A Father’s Legacy of Floor Care and Good Humor

“Did you hear about the merger between UPS and FedEx? They changed [their name] to Fed Up,” James Plunkett chuckled as he recalled one of the many jokes he keeps in his back pocket, readily available to bring a smile to someone’s face.

James takes after his dad in many ways, from his skills as a floor technician to his skills as a joke-teller. James gives much credit to his dad for the man he is today.

In 2012, HHS became the EVS provider at the small-town hospital where James had been working for the past four years. James used this opportunity to take on floor care. James’ dad was still working in floor care as part of his job at a natural gas company and he took the time to teach James all that he knew. This, along with his HHS floor care training, helped James confidently step into this new role.

Now, ten years later, James’ dad has retired his floor care boots, but James carries on the legacy of hard work and good humor that his father gave him. 

“Learning is a fun experience. It took a little time but it was rewarding learning [floor care]. Learning the different types of buffing pads and what they would do and the things about detailing. It’s more than just buffing floors. It’s corners and edges and trying to get the floors as shiny as possible. It’s a continuous learning process you know, there’s always something to learn,” James shared. 

Caring for More than Floors

James sees his job as more than just taking care of the floors but also caring for the patients. His personality naturally lends itself to making them feel seen and heard. “Some of the patients here may not have a lot of people to come in and see them, so it helps them for someone to come in and just talk to them. It makes a difference, it really does. It lets the patient know that you're not just there to do your job, you’re also there to help them feel comfortable and at ease,” James described. 

James has an incredible work ethic and was very proud to talk about his perfect attendance record. He takes incredible pride in his work and it shows in the way he talks about his job. 

James expressed, “I think it’s all about getting up and starting each day off with a positive attitude and just coming into work. That is half the battle right there. [You] just put your best foot forward. That’s how I was raised, to always do your best, put your best foot forward. That's something that my father instilled in me many years ago as a young boy.”

The Importance of a Smile

Of course, James does all these things every day with a smile and a sense of humor. He is known for always having a good joke to tell and making patients laugh. He said recently, “I think one of the most important things we can wear along with our attire is our smile. Smiles are contagious. I try to make the best out of every situation. Some days can be more challenging than others but I always try to laugh. Laughter is good medicine, they say it's good for the soul.”

In his spare time, James is an amateur ham radio operator. He maintains the hospital's two ham radios in addition to his floor care duties. He loves connecting with people all over the country in this community and is very passionate about his hobby.