Virgil Jones: “Mr. C-ICARE”

Gordon Landis, director of security, calls him "Mr. C-ICARE," and that makes Virgil Jones proud. Since joining the UCLA Health System security team in 2006, Virgil has tallied the highest number of C-ICARE feedback cards since the inception of the customer-service program, and he has earned a total of nine STAR Awards. In addition, Virgil was named "Officer of the Quarter" and then "Officer of theYear" by his department.

How do you like your nickname, "Mr. C-ICARE"?
I'm honored because I really do care. Customer service is in my blood. Taking care of people and treating them with respect comes naturally, so, this is a compliment.

What are your job duties as a security officer?
I assist staff, patients, families and visitors in any way I can to make the day run smoothly. As a healthcare security officer, I'm familiar with JCAHO guidelines and have had some training in the signs and symptoms of stroke, and how to monitor psychiatric patients and prevent them from harming themselves or others. I patrol UCLA Health System facilities in Westwood. I assist staff in containing combative patients, especially in the Emergency Department, and radio for emergency medical services whenever necessary. I escort patients when they are leaving the hospital.

How did you become a security officer at UCLA?
I came to California in 1976 from Little Rock, Arkansas, where I was born and raised. After graduating from David Starr Jordan High School in Los Angeles, I learned the sheet metal trade at Watts Skills Center, which is now known as the Maxine Water Preparation Center.

After a series of jobs as a sheet metal bench assembler, I landed a job as an aircraft mechanic, first at Lockheed and then at McDonnell Douglas.The airline industry—then as now—was pretty shaky and I decided to join the security field. First, I was in private security for Guard Systems, Inc., and then joined UCLA in 2006.

Can you recall a time when your skills at diffusing tension were particularly helpful?
Early in my UCLA career, I was stationed in the ER. A high school fight resulted in two serious injuries. One student was brought in by helicopter and the other came by ambulance. I led the gurney from the helicopter to the ER and stayed at the ER entrance.The students' families arrived, as well as four or five carloads of friends.The patient on my gurney had a knife embedded in his head. More and more friends continued to arrive, crowding the ER. One youngster started acting belligerent and dared me to stop him from blocking the door. Using customer-service skills, I asked him to stand back. I eventually called for back-up from the University of California Police Department. Afterwards, the fellow came up to me and apologized for his actions. It felt good that he learned something from the experience.

What do you do when you're not on duty?
I spend as much time as I can with my wife and family, often watching or participating in sports. I met my wife in 1982, when she was living next door to my mother. She's originally from Alabama.

I missed not having a father figure in my life and made an oath to myself that I was going to be a hands-on father, being there for my children every step of the way. We lost one child to crib death at 2 months, and our surviving two sons and a daughter are adults now. My wife and I will soon be grandparents!

I'm also an ordained minister and spend a lot of time ministering to young adults to help them stay out of trouble and lead productive lives.

What do you find most rewarding about working at UCLA?
I love helping people, and at UCLA I'm able to help many people in many ways. In the ER, it's amazing how quickly the pace escalates when a trauma arrives.The doctors and nurses are busy making sure that no one loses a minute of his or her life. Security plays a role in ensuring the safety of the patients and personnel. I make a point of studying how our systems work and where things are, so that I can fast track as much as possible.