What are your responsibilities as Plumber I?

I work at a hospital site in Kansas. As a plumber, I mainly work on bathroom fixtures, but also do some work with steam and medical gas systems, which surprised me. Residential plumbers typically work with drain lines, toilets, and sinks, but we encounter some different things specific to healthcare, like med gasses.
 

Describe the path you took to arrive in your current role.

I started at Medxcel as an HVAC tech on the second shift. After a year I moved to a maintenance mechanic role to move to the day shift. I did that for about five months and then the facilities director asked me if I was interested in a runner position, something new they were trying out. I fulfilled maintenance mechanic work orders but also did some plumbing and HVAC work orders at the same time. After some time, I decided I wanted to get back into a trade and felt that plumbing was a good fit. I’ve been a plumber ever since.
 

How does Medxcel support associates with training and development?

When I started at Medxcel I was in HVAC school. But on the night shift we’re a smaller team, so we did a lot of different things, even outside of HVAC work. I learned on the job from my teammates, and those new skills helped me get the maintenance mechanic position. When I moved into the runner position I had more on-the-job training. 

We have people on our team who have been doing these jobs longer than I’ve been alive and they are great at sharing their expertise. If I have any questions, I know I can just reach out to someone on the team. 
 
If I want to become a Plumber II I’ll need to become med gas certified and I know that Medxcel will support me and pay for me to pursue that certification. They will also support me if I want to pursue my plumbing license. The benefits are really great here.
 

What is the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is helping the people who help patients. What we do helps the clinical staff do their jobs more effectively and efficiently, so patients get the care they need. It’s so cool to see what we do translate to the patients.
 

How do you and your team impact patient care?

I’ll give you an example. Nurses take care of multiple patients at the same time. Let’s say they have one patient asking for ice and water, and another patient also needs something. If the ice machine that is closest isn’t working, they have to go much farther to get the ice, which slows them down in getting to other patients who need help. It’s little things like that that make a big difference.
 

How would you describe Medxcel's culture?

Medxcel is very family oriented. They understand that we have lives outside of work and they do their best to keep work within scheduled work hours. If you need help, in or outside of work, they’re ready to help out in any way they can. I’ve seen a director come in on weekends to help out — everyone gets involved when something is needed and we support each other.
 

What would you say to someone who asks if you recommend working for Medxcel?

I think Medxcel is a good place to work, especially for the benefits and the flexibility it offers. There is always someone here to help you or to provide you with the resources you need. As a plumber, if you work residential, you’re out on your own; nobody is there working with you to assist and train you. But Medxcel is a great place to start working, especially at the entry level of trades. If you really want to learn and understand the concept of a trade, Medxcel is a great place to start.
 

Is there something you’ve learned on the job that you didn’t expect?

I was surprised to learn how much all of these jobs I’ve done impact healthcare. We really do have a pretty big impact on the hospital, which affects patient care.