Nurse Practitioner Week Highlights: Cynthia Evans

Happy Nurse Practitioner Week from CAPN! We want to extend our gratitude to each and every one of you. In observance of nurse practitioner week, we are highlighting some of our wonderful local colleagues. Today, we share this post in celebration of Cynthia Evans and all the hard work she has done throughout her career to improving access to quality healthcare for underserved portions of our community. 

2020 Nurse Practitioner Week Highlight: Meet Cynthia Evans

Where do I work?

Bond Community Health Center; a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)

What is my specialty?

Adult Primary Care and HIV/AIDS Specialist

Why did I want to become a nurse practitioner?

I was intrigued with the idea of being able to contribute more to the field of nursing. When I discussed the idea with a physician while I was working at Tallahassee Memorial, I was told that it would be hard for me to get a job in the field in Tallahassee because I was black. This statement made me want to pursue a career even more. The mere fact that there were few nurse practitioners in the area that looked like me made more determined to try and close the gap. So, an invitation was extended to me to attend Florida A&M University at no cost to become a nurse practitioner. It was a decision that I have never regretted making.

Is there a certain patient or experience that made you proud to be a NP?

There are indeed several but the one that sticks with me most is an elderly patient that I encountered early in my career. He had come in as a walk-in due to swelling to the side of his neck. Upon examination, I discovered concerning hard, fixed lymph nodes in the anterior cervical region and he was referred to the ER for further examination because of his symptoms. I also ordered labs and a CT scan based on his medical history; both which later showed abnormal findings. I was distressed to learn that when he returned to the office in a couple of days for follow-up, the ER physician told him that I didn’t know what I was talking about and he was fine. After referring him to an ENT for biopsy it was confirmed that he had throat cancer. He went on to have extensive surgery and rehab but he and his wife were forever grateful. That was more than 12 years ago and he is still alive today! I am glad to have gone with my instincts and trust the training I had received in becoming a nurse practitioner.

How has COVID-19 changed your practice?

One of the unique things about working at a FQHC is that you can work as a primary care provider (PCP) without the supervision of a physician. It is like having your own private practice within a practice. Many of my patients are high risk and with COVID-19 there remains a great concern for their safety and well-being. Our office is still not functioning at full capacity and we had to scramble to adjust. In addition to being a PCP, I am the head of informatics and oversee the electronic health records (EHR) system. As a result, I had to learn all the aspects of Telehealth medicine and design a workflow with our EHR vendor, that was conducive to keeping the patients engaged and up to date with their healthcare. Telehealth has been a game-changer in the face of COVID-19. This year has stretched me tremendously and further defined my role as a nurse practitioner.

Is there anything else you want to add?

Becoming a nurse practitioner was the best decision that I could have made as a career choice. There are countless stories of the differences that I feel I have made in the lives of the most vulnerable population and have been able to improve access to care for those who may not have health insurance. At Bond, contrary to what many believe, we accept all insurances and are not considered a “free clinic.” However, we are able to offer affordable health care for those persons who would otherwise slip through the cracks. I also have been an adjunct professor at FAMU School of Nursing for more than 5 years now and love teaching and being able to pass forward my experiences and help prepare the next generation of nurses.