Rickie Hawkins Profile
Peering through the lenses of his copper framed glasses, Rickie Hawkins carefully calibrates the COULTER MAXM blood count machine. Carefully he places three vials of blood into the apparatus, diluted with a base called Isoton III. The instrument churns and figures begin to appear on an antiquated computer monitor. “The doctors will make clinical judgments from these numbers,” he explains. “That’s why you have to pay close attention to detail and organization.”
In his line of work, accuracy is very important. Hawkins is a technologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. His primary duty is to test samples of blood that will later be analyzed by physicians. Upon attaining his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Albright College in 1977, he has worked for 27 years in the field of health and medicine.
“Right out of college, I didn’t know a lot,” says Hawkins. “There was a recession and I pretty much just wanted a job.” Hawkins’ first career break was given to him by SmithKline Beecham. His job there was isolated and he felt that there was a missing component. “Working there, I didn’t get to interact with people.”
Later, Hawkins worked at both Quest Diagnostics and Merck & Co. before landing a job at Jeff. “I thought that I wanted to go into nursing, but being the dumb country bumpkin I was, I didn’t think that there were male nurses. Ironically, I got into a more female dominated field than nursing. Growing up outside of Reading in a small town called Fleetwood, I guess my perceptions were skewed.”
Since his inception at Jeff, Hawkins has generally worked with patients who suffer from a variety of hematology and oncology related diseases. As a technologist, Hawkins’ duties are crucial to the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
“In this particular position I run complete blood counts. My work is based on currents and certain parameters which are needed to validate the instruments.” Hawkins must make sure that each setting on these instruments is perfectly calibrated. “Once that happens, I can check a patient’s [blood count] numbers.”
Hawkins’ work focuses on the amounts of red cells, white cells, hemoglobin and platelets which can be found in a typical blood sample using the COULTER MAXM machine. “If there is an anomaly, I clean it and make an adjustment and run the blood again. And if there is something I can’t fix, a service guy comes in to check the machinery.”
Education has been a vital component of Hawkins’ career. Aside from his degree in Biology, he has acquired a Human Resources Certification from Ursinus College. In addition, Hawkins has taken advanced training courses at Jeff to become more proficient in handling medical instruments. “I have branched out and now do some work in the special coagulation area dealing with hemophiliacs and blood clotting disorders. I was once a supervisor, which is one level up, but I didn’t like it.”
Hawkins likes his job as it is. “In this setting, I have a work area adjacent to the waiting room. I get to know some of the people. I have a tendency to laugh and joke and that may not seem professional, but I’m really trying to make the patients feel better.”
John Hank, the office manager at Jefferson Hematology Medical Oncology Associates, says that Hawkins’ personality is suited for the job. “Rick enjoys his work.
He’s been doing it a long time and does it well. He never loses sight that he is here for the patients.”
Nina Foy, a medical technician in the oncology laboratory, agrees. “Rickie is a very good worker and co-worker. He is very friendly to the rest of the staff and the patients.”
Hawkins has discovered that coping with loss is an occupational hazard. Fortunately, his current position often shields him from this. “In this field you should never get that close. I don’t see them when they are real sick and in the hospital. They are generally mobile if they are coming here. One time, I didn’t know the person at all but I was called in for a gunshot wound in the middle of the night. I found out the next day that things weren’t looking good for that patient. It was a little unnerving. It stuns you and you’re in shock and you just want to work through it. That’s why I keep on stepping.”