People of the U: Lillie Bledsoe
Published on Monday, December 16, 2019
By: Ruth Cummins
As a housekeeper at UMMC Grenada, Lillie Bledsoe does so much more than make patient rooms sparkle because of her attention to detail.
She also puts a little sparkle into each patient’s day.
“I make sure everything is OK with them before I leave the room,” said Bledsoe, who has worked at the Grenada hospital for 11 years, before it became a part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. “I ask them how their day is going, and ask them if they need anything. If they do, I let the nurses know.
“I might be the only visitor they have that day.”
Bledsoe, one of about 27 housekeepers, is assigned to a particular floor. She takes responsibility for ensuring that cleanliness, down to the windows, is a standard always upheld.
“I love a room to be mopped,” Bledsoe said. “I love a clean room for our patients.”
Hers is the attitude Dorothy Allison would like to see in all employees.
“Lillie overall works with a purpose,” said Allison, director for environmental services at UMMC Grenada. “That’s one of the things I love to see in all staff. She is exceptional. Her floor is immaculate.”
EVS stands for environmental services, but it’s more than that in Allison’s book: Eye contact with the patient. Clear voice projection. And, always carry a smile into the room.
“Our patients don’t stay that long, but they know Lillie by name,” Allison said. “She has that type contact with them when she’s in their room. They can forget about all of their sickness, and that’s really important.”
Bledsoe loves giving patients small – and large – acts of kindness at a time when they most need it. When she recently swept through one of her patient’s rooms, the woman was upset because she couldn’t find her cell phone.
“I dialed the number, and it was under her covers,” Bledsoe remembered. “She was so happy. I told her I was happy to help her.”
When Bledsoe is not at UMMC, she’s still caring for the people around her. She has a part-time job, and she stays busy with her five granddaughters. “If I’m not here, I’m usually with them,” said Bledsoe, who is an usher at her church, New Life Christian Fellowship.
“Not only is Lillie a sweet individual, but she is just as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside,” Allison said. “Her work ethic is one of the best. She always goes with a smile.”
Every institution is rich with personal stories. We want to know ours.
Do you know a student, staff, volunteer or faculty member at the University of Mississippi Medical Center whose story would make an interesting feature or deserves to be recognized?
Know someone who you think more people should know about because of his or her commitment to his or her job and/or the people he or she works with or for? Who has a fascinating hobby? Who participates in a remarkable group? Who has accomplished something amazing?
We want to learn more about each individual who makes up our extraordinary UMMC Family, and we want to share what makes each person unique and special in the Front and Center section of our dynamic new UMMC Intranet.
To nominate someone to be considered for a Front and Center feature, just complete and submit this short form. If that person is picked for a feature, a member of the Communications and Marketing staff will contact him or her to learn more about his or her personal story.
Soon, the rest of the Medical Center will know why your nominee is an outstanding reminder of what makes this place so special – the Front and Center.