Housekeeper’s efforts bring comfort, support pillar

Olga Tucker’s smile is a near constant at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital.

A PVH environmental services technician for more than a decade, the Honduran native is known both for the quality of her work and her willingness to engage with patients, family members and coworkers. Though overlooked by some, she and a giant cart of cleaning supplies enter the lives of patients every day.

She’s more than a knock on the door followed by the words “housekeeping.” Olga takes pride in her work and the difference it makes for others.

“I work hard to make sure their rooms are clean so patients can be healthy and happy,” she said recently.

But like an old Paul Harvey radio broadcast, here’s the rest of the story.

Last year, when Olga entered the room of a patient in her 90s and nearing the end of her life, she became much more than a tiny woman pushing a super-sized cart on her way to empty the trash, or to clean a sink, toilet or shower.

As she often does, Olga took time to get to know the patient, her family, and to understand both the family’s faith traditions and native language. It began gently with questions such as “how’s your mom doing today?” and being willing to share a little bit about herself including her Central American roots and her name.

That openness and caring led her to gently sing Cuán grande es Él (How Great Thou Art) to the failing patient. Through her efforts, both large and small, Olga brought comfort to both the patient and to those family members who had gathered.

For a few moments, the family’s tears were stemmed by familiar words spoken with compassion and love.

Such moments are rare. Olga interacts with several hundred patients every year.  Most are satisfied to limit the contact, sharing only a salutation or thank you as she goes about her work. But every now and then, a patient — possibly someone who is lonely, tired, scared or feeling vulnerable — will connect. For Tucker, it happens a few times a year. It happens, she says, because she’s not scared to interact with a stranger in an effort to help.

While Tucker’s actions are not part of a job description, they are part of the UCHealth experience pillar ‘know me.’ She improved lives in a small, personal way through human connection.

Tucker was honored with a Celebrating You award. In that nomination, it was noted “these are the angels and unsung heroes among us.”