Barbara Frye, a housekeeper for Trinity Health in Minot, likes the stability of her job and the work environment. Frye has stayed in her position for 13 years by taking pride in making sure everything looks good and stays clean in the areas she works in.
"House-keeping is an important job, and a lot of times you get compliments. People really do appreciate it, they see a lot of what you're doing," Frye said.
For Frye, a typical day is a busy one. She begins cleaning the hospital's third-floor public bathrooms, moves on to the executive offices and then to the emergency room overflow areas. Then she moves on to the EKG, physical therapy and occupational therapy rooms; the administration area, more bathrooms and conference rooms in addition to other areas.
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Katina Tengesdal/MDN •
Barbara Frye, housekeeper for Trinity Health in Minot, spoke about the challenges and rewards of her job.
She continues cleaning some nights, because she also works part-time for ServiceMaster.
Throughout her time with Trinity, Frye has become more experienced and has responded to unusual situations by helping out where she can. The housekeepers are all trained in the hospital's codes and know what their role is should one occur. Oftentimes housekeeping staff are the eyes of the hospital, working quietly behind the scenes.
"For a Code Pink (possible newborn abduction) practice, I helped identify what the mock (perpetrator) looked like and where the baby went," Frye said.
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Frye also was around to assist when a water leak happened on the hospital's fourth floor, hurrying to help clean up the water wherever she could and staying calm during the situation.
Her favorite part of her job, though, is the people she meets from day to day.
"I like dealing with the people, and you learn a lot of things from patients and their families, and from your coworkers. I just like staying with Trinity because they offer good benefits and a good work environment," Frye said.
"I've found that being here is a very stable position, I don't have to worry about the place closing. A lot of places don't stay in business these days," she added.
Frye has enjoyed some good times over the years with co-workers and seen changes in the housekeeping department. The department has moved locations several times, and Frye has experienced different bosses and different co-workers.
"I've liked the birthday parties we've had, the potlucks we have around the holidays, and the retirement parties. We do have good times on our coffee breaks with the visiting and learning a little bit about each other," Frye said.
Frye, who has two married daughters and grandchildren, has remained in the Minot area because she thinks it's a great place to live. Frye's advice to younger workers was to make sure they have savings and to try out different work environments.
"Think about where you want to go, take some of the skills you gain with you and try a few things to see what you like. Always save for retirement, because that's important. I think young people should assess their needs, think about insurance, and don't wait to start saving," Frye said.