Stephanie
Tolhurst, clinical services coordinator within the UC Cancer Institute’s Lung
Cancer Center, says most of her training came from previous work
experience.
"In
2003, I took a job with Christ Hospital as a state tested nursing assistant
while I attended Cincinnati State for pre-nursing,” she says. "I was accepted
to Good Samaritan’s school of nursing but made a move to Florida to support my
husband with his flight training, so had to put my nursing career on the back
burner.”
In
the past, Tolhurst has worked for an ophthalmic ocular plastic surgeon and gained
surgical assisting skills, and when she moved back to the Cincinnati area in 2007,
she accepted a position with UC Physicians at the UC Health Physicians
Office–Clifton for the department of surgery.
"My
skillset broadened even further, and I was able to learn from some of the greatest
that UC Health has to offer,” she says.
What made you choose
UC and UC Health?
"The main reason that I took the job was that I would be able to assist in
minor surgeries. When I took my initial job with UC Physicians, I was told that
the department of surgery was not a touchy-feely place to work and that if I
wanted that, then I should not accept. I can say that I think my interviewer was
wrong. The surgeons that I had the
privilege to work for at UC Physicians are amazing. They truly care for
‘employees’ like we are family. This made it so easy to come to work.”
What is your official
title? What are your regular job duties?
"My
official title is Clinical Services Coordinator. I work with Michelle
Ottersbach, registered nurse on the Lung Cancer Screening Program, and I also
coordinate the Win by Quitting Smoking Cessation Program. I help screen
patients for the Lung Cancer Screening Program, schedule the scans, assist with
database tracking and various other duties. For the Win by Quitting program I
answer questions about the program, schedule patients and follow up with their
treatment.”
What made you choose
to take on this role?
"As
mentioned before, I have been with the thoracic surgery division for 6 years. When
this position became available, I was made aware of the position and suggested
that I apply for the position if I was interested. I was honored that the team
thought highly enough of me to ask me to apply. I have also gained knowledge
about lung cancer during my time at UC Physicians and enjoyed working for this
division and their patients.”
What do you like to
do in your spare time? What is one thing people might not know about you?
"I
have two children. My son, Chase, is 12-years-old, and my daughter, Emma, is
five years old and will start kindergarten in the fall. These two keep me
pretty busy. My husband, Charles, is an airline pilot for JetBlue Airlines and
is gone a lot. We have two dogs, ‘Heinz 57 types,’ Charlie and Lily, and a farm
cat that adopted us that we call Buttercup.
"I
grew up and still live in a farming community in Indiana. We live in the same
house that my grandparents raised their children. I have a lot of memories of
that house from when I was a child and I find it really neat to play with my
kids doing the same things that I did when I was a little girl. I am incredibly
close with my mom who lives two miles away and watches my two little ones when
I am at work. When we have free time we like to ride our bikes, go on walks,
swim or just play Frisbee and toss a baseball around. I plan on going back to
finish a degree, unknown major, once my daughter starts school.”