What are your job responsibilities?
My position is unusual in that it’s a new hybrid position combining the responsibilities of both a facilities coordinator and a maintenance mechanic. On the coordinator side I keep the FMOS binders updated, assist with CMMS and invoice issues, attend committee meetings, while on the maintenance side I am doing preventive maintenance (PM) in the area of fire safety, and I assist the technicians with other things as needed. Every month I’m responsible for checking all the fire extinguishers and exit lights in the facility. This year I also started doing the PMs for the fire smoke walls above the ceiling. There are eleven technicians on our team and one manager, and we are responsible for one hospital facility.
Describe the path you took to arrive in your current role.
I was working in a day care facility when a family friend who was the director of operations at this facility said they had an opening that might be a good fit for me, so I joined that team. At that time we were employed by a vendor that was providing services here. I knew the Medxcel manager, and he told me about a new position they were creating, and he said he thought I would be great at it. He encouraged me to apply and here I am. I was already familiar with the Medxcel employees and even though I didn’t have any experience in maintenance, this role opened a door for me with so many new opportunities that have me learning new things every day.
How has Medxcel helped you to learn the ins and outs of your new position?
Medxcel provides training and education in several ways, through Medxcel University, myLearning, and vendor trainings conducted here on site. They have been so great at providing me with lots of information to help me understanding more about the world of maintenance. I’ve taken courses that have helped me understand the bigger picture around maintenance to understand the processes we use, how things run, why we do what we do, and why certain tasks are necessary. Our vendors are also very helpful, bringing trainings to us here on site. I’m learning new things every day. I’m a very hands-on learner and my coworkers and leaders are always ready to have me tag along and teach me.
What is the best part of your job?
I love the hybrid aspect of my role. I can get my hands dirty when I feel like it and I can also work on the administrative work in my office. It’s a great combination. I enjoy the feeling of community and teamwork in our facility, and in this position I get to work with all of the departments and staff throughout the hospital. I love getting to know the people and the departments, we all work together as one big team. The staff here really respects Medxcel and are very appreciative of what we do for them.
Which of Medxcel’s Core Values speaks to you the most?
Reverence really speaks to me. To me reverence invokes respect, helpfulness, and encouraging others. Everyone brings their own skill set to the table, and if you respect that and work together it makes the team stronger. Treating people with respect means lending a helping hand when you can; you never know what someone else may be going through. The simplest act like holding a door open or volunteering to help on a project may make a huge impact on someone else.
How does your job impact patient care?
When I was with my prior employer, I didn’t realize how much Medxcel does to keep this facility running. Everything we do impacts patient care in some way. Sometimes it’s a small thing like fixing a tv for a patient or repairing the nurse call button. Then of course there are things like fire safety, maintaining air handler units, and making sure that the temperature and humidity of patient rooms are correct to keep our patients comfortable and allow them to heal. There is so much important work that goes on behind the scenes that Medxcel takes care of so well.
What is the most unusual thing that’s happened to you during the course of your work at Medxcel?
Once when I was conducting a ceiling inspection of the fire wall, a dead mouse fell on my head. After that I quickly learned the importance of properly moving ceiling tiles during inspection and keeping them level in case of “surprises”!
What is one thing that you have learned during your time in this role that you didn’t expect?
I never thought I would know anything about maintenance, especially all the devices in a healthcare facility. Now that I have a background in maintenance, I catch myself being more observant in the ‘outside world’ of work related to maintenance. I know that so far I only have a broad general knowledge on some topics I observe, and it’s exciting to realize that it’s only the tip of the iceberg and I’m excited to keep expanding my knowledge.
What would you tell someone who was considering a career with Medxcel?
There are so many opportunities at Medxcel. I never imaged I’d be doing what I’m doing today but they encouraged me to try something new and I love it. The leaders are very helpful and encourage you to accomplish your goals. If you want to grow with Medxcel you’ll be encouraged and receive help all along the way. Medxcel has a great community of employees who are always willing to help one another out.