Dedicated Morris Hospital Administrative Assistant Named October Fire Starter
October 24, 2024, MORRIS, IL- If there is one thing Morris Hospital Administrative Assistant Joanna Mueller enjoys, it is problem solving. Her coworkers in the Safety/Security and Emergency Management departments at Morris Hospital say the Verona resident is an excellent resource who is always working to solve problems using compassion and empathy.
Throughout the last 13 years at Morris Hospital, Mueller has gained a reputation for being an effective communicator who is the “glue” that keeps the departments she works with interconnected. In recognition of her excellent work ethic and teamwork, Mueller is being honored as the Morris Hospital October Fire Starter of the Month.
Morris Hospital Director of Facilities & Engineering Jeff Brodbeck says Mueller is a selfless employee who lives the mission of Morris Hospital every day.
“Jo is an incredibly caring person who always takes care of everyone around her. She is dependable, hard working and always willing to lend a helping hand. She has established herself as the ‘go to’ person when there are questions at Shabbona. We are so fortunate to have an employee like Jo working at Morris Hospital.”
Working in healthcare has been a staple throughout Mueller’s career, starting as a purchasing agent in the prosthetics department at Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital in Hines, Illinois. It was during this time that Mueller began learning about facility management from her father, who served as Chief of Maintenance at the same hospital. Although she did not know it at the time, many of the conversations she had with her father about his work in maintenance would prepare her for a future role working at Morris Hospital.
After many years working at Hines VA Hospital and later as an administrative assistant in the neuro surgical department at another hospital, Mueller says she was ready to find a job closer to home. Luckily back in 2011, there was an administrative assistant opening at Morris Hospital supporting the safety/security departments.
“While my role and department has changed since I first started working at Morris Hospital, I really enjoy working with the different departments I support,” says Mueller. “I really enjoy sitting on committees and trying to find ways to creatively solve problems.”
For Mueller, her goal for each day of work is simple: work hard and always do things the right way. “One thing I have always believed is that you don’t necessarily have to see patients to contribute to the excellent care they receive,” says Mueller. “There are so many things that have to happen behind the scenes to ensure every patient receives excellent care, and that is why having a great team is so important. I am proud to do my part to make sure Morris Hospital is the best place to receive care.”
In early civilizations, fire starters were individuals who had the important job of keeping the flame alive. With over 1,400 employees, Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers is the largest employer in Grundy County.
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