Sylvia Cuka
March 2019
Sylvia
Cuka
,
LPN
Flormann Clinic
Regional Health Rapid City Hospital
Rapid City
,
SD
United States
Sylvia is a true example of what the Father of Medicine in the United States, Sr. William Osler, said about the nurse. "The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest, and not inferior to either in her mission..."
I found Sylvia working in an intensive care unit in a Kansas hospital over 38 years ago. She has been with me as my personal office nurse ever since. When I walked into my first office in Rapid City in July 1980 she had the rooms prepared and patients scheduled for that day. It has never changed.
She has become the "go to" person in our clinics for many years. Other nurses depend on her for information and patient help and often she is their confidence builder for the day.
Sylvia has been involved in the office training of dozens of new nursing students, nurse practitioner students and medical students over the years to their great benefit and continues to do so.
She knows each of our patients by heart and has cared for many of them over 35 years. Our patients know her well and have the deepest trust and faith in her. If one calls in with an illness, she knows well how to help them. She evaluates each case and to one she may say we can see you tomorrow, to another you should be seen in the office today and to another, you must go to the ER immediately. They will do what she says.
Nursing is an art to be cultivated which she has done well. She lightens my workload with tact, tidiness, professionalism, advice, and cheerfulness. She lightens the patients' burden with sympathy, comforting care, gentleness, and charity. They all speak of her with the highest regard. Many times I have teased patients by asking them if we should get rid of Sylvia to which they always burst out laughing, knowing full well that that will not happen.
I was 39 years old again last August for the 32 time. (You can add those together.) I doubt that I would still be practicing if it were not for our many faithful patients and a wonderful office staff, but most of all because of Sylvia my confidant, my helper, my encourager, my advisor and my right arm.
I found Sylvia working in an intensive care unit in a Kansas hospital over 38 years ago. She has been with me as my personal office nurse ever since. When I walked into my first office in Rapid City in July 1980 she had the rooms prepared and patients scheduled for that day. It has never changed.
She has become the "go to" person in our clinics for many years. Other nurses depend on her for information and patient help and often she is their confidence builder for the day.
Sylvia has been involved in the office training of dozens of new nursing students, nurse practitioner students and medical students over the years to their great benefit and continues to do so.
She knows each of our patients by heart and has cared for many of them over 35 years. Our patients know her well and have the deepest trust and faith in her. If one calls in with an illness, she knows well how to help them. She evaluates each case and to one she may say we can see you tomorrow, to another you should be seen in the office today and to another, you must go to the ER immediately. They will do what she says.
Nursing is an art to be cultivated which she has done well. She lightens my workload with tact, tidiness, professionalism, advice, and cheerfulness. She lightens the patients' burden with sympathy, comforting care, gentleness, and charity. They all speak of her with the highest regard. Many times I have teased patients by asking them if we should get rid of Sylvia to which they always burst out laughing, knowing full well that that will not happen.
I was 39 years old again last August for the 32 time. (You can add those together.) I doubt that I would still be practicing if it were not for our many faithful patients and a wonderful office staff, but most of all because of Sylvia my confidant, my helper, my encourager, my advisor and my right arm.