Vanessa C. Thomas

Certified Health Unit Coordinator (HUC)
William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, 7 Blue/Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit (MSICU)

First UTSW job: Patient Care Tech.

Best part about my job: I love interacting with patients and their families, as well as co-workers. I like to help them solve problems and meet challenges.

What energizes me at work: We receive critically ill patients in the MSICU, and it lifts me up to know I am helping make the world a better place when patients improve enough to go to a step-down unit.

How co-workers describe me: Punctual, hardworking. I am rarely late to a meeting or out sick.

Recipe for success: Confidence, passion, having a sense of purpose, and self-determination.

Best UTSW memory: Advocating for patients makes me happy.

I wish I were an instant expert at: Being a fashion designer and running my own business.

Claim to fame: I passed my HUC exam on the first try. I was mentioned in the UTSW campus paper, and co-workers started asking me for advice on the test.

Hobby or passion: Traveling and spending time with my family. All three of my children went to college, and I am so proud of them.

Surprising fact: I am very quiet and shy.