Happily Serving At Spanish Town Hospital For 36 Years

In 1986 when young Carol Lynetta Nathan completed her job experience at the Spanish Town Hospital during her final year at the then Spanish Town Secondary School, there was no thought that the institution would become her “home” for almost 40 years.

Miss Nathan who is the Billing Supervisor, is very much in love with her job and being able to give listening ears to anxious clients who seek care at the largest medical facility in the parish of St. Catherine.

She recalls that on her first day on the job as a teenager at the time, entering the institution was nerve racking for her. However, her work colleagues, high on team spirt, gave her a very warm welcome and caused her to be comfortable. This enabled her to share that warmth with the clients.

“The staff, they were very receptive, very nice, they encouraged me, and after a few days I was comfortable, like I was there for years,” she states, noting that camaraderie among workers plays a big part in productivity and quality customer service.

Miss Nathan started out as a Medical Records Clerk and became a Cashier in 1990, moved to a Customer Service Supervisor in 2008, then to Assessment Officer/Supervisor and to her current position. Describing her many positions at the hospital as “learning experience,” she says she would do them all over again if she had to, just to help the fellow citizens of her beloved country.

“I have encountered challenging days, however, the good days outweigh the bad. A typical day is working on the front-line, assisting patients, navigating the services that they require. It brings me joy to come to work for the past 36 years knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life,” Miss Nathan proudly states.

Underscoring that she works with a team that strives to deliver “excellent patient care to all clients,” she notes that her most memorable experience at the hospital was “when I received a staff award for outstanding performance as a cashier. I felt appreciated for the hard work I have been doing over the years,” she shares.

Another big occasion for the veteran public servant was in 2012 when she was acknowledged for her 20 years of dedication to the public service and going to King’s House to collect her medals from Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen.

While the nostalgia of the occasion could not escape Miss Nathan, much humour animated the day as she was repeatedly asked if she was there to collect the long-service award for another person, as her youthful appearance belied her eligibility for such an accolade.

“I love to help people, and I try to ensure that they are satisfied by going the extra mile.” She emphasises that she spends time to understand her staff and assigns them to shifts by being very conscious of their personal challenges, especially those who have to travel to areas where public transportation is not reliable.

“A happy staff, you get more from them, so I try to encourage them and motivate them to perform to the best of their ability,” she says, making note of her training and certification in social service at the University of the West Indies, where “I learned more to deal with people,” and to handle sensitive and difficult situations. “I was more like a counsellor,” while she was in customer service, Miss Nathan reveals.

She credits her former Chief Executive Officer David Dobson, who instituted several schemes to award and recognise staff members, for making the workplace enjoyable to serve the public, as well as Dr. Paul Robinson who was there in her early years at the hospital, for his kindness to the lower-level staff. With his regular mantra: “we are all team,” in the wee hours of the nights the doctor would take them to their homes in various sections of the parish and then travel to his home in Kingston.

The Kitson Town native who is referred to as “nurse” and “doctor” in her community, says for persons to do well in the positions that she has served, they must be able to communicate effectively with persons of varied backgrounds and know how to empathise when patients seem to be hopeless.

She is pleased with the major infrastructure upgrading plans for the hospital and to acquire more modern equipment so that “we can enhance the quality of patient care to the people we serve as, ”we serve a large community, so the development is important.” The long serving public servant is also happy for “better pay packages to all categories of staff,” Miss Nathan states.