Housekeeper Jacqueline Minani has worked at JPS Health Network only for a few months, but she has already made a big impression.
“She has a smile that can light up a room and a personality to match,” said Craig Simon, operations manager in the Environmental Services Department. “Engagement and positivity help create an environment where the patient can heal, there is no doubt about that.”
Minani said she applied to work at the health network three months ago because her sister works at JPS and recommended it as a rewarding place to earn a living.
“She said it’s nice to be able to help people and, if you want to help people, this is a good place to be,” Minani said of her sibling’s advice. “The people who work here are so nice, too. I really like it.”
When patients are confined to a hospital bed for an extended period of time because of an illness or as they recover from surgery, they can get lonely in their rooms. For them, Simon said, a visit from the housekeeper isn’t just a chance to get the wastebasket emptied or have the floor mopped. It’s a chance for a spirit-lifting conversation -- a chance for a human connection that makes it a bit easier to get through the day.
Housekeepers are often the front line of customer service. Making sure the patients’ rooms are clean and comfortable can be as important to their happiness as doctors and nurses providing them with the best care available, according to Simon. Minani said she likes to explain what she’s doing to let the people she meets know it’s important to her that their rooms are cleaned and sanitized to the highest standards.
However, Minani said patients aren’t usually looking for answers or reassurance about their health as much as they’re just looking for a little bit of human interaction.
“If they’re watching television, I might ask them what show is on and talk about that,” Minani said. “Nothing to serious. Just talking about normal stuff that people talk about every day. If I can make them smile, I feel like I did something good for the day.”