“When I think of health, I think more in terms of not patient health, but the health and well-being of my co-workers and I, and what can I do to contribute to our healthiness.” FRED WILLIAMS begins, “I’m not a practitioner but if I have a co-worker who is hurting there are things that I can do to help heal them.” Fred, a Programmer for Human Resources Information Services (HRIS), explains that recently he had the opportunity to help a co-worker whose parent had passed away. Fred was able to provide support through information and experiences that he has had.
“When I see someone in this situation then maybe I can help heal with information that I have," He says. "We’re not directly involved with patients, but we can help each other through those difficult times.”
Fred is also passionate about extending health and healing to the surrounding community. Throughout the past decade, Fred has volunteered during his free time with the Loma Linda University Hospice Services and at the Children’s Hospital. He explains how these acts of service, in addition to his experience as an HRIS employee, helped provide a different perspective for him when was admitted into the Medical Center.
“I was an inpatient for about ten days, and then I was at home for about three months. I got to see the Medical Center from the inside out,” Fred remembers. “I was no longer a worker supporting the nurses and doctors, suddenly I got to see the organization that I had worked so long to support – now taking care of me.”
The experience enlightened Fred as to his role. “It was a real eye-opener. How much more you appreciate something when suddenly you’re not behind the scenes, you are the scene,” Fred says. “I recognize that I’m support staff – I’m not on the front line of patient care – but I know that everything I do has a direct effect on those people who are on the front lines.”
Fred is committed to making the place he works an uplifting and joyful one. Between his leadership and initiative to turn the department break room bulletin board into an advent calendar over the holidays last year, or writing inspiring and humorous quotes for the framed canvas photos in the HRIS conference room, Fred wants to ensure that he is helping make the office a more fulfilling place to work.
“You always know also that the moment you hit the door, somebody is going to come up and say ‘Help!’ in any number of ways," Fred explains. "I’m always thinking of what can I do to make somebody else’s life easier or more enjoyable.”
Encouraging his fellow employees with uplifting humor and support, Fred smiles as he explains, “Sometimes if things look dark, you look for the light. That’s what I try to do. The silver linings are on the dark clouds.”
◊◊◊
NANCY HADAWAY, an Application Analyst for HRIS, has a long-standing history with Loma Linda. “I’ve worked here for nearly thirty-seven years,” she says with a smile. For Nancy, that’s something to brag about.
“I love working here!” she explains, “I can’t imagine working anywhere else.”
Nancy has spent the last eighteen months in HRIS, a department that has been a highlight for her.
“I enjoy being part of HRIS because the crew here is very dedicated. We serve employees, not patients,” Nancy explains, “But I’m really pleased how dedicated everybody is in serving the employees. That’s really important, because so many of the employees then serve the patients.”
Living out the mission of Loma Linda with this perspective in mind, Nancy feels inspired. “It’s the understanding that ultimately it’s for the patient, even though my role is more for the employees,” Nancy continues. “To make everything run smoothly for them, giving them some of the tools they need to make their job better, faster, easier, and more pleasing. I feel that’s how we serve the mission here.”
Nancy is thankful that Loma Linda is a little different than anywhere else that she has worked.
“One of the things that I’m very grateful for is working for an institution where you can pray. You start your day with worship, or you pray before a meeting begins. I don’t know if employees take that for granted, but it’s very unusual. And I feel very blessed to work in a place that allows that.”
When asked about her favorite part about coming to work, Nancy doesn’t hesitate.
“The people you work with,” she says, then continues, "and also that everybody takes pride in their work and doing an excellent job. I’m still in a learning phase of this job. I learn by watching the way that the rest of the staff take their work to the ‘nth’ level to make sure that everything runs smoothly.”
Nancy loves to tell people about how Loma Linda is a great place to work.
“When I’m talking with someone I have just met, and they ask ‘Where do you work?’ I tell them ‘Loma Linda!’ with a lot of pride,” Nancy admits, “Almost everybody you meet has a story about having a loved one here as a patient. It’s great to be able to tell them, ‘It’s a wonderful place to work, too!’”