the Month
“I tease about being a traffic controller,” says Cynthia Phillips, unit secretary for Boone Hospital Center’s Cardiology floor and our March 2020 Employee of the Month. “I’m busy with patients, staff, folders and papers. I’m always on the phone or Vocera. I’m right out front and in the middle of it all.”
Being a successful unit secretary on a fast-paced patient care unit requires the abilities to multitask and to adapt to rapidly changing priorities, a positive attitude, and the readiness to provide immediate assistance to anyone who needs it, including physicians, nurses, techs, patients and patients’ families. Cynthia says, “You want to be there for the families when they have questions or need something.”
Cynthia was no stranger to working in a medical field or to Boone Hospital when she joined the Cardiology team in January 2013. Since she moved to Missouri 20 years ago, Cynthia had worked in similar roles at another hospital and medical office in the area, but there was one place in particular where she most wanted to work.
“I had always wanted to work at Boone Hospital because it had a good reputation. So, when I saw an opening for a unit secretary, I applied. I was hired, and I’ve been on the Cardiology floor ever since,” she says.
Even in a busy environment like the Cardiology unit, Cynthia’s contributions do not go unnoticed. A colleague who nominated her for Employee of the Month writes, “No job is too big or too small for Cynthia. She is always willing to help in whatever way she can. She is always kind and courteous to our patients and visitors. She is prompt at notifying staff when providers are rounding on the floor, so that nurses are able to round with them. She always makes sure the nurses know when medications have been sent up from the pharmacy. It brightens my day when I walk in and see that Cynthia is our secretary. She always puts the patients’ needs first and makes Cardiology a great place to work!”
Cynthia enjoys the fast pace, professionalism and teamwork on the Cardiology floor. She says, “I like to be able to feel part of something important and to help people. The people I work with are organized, professional and fun to be with. We work well together.”
When she’s not in the middle of the action on the Cardiology unit, Cynthia likes to take walks in the park, read, listen to music and go to movies and plays. She especially enjoys spending time with her family, which includes four grandchildren who keep her busy and a Maltipoo named Sophie, who Cynthia says is “a good little dog.”
As an employee, Boone Hospital Center’s excellent reputation continues to appeal to Cynthia, and she takes pride in helping the hospital uphold that reputation. She says, “I feel proud of our hospital’s growth, quality care and professionalism. I’m proud to work at Boone!”