Crystal started her journey at Harrison County Hospital in 2019 as a PRN Housekeeper. Wanting more hours, she became part of the full-time housekeeping staff in the Emergency Department soon after that. Crystal was actually the first housekeeper to terminally clean a COVID room in 2020, which she described as being a pretty scary thing at the time.
Crystal was then promoted to Laundry Coordinator and was in that position for two years. Monty, who manages our Center for Sleep Disorders, and Carl, our Environmental Services manager and Crystal’s boss, were having lunch together one day in the hospital cafeteria. Crystal approached Carl to discuss an issue that she was facing in her role. It was this interaction in which Monty said he “saw something in Crystal.” Monty said, “She approached Carl with a problem but wasn’t looking to him to solve it; she was already thinking of ways that the issue could be resolved.”
After the exchange, Monty spoke to Carl about how he saw potential in Crystal and if he would be opposed to seeing if Crystal might be interested in training to work in the Sleep Lab. Carl, always wanting to see his employees advance, was supportive.
Crystal explained that one day at work, Monty and Carl approached her, and Monty asked if she wanted to learn how to do sleep. Crystal said it was an opportunity that she couldn’t pass up.
Crystal began an education program called A-STEP online, and also through collaboration at Norton Healthcare, she was able to go there to do her hands-on training for nearly a year. Crystal returned home to HCH, where she completed more on-the-job training, shadowed Dr. Michael Bonacum our Sleep Medicine Specialist, and did lots of studying and took her RPSGT test in May. Crystal passed the exam on the first try.
“Crystal has demonstrated such an inspiring commitment to becoming a member of our sleep team and to seeking and achieving her professional potential as a Registered Sleep Technologist,” said Dr. Bonacum. “It is my privilege to have encouraged her to ‘take the leap’ and to participate in her ongoing growth as a sleep health professional! I am thankful to HCH for its part in coordinating resources from outside our institution to provide the curriculum support for her training.”
Crystal is now a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist and is working full-time in the Harrison County Hospital Center for Sleep Disorders. Monty stated simply, “I’m just really proud of her!”
If you or someone you know is struggling with sleep and is ready to take the next step, you may begin by calling Dr. Michael Bonacum’s office, Corydon Medical Associates, at 812-738-8136.