After graduating from the University of Alabama, the 6’2” Andrews sought a job in healthcare – a field he believed was the right business at the right time. So, when he got the offer to join Crothall and enroll in the company’s Accelerated Management Program (AMP), he jumped in with both feet.
“During my senior year, I knew that I wanted to find an important business that would provide the training that I would need to excel in any field,” he recalls. “Working in a hospital, especially during a pandemic, really caught my interest.”
With a degree in Operations Management and Supervision, Chandler began taking AMP classes online in June while also working an on-the-job training role at Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C. The new college graduate had never worked in a hospital before, so a combination of classes and training provided the ultimate crash course.
“I was in the classroom for three days while also going through training, so I was completely immersed,” Chandler recalls. But it turned out to be the right way to learn the healthcare business.
“I was able to meet all of the associates, the housekeepers, working with them from day one, and build relationships. It was a perfect way to learn the business and meet the people who make certain patients have safe, clean rooms.”
Chandler worked closely with housekeepers, floor technicians, and biohazard handlers to learn their roles and the critical nature of their work. And he quickly learned the importance of developing a schedule for a staff that works 24/7. “Hospitals never close, so I needed to learn how to make certain we were always there for the client.”
In November, after completing the training program and the AMP, Chandler became the Traveling Operations Manager for the Brookwood Baptist Health System in Birmingham, Ala. He traveled between two hospitals, overseeing EVS operations in both.
Earlier this year, Chandler was promoted, joining Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham as the First Shift Operations Manager for Environmental Services, overseeing more than 25 associates.
Because Chandler’s AMP course was taught online, so he did miss the opportunity to interact often with other managers. However, by attending classes on the importance of communications, he was prepared how to better communicate with associates and medical staff at the hospital.
In his three Crothall jobs to date, he has learned how critical communications with his staff and clients are tied to job performance.
“Every day, I work to show our associates I respect them and their work,” he says. “I ask them what they need to do their jobs; I want them to know I’m here to help them succeed. They know how to do their jobs, but they sometimes ask for help with non-work matters, such as setting up an email account or other technology questions. I’m glad to help.”
He also knows people will occasionally be called away from work to handle a family emergency. “When that happens, I pitch in, pulling trash and cleaning patient rooms. We had a freak snowstorm this winter, forcing 13 people to miss work. But we all came together to get the job done.”
And communications don’t stop with the morning team huddle. “After everyone gets their supplies, I make my rounds, speaking to the nursing staff and others in their offices. I also make sure to speak with each housekeeper at least twice during their shift.”
Building rapport with the nurses is a top priority and his tall stature has been an advantage in working with them. “During my first two weeks here, somebody came up and asked, ‘Who are you? Our nurses want to know.”
As he began to meet the nursing staff and other clinicians, he quickly learned they will let him know if they need help – and his job is to jump on it right away. Recently, one nurse pulled him aside and asked if we could improve the appearance of the stairwell near the hospital’s front door.
He quickly spoke to the second shift EVS manager to get the stairs cleaned on the same day. “When we react quickly to meet their needs, they notice that we care. By working with the nurses closely, we can make the hospital a better place.”