Safety Officer II

Chelsea K
Chelsea is a Safety Officer II for Medxcel in Wisconsin. In her position she is responsible for the Environment of Care Program and sits on the hospital committees for Environment of Care, Safety, and Emergency Management. As a safety professional, Chelsea is responsible for coordinating, collecting, disseminating, and intervening in all areas of safety and is accountable for identifying, preventing, and controlling hazards within the facility. Chelsea works with the customer and the Medxcel compliance team to maintain continuous survey readiness, complying with all regulatory agencies including The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), The Joint Commission (TJC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), state and local agencies, and identified industry best management practices (BMP). Chelsea regularly partners with Facilities Managers, other Safety Officers, and managers and staff at the facility, working together to ensure safety and compliance and achieve organizational goals. She is also responsible for implementing and maintaining the Environment of Care Program at her site, including safety and security management, fire safety, hazardous materials and waste management, medical equipment, utilities management, emergency management, and environmental stewardship.

 
“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.”
 

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, the role opened a door for me with so many new opportunities that have me learning new things every day. I recently transitioned into my current safety officer role.

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 understand more about the world of maintenance and safety. 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 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 to help ensure safety for our patients and staff. 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.

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