Weekend Warrior
Avis Vinnett enjoys helping others, whether it’s encouraging team members to sign up for the Heart Walk or arranging virtual get togethers to keep remote workers connected. So it’s no surprise that she stepped up and answered the call for System Services employees to help ease the burden on Texas Health’s hospitals.
“I feel like I’m contributing and doing my part,” said Vinnett, a Brand Experience administrative assistant who has been working weekends at the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth pharmacy since December. “Working in Brand Experience, we have a lot of last-minute tasks pop up during the week, and things are constantly evolving. I saw that the pharmacy had weekend shifts, so I signed up.”
Deena McAllister, senior vice president, Brand Experience, said Vinnett’s versatility and can-do attitude make her an asset to any department.
“Avis is always willing to do whatever needs to be done,” McAllister said. “When she learned that the hospitals needed help, she was eager to jump in, even though it meant giving up part of her weekend. She’s the consummate people person, and is always happy to learn new skills.”
Saturday shifts
Vinnett spends her Saturdays delivering medications to hospital units sanitizing pneumatic tubes as they come back from nursing stations and checking inventory for expired or soon-to-expire medications.
Helping the hospital also helps her, she said.
“After working from home for so long, it’s good to physically interact with people again,” she said. “I enjoy the opportunity to interact with people and help out at the same time.”
Vinnett said she feels safe at the hospital.
“I know some people are scared to go into the hospitals because they’re afraid they’ll get COVID,” she said. “But the employees there are really careful. In the pharmacy, everyone wears a mask and gloves; we’re constantly cleaning and sanitizing; and there are rules to keep people separate from each other.”
Helping the hospital also helps her, she said.
“After working from home for so long, it’s good to physically interact with people again,” she said. “I enjoy the opportunity to interact with people and help out at the same time.”
Vinnett said she feels safe at the hospital.
“I know some people are scared to go into the hospitals because they’re afraid they’ll get COVID,” she said. “But the employees there are really careful. In the pharmacy, everyone wears a mask and gloves; we’re constantly cleaning and sanitizing; and there are rules to keep people separate from each other.”
By Robin P. Loveman • Posted January 26, 2021
