Morris Hospital Certified Nurse Assistant is Called to Care for Others
July 6, 2020 – Morris Hospital Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Crystal Doss of Coal City believes that healthcare needs compassionate people who truly care about others. That’s what inspired her to pursue a new career a little later in life than the average CNA student. Less than 20 months after starting her new role as a CNA on Morris Hospital’s 2 South nursing unit, Doss was named June 2020 Fire Starter of the Month.
“I love to take care of people and listen to people,” says Doss, who joined the Morris Hospital team in October 2018 after choosing to return to work. While Doss is currently pursuing her RN degree at Joliet Junior College, being a CNA on a medical/surgical unit has been a perfect fit and for Doss, an important step to becoming an RN.
“I love it,” says Doss. “I love the patient care aspect – the little things we get to do for the patients and the one-on-one time spent with them. That’s what I love.”
Kathy Rombach, 2 South Manager at Morris Hospital, says Doss always puts the patients first. For example, on the day she was awarded Fire Starter of the Month, she was the last to arrive at the gathering that was scheduled in her honor because she was making one last round on her patients.
“Helpful, caring, hardworking, respectful, flexible, and team player are all themes identified on the many excellence cards Crystal has received,” says Rombach. “She is respectful of her patients and always ensures their needs are met. Her co-workers appreciate her special ability to keep the mood light and tough situations smooth.”
Without hesitation, Doss says that caring for seniors is the most rewarding part of her job. There’s also a special place in her heart for patients with dementia.
“Seniors especially like getting special attention,” says Doss. “We become their family – especially now without visitors. Patients are missing their families, and they rely on us. They just want to know someone cares. We are the shoulder they can lean on. Sometimes they just want to talk. You think you’re taking care of them, when in reality, you’re learning so much from them.”
Providing extraordinary care for patients isn’t enough for Doss. She loves doing little things that provide a lifting moment for anyone who crosses her path – whether it’s leaving a May Day basket for a random stranger in her community or anonymously recognizing every member of the Morris Hospital Environmental Services staff with a gift card using money she received after making facemasks for friends and neighbors.
“I didn’t charge for the masks, but people always left money so I decided to use it to do something nice for others,” explains Doss. “The staff in Environmental Services work so hard. I thought it would be nice to let them know someone is thinking about them and appreciates them too.”
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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