By EMMA BARTLETT

Derrell Johnson’s decision to pursue a career in the medical field started with wanting to help kids and give back.

“I enjoy helping the kids. Nothing makes me happier than making a difference. Working in the hospital in general and with people in general, you’ve got to be a great leader, a great team player and be willing to make a difference. It means the world to me because I just like to give back -- I’m a people person,” said Johnson.

Johnson, 33, has served as a behavioral Health Specialist at Bradley Hospital for the past eight years. Bradley Hospital, which is part of Lifespan, provides family-focused care to children and adolescents with psychological, developmental and behavioral problems. Care includes inpatient, outpatient and residential and partial hospital programs.

Prior to the position, he worked at a group home in Woonsocket and a recreation program in Providence. Growing up in Providence, Johnson moved to the Park Avenue area of Cranston last year.

At Bradley Hospital, Johnson is in charge of 17 patients who are there for a 10 to 14 day period. His shift starts in the morning with waking the children and getting them dressed and washed. After breakfast and medication, the staff holds a community meeting with the kids and goes over the daily schedule and expectations. Their program includes sessions like music therapy, art therapy and occupational therapy groups.

Johnson’s tasks also include coordinating shifts, assisting in situations that require de-escalation and teaching coping strategies and skills. Between thank yous and hugs from the kids, Johnson’s favorite part of the job is making a difference.

Johnson said, when working in a hospital setting with team doctors, social workers and management, communicating efficiently and effectively is key. He makes it a point to enter work in a positive mood, because a negative mindset can affect staff members and kids. Instead, a sense of confidence and passion are what he portrays on the job. 

As for the pandemic, Johnson had a positive outlook, saying he enjoyed spending more time at work. He explained that there were no outside visitors allowed for a while, but over time the policy has relaxed with the case reductions.

The healthcare industry itself has not gone unscathed by the pandemic. Over the past two years, healthcare workers have been on the frontlines and many people across the country leaving the profession or retiring early. 

“The hospital staffing is at a crisis level due to health care worker burnout from the pandemic. We are working tirelessly to find innovative and expeditious solutions to this crisis, including efforts to recruit and retain critical positions such as nurses and frontline staff,” said Elena Falcone-Relvas, Senior Public Relations Officer for Lifespan. “Unfortunately, since this is a national crisis there are shortages in every aspect of our healthcare delivery system, which makes it much more challenging to quickly fix.”

Despite the challenges that are out there, there are many passionate workers just like Johnson who show up with a positive attitude, ready to make a difference.

“Any job you do, you have to enjoy doing it,” Johnson said. “I love the children I work with.”

Johnson is taking part in Lifespan’s campaign of trading its advertising for the personal stories of its dedicated employees to attract others to the healthcare field and help rebuild Lifespan’s workforce.