Meet a Patient Services Assistant

Sharing conversations and smiles with patients is part of Lucretia Jackson's job. As a patient services assistant, Lucretia makes sure every child at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital is as comfortable as possible. Lucretia cleans patients' rooms, makes sure they have the medications and supplies they need and, when it's time for them to go home, prepares the room for the next patient. Lucretia, who's worked at the hospital for nine years, says it's all about making patients happy: "If we present a pleasant environment for children, then that helps make their stay great."

A stay at the hospital, Lucretia points out, is sometimes fun and games. Kids who visit the hospital boast to Lucretia about their time in the Child Life Playroom, which offers age-specific toys, games, books, art supplies, and much more. "I think that Child Life is an excellent thing for the children because it gives them the opportunity to get out of their rooms and play. Actually, some children I've seen don't want to go home because of the video games we have at the hospital!"

"My favorite thing about my job is making the children smile," says Lucretia, who has two boys of her own, ages 6 and 13. "It seems like the patients like to talk to me. And, I like talking to them." Lucretia talks about anything and everything with kids who come to the hospital. "Sometimes patients ask how long I've been working here. They ask me if I like my job and I say I love it."