Arlene DeWilde, ALMH July Employee of the Month

[July 13, 2011]  Arlene DeWilde doesn't just come to Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital to do her job. She stays on top of things and works to make her co-workers' jobs easier, all with a great attitude.

DeWilde has been named ALMH Employee of the Month for July.

"Arlene is the best! She was instrumental in getting the new clean utility room set up and functioning," said co-workers Cindy Jette, Michelle Green and Theresa Heidbreder. "Always has a smile and a positive attitude! She is one of the examples of departments working great together."

DeWilde has worked at ALMH for more than 27 years. She started as a nurse's aide and later took a position in central supply, which evolved into materials management.

Though her position requires only a high school diploma, she spent two years at Lincoln Christian College before she started her career. She's taken several computer classes, which she said is a big plus for someone working in materials management.

Her department orders and stocks all the equipment and supplies -- medical and office -- and manages shipments, delivery, mail and more for the entire hospital.

"My day-to-day has been quite different for the last year," DeWilde noted. "There have been things I have done to help get ready for the move and things I am doing now that I wouldn't have, had we not moved. Getting the supply areas set up, labeled and entered again into (software) is a big job."

Her job also entails checking and restocking patient units, often daily. Materials management also receives, delivers and puts away supplies throughout the day. They handle printing, special shipping and mail, as well as keeping logs current, scanning packing documents, receiving purchase orders, and ordering medical gases and supplies.

"I enjoy my job but would have to say it's the people I work with and around that make ALMH a great place to work," DeWilde added. "We are so blessed to have such caring people at ALMH."

The hospital employs 290 in a variety of roles. Each month someone is honored as ALMH Employee of the Month.

[Text from file received from Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital]