It's their job: Administrative assistant survives bone marrow disease

Exie Williams is the administrative assistant to the director of nursing at Roosevelt General Hospital.

Background: I was raised in Portales, and I’ve worked at RGH for six years. I have three kids. I went to school here in Portales and part of my schooling at Eastern (New Mexico University). I haven’t finished my degree (in social work) yet, but I will.

I’m returning from medical leave for 10 months. I’m a survivor of bone marrow failure. I have a passion to be an advocate for blood donation and bone marrow donation.

Time on the job: Five and half years. (Before,) I was trained in multiple areas of nursing assistant, unit secretary and ER clerk. Even now, I’m still trained in those areas and can assist wherever I’m needed.

What’s a typical day like for you? I assist with making sure the non-licensed staff have their schedules, and I assist with the hospital call tree.

I assist in education. I’m a coordinator for Health EDU — that’s where the employees get their continuing education. I also schedule employees for CPR, ACLS (medications) and PALS (pediatrics-related) training, and I track who’s attended and who’s not attended and their expiration dates.

I assist with meeting minutes and their agendas. I also assist with attendance reports on all nursing service employees. I also help create and correct forms the nurses use.

Why did you take this job? I love the medical field, and I love being able to help patients, and this position, even though it’s clerical, has allowed me to help make sure we’re taking care of the community in the best way possible.

What’s your favorite part of the job? Helping find new solutions to always make things better and find how we can improve what’s best for the patients.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving memory? This year will be my favorite Thanksgiving because I was given only a 40 percent to 60 percent chance to live and I beat the odds. I have a lot to be thankful for. So I’m looking forward to spending this Thanksgiving with my family instead of in a hospital bed like last year.

If you could travel anywhere in the universe for free, where would it be and why? I would like to experience an African safari. I’ve always been interested in doing something like that.

What interests you about the safari? Just the experience within itself, something new, a different culture. I have a friend from Africa, and when she tells her stories, I just want to experience what she’s talking about.

— Compiled by PNT Senior Writer Argen Duncan