William Swift had been working several odd jobs, searching for a fulfilling career. In 2019, a friend who worked at Servicon who knew the company had an opening at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey, CA, suggested William apply. He did and was hired as a supervisor. The rest is a story of enthusiasm.
“I was looking for something I could be passionate about, to be excited about what I do and want to come to work,” he says. “This is a great fit for me.”
William directly oversees a team of 16 that maintains the health and cleanliness of Los Amigos OR, ICU, MRI, and central processing departments, as well as the pharmacy, which includes cleanrooms. However, sometimes, he oversees more square footage and up to 32 team members. “Our locations is open 24/7,” he explains. On the other supervisors’ days off, I oversee their areas just as they do for me. Since we are all a team, we help each other out, and it works well.”
Mutual Respect
What William likes most about the job is the people. “I like helping patients,” he says. “It feels good to know I am doing something to help them and bring them some happiness. I also enjoy the team aspect. I like being a coach and seeing people succeed. I enjoy working with my team and like the interaction with Los Amigos staff, including getting to know them and helping improve their lives.”
The feeling is mutual. In May 2024, Los Amigos’ OR manager nominated William for the center’s Friend of Nursing Award. Servicon environmental services (EVS) technician Enedina Chacon was also nominated for the prestigious award.
“It was great to see Enedina nominated,” William says. “She just transferred from the OR where she worked and reported to me. She was a big part of the team and helped train her replacement when she moved to a different shift. I am 100% happier to see my team members nominated because they do the work. I oversee them to ensure it gets done. But it’s their work that reflects well on me. “
Getting the Job Done
As for on-the-job challenges, “I don’t really see any challenges; they are just tasks to accomplish,” William says. “I have a good rapport and great communication with the OR and other managers and keep in close contact with them. If an issue arises, we get it addressed right away so they can continue to do surgeries and their other jobs without worrying about our tasks. Maybe it’s weird to say, but there’s been no problems. My bosses have been supportive, and I’ve always been able to get hold of them if I need to. But we know what to do, and we get it done.”
“Getting it done” includes being friendly and ensuring patient satisfaction. “Our team knows to knock before they enter a patient’s room, say hello, and ask if there are any issues the patients would like us to address,” William says. “The patients are very receptive; doesn’t everyone want a clean room? Most of our rehab isn’t super long-term, but some patients are there for a week or even a month. They will engage in conversations and even build friendships with some of our team members.”
The Highest Praise
As a career-focused employee, William seeks to advance when the time is right. “I am working to move up to site manager,” he says. “I am learning from my different managers. I pick their brains. The more I know, the more I can help and build myself up to be a good site leader.”
As for his employer, the praise doesn’t get much higher. “I would 100% recommend Servicon to people looking for a job,” William says. “I spent two weeks training at the corporate office and met the CEO and top executives. It doesn’t feel like a big corporation. You can feel it is family-owned. One of my son is in college, and the other is in the Marines, so they chose different paths. Otherwise, I would have recommended Servicon to them.”
