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Myrna Cordero
Recipient: Tandang Sora Award in Nursing
The Many Nuances of Myrna Cordero
By Nelia Dingcong Bernabe
She is the modern-day version of Flo rence Nightingale. Her strings of pro fessional achievements speak volumes of the kind of woman that she is – dedicated, kind and compassionate, among many others.
Foremost, Myrna Viloria Cordero is a wife, a mother and a grandmother whose guiding principle in life is to live with dignity and discipline. “My dreams and plans are to live comfortably and see my children and grandchildren comfortably settled in life. I would like to see the business that I am a part of flourish so I will be of more service to the community,” she said.
A nursing graduate of the University of Santo Tomas (U.S.T.) in Manila, Philippines and a semester shy in getting her post-graduate studies from De Paul University in Chicago, Myrna is currently the administrator/agency supervisor at In His Hands Home Health Inc. where she oversees the day to day operation of the agency.
In her current role, she also interviews and hires personnel, manages the agency’s programs and is responsible for the provisions of their home health services and program planning. She especially takes pride in guiding and helping health care professionals to perform their jobs in accordance with the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Standards of Care. She also makes sure that health care professionals adhere to the policies and procedures of her agency. “I just want to make sure that our clients receive the quality care they deserve,” she said.
Myrna’s extensive experience in the health care industry and the medical field has helped her gain the confidence to do the right thing. “My work impacts the sick and I want to make sure that they are taken care of properly and that they are educated when it comes to their diseases and medication so they can manage their medical care at home, “ she added.
Her past experience includes that of an administrator, director of nursing and QA coordinator of three health agencies, director of nursing at a skilled nursing facility, home health liaison and field nurse, critical care supervisor, emergency room charge nurse, I.V. case manager, rehabilitation nurse, clinical instructor and instrumental in starting up several non-Filipino home health agencies. In addition, Myrna is a businesswoman who has owned home health, temporary staffing and employment/recruitment agencies.
Myrna also finds time to get involved in the community as a way for her to give back. She has served two terms (four years) as president of USTNAA, Il. In this capacity, she has contributed to cancer research and the Skills Laboratory of the U.S.T. College of Nursing. She is the charter president of Fil-USA Lions Club whose motto, We Serve, helps the vision and hearing impaired through their different fund raising programs. She is also one of the directors of Pilipino American Social Services (PASS) and chairman for Calendar Mom 2009 – 2010, a fund-raising program designed to help the needy and low-income families of the community via food rations and meals. In addition, Myrna is the incoming President of the Laguna Association of the Midwest, Inc. (LAMI).
Myrna Viloria Cordero has come a long way from her birthplace, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. Daughter of Antonio Viloria and Azucena Simsiman, both of Ilocos Sur, she speaks so highly of her father.
“My role model is my dad. He was a grade school teacher. In my younger years, he supported me in everything I did; he encouraged me to always go forward. He actually wanted me to follow in his footsteps but did not force me to pursue being a teacher, instead he was supportive of my plans to pursue the medical field,” Myrna recounted.
This mother of five and grandmother to several grandkids does not plan on slowing down anytime soon. “You are never too old to set another goal or to set a new dream,” she says.
Ever the epitome of a true health care provider, she hopes to stick around for years to be able to make a difference. “In the next 5 – 10 years if I am still here, I would see myself as an active member of a non-profit organization geared to help people with disabilities and health problems as the sick, the needy and the hungry.”
