Lunch at Delnor (eBook)

1 – Introductions

Delnor Hospital in Geneva, IL is a large modern facility. Actually, it is no longer officially named Delnor since it was purchased by one of the large hospital corporations. However, all of the locals still refer to it as Delnor. As with all modern hospitals, the lobby looks like a resort hotel with large steel and glass framed windows projecting huge amounts of sun light onto the sleek marble and granite floors and counters. The lobby is much larger than a hospital lobby needs to be but provides the feel of luxury and quality that comforts both patients and visitors.

Sitting at the center backside of the lobby is the main reception desk. The reception desk is normally staffed by two attendants whose primary job is to answer questions and provide directions to visitors – plus a few administrative duties. Sitting at the desk today is Rose Hopkins and Belynda Novak. Belynda is a veteran of over 20 years at Delnor – all at the reception desk. Rose, on the other hand, is relatively new and is still in her initial two-week training period.

Janet Davies, the Office Manager, is responsible for both the general office - where they do the payroll and handle patient billings and also the reception desk. There are about 20 people reporting to Janet, including all of the reception desk attendants. Janet leans heavily on Belynda to manage the reception desk. Although Rose reports to Janet on the Org. Chart – she takes her day-to-day direction from Belynda.

Everyone knows Belynda, she has become one of the faces of Delnor and is looked upon as one of the old timers who can answer any question and knows how things are supposed to work.

Rose on the other hand, came to Delnor with no hospital or receptionist experience. Delnor had attempted to recruit an experienced receptionist but after 3 months with no response to their recruitment ads, they decided to hire Rose. While Rose did not have hospital or receptionist experience, she is a college graduate and has spent the last ten years with a local CPA firm as an office manager and Jack of all trades. It was a good job that paid much more than she was now making at Delnor. However, the hours at the CPA firm were long and Rose was a salary worker so she wasn’t paid for the overtime. In addition, that job came with pressure – especially during tax season – which Rose didn’t want anymore.

Rose had recently turned 65, went on Medicare and was ready to slow down a little. She wanted a job with normal hours and less stress. She wanted to leave her job at work and not have to think about what she had to get done tomorrow. She was willing to give up some amount of compensation to get this easier and less stressful life. She took a fairly large reduction in income in the job change from office manager to receptionist. She had also taken a fair amount of heat from friends and family about making this change but she didn’t care – it was what she wanted.

In addition, she had recently gotten divorced and sold the home where she had lived for the last 30 years and raised her children. She then moved into a new apartment and as such, had a little nest egg and didn’t have to deal with all of the home ownership headaches and expenses.

Now in her second week of training under Belynda, things were going very well. She was over the normal new job anxiety. In Rose’s case, the anxiety was a little greater than normal. The lack of hospital experience had concerned her and the fact that she was African American, made her a little concerned about how she would be accepted and treated. The area around the hospital in Kane County was predominately a white conservative and upper middleclass area. The CPA firm where Rose had previously worked was also predominately white but somehow the hospital seemed different and a little intimidating.

Two things that Rose had going for her was her intelligence and her looks. She had a college business degree and was very attractive and looked 55 instead of her actual age of 65. At five feet seven inches tall, she had a very stately figure. After her divorce and the sale of her home, she was financially independent and secure. She knew that she would be fine, even if this job didn’t work out. Her friends constantly told her that she should be looking for a rich husband as she was a great catch for some man.

Most people visiting a patient at Delnor would naturally come to the reception desk to ask what room a patient was in – even if they already knew. Of course, everything was computerized and she would simply enter the patient’s last name into her computer screen and the room number would appear. If there were any visitor restrictions limiting access to the floor, room or patient, they would also appear on the screen. She would then direct the visitor to the correct elevator.

Her other task was to monitor access to the cancer treatment facility. The doors to that facility were located directly behind the reception desk. There was a large sign in front of the doors to the cancer center that read NO AMITTANCE – Authorized Medical Personnel Only - All other visitors may register at the reception desk. The cancer treatment facility had controlled access due to the type of treatments being administered – like radiation. Also, because of the weak immune system of some of the patients – they couldn’t be exposed potential germs or infections. All visitors had to be pre-approved by a cancer doctor and even then - had to pass through a second control point inside of those outer doors. The second control point would double check the visitor but also then make sure that they were appropriately dressed or masked and covered for the visit.

Two people could normally handle the traffic at the main reception desk. There were times in the morning and immediately after lunch, when things got crazy busy – otherwise – it was a fairly low stress job.

This being Rose’s second week of training, she was still paired with Belynda. Belynda was the most experienced attendant and trained all of the new attendant hires. After her training ended, Rose would be placed on rotating shifts along with the 6 other attendants on staff. The desk was staffed 24 – 7 except that there was just one attendant on 2nd and 3rd shifts. Some were full time, like Rose – meaning that they were looking for 40 hours a week, while others were part time, looking for around 20 hours a week.

It was Thursday of Rose’s second week of training. She was feeling pretty good about the job, the people she had met and thought she had made the right decision in leaving the higher stress world of public accounting.

Just then she noticed an older gentleman wearing a mask and baseball hat walking toward the reception desk. She was ready expecting him to stop ask for directions or a patient room number. But he didn’t stop. He just waved to Rose with his left hand as he walked past reception on the right side heading directly toward the cancer center doors and the NO ADMITTANCE sign.

Rose moved toward the CC doors – “can I help you?” No answer from the gentleman as he kept moving. Now much louder and authoritatively – “CAN I HELP YOU SIR?”

The man stopped in his tracks and pivoted toward Rose and began walking slowly toward her.

“I don’t think so.” The man replied.

“Well - you can’t enter the CC without signing in at this desk and getting approval.”

“Really, you must be Rose.”

“Yes - how did you know that?”

“I work here – well not work exactly but I volunteer here at the CC and I was told that there was a new receptionist and that her name was Rose. My name is Bill – Bill Campbell, like the soup.”

“That’s great but do you have some kind of identification?”

“I do.” Just as Bill was reaching into his wallet to pull out his hospital ID card, Belynda walked over.

“Hey Bill - how are you doing?”

“Great, just about to show Rose my ID.”

“Bill – you don’t need to do that.”

“Rose – this is Bill Campbell and he is a full-time volunteer at the CC and has access without checking in at the desk.”

“Bill, where have you been? I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“I’ve been kind of busy in the CC and up on 5 – mostly coming and going in the nights and evenings.”

The 5th floor was where the ICU was located and the rooms for the cancer surgery patients

“OK well have a good day.” Belynda stated.

“Thanks Belynda - and Rose, good to meet you.”

“Same to you Bill.” Rose replied.

As Bill returned to his path toward the CC doors, he stopped and turned and said in a loud direct voice – “Hey Rose – maybe I will see you at lunch today.”

“OK, Rose replied.” She was not sure why or where they would meet for lunch.

Belynda was still standing there after Bill departed through the CC doors. “Rose, sorry about not telling you about Bill. He normally comes by every day – it’s odd that it has been almost two weeks since I have seen him.”

Rose asked – “what is up with Bill, what does he do in the CC.”

“It’s a long story”. As Belynda was about to tell Rose about Bill, several visitors approached the desk and had to be helped.

After they departed, Rose asked again – “what’s the story with Bill?”

“Oh right – well his wife was in the CC about a year or more ago – maybe two years now – time flies. During her time here, he never left her side – I mean almost never. You would be surprised how special and unusual that is. Anyway, she passed –...