Staff profiles
Cynthia Seamark
Associate Clinical Nurse Manager – Oncology and Medical Outpatients Department
In my job I do a little bit of everything – being an associate clinical nurse manager allows me the privilege of working directly with patients as well as holding a supportive role for my frontline team of amazing nurses and administration staff ensuring they have a safe, appreciative and supportive work place.
Our unit sees a diverse range of people coming in for general medical, auto-immune and oncology outpatient support. The care provided is offered by administration, nursing and medical teams and varies from one-off appointments to many months of continued treatment and support.
I love the variety, the challenges and the opportunity to make a real difference for someone each day – something as small as a smile and a positive word can make a huge difference. He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata – patients, whānau and colleagues.
The most precious, memorable moments of my career are those times I have sat in the sacred place with people and their families at the end of life. Be it in a hospital room, a private home or roadside bearing witness to the end of a life is impacting and grounding beyond words. It is in this place the things that really matter are crystal clear and for me the essence of nursing is at its purest.
The best thing about being a nurse for me is I’m trusted with the most intimate moments in life and witnessing the fragility, strength and diversity of humankind.