One dishwasher, Humphrey Anku, washes his hands 55 times a shift.
Humphrey Anku takes patient care and infection control seriously. He knows that while he’s scraping plates and rinsing bowls, he is also protecting the people that choose Jamestown Regional Medical Center for care.
“I clean the dishes for the patients, the staff, the café and guests. I try my best to make sure everything is very good for all who visit our hospital,” he said. “I care about keeping our kitchen clean and safe.”
He washes and restocks plates, bowls and silverware. He also washes and sanitizes carts and other back-of-the-house kitchen items. Anku knows that his work is a critical piece of the healthcare puzzle.
“I like to help people,” he said. “I like taking care of people.”
Anku joined JRMC about 10 months ago. A new American, he lived on the east coast before moving to Williston, N.D. After the oil field laid-off workers, Anku moved to Jamestown to find new work. Working is important to him, he said. In addition to working at JRMC, Anku also works full-time for another organization.
That’s how he supports his two children and his mother.
Anku grew up in Ghana, which is located in West Africa. He speaks two of the local dialects, as well as French and English. Despite his skill set, jobs are scarce in Ghana, so he moved to the U.S. for work.
Kitchen work comes naturally to him because he likes to clean. He also likes JRMC, he said, because the organization treats him like family. During a long winter, colleagues have called and texted, making sure he’s OK and that he has transportation for work.
“These people, it becomes like family,” he said.