Success Stories

Staff who are visually impaired ensure smooth running of VAMC switchboard

John Colbert had been unemployed for almost a decade when he came to Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind (CLB). He was discouraged by the many physical and psychological barriers he had encountered in the workplace. Coming to CLB marked a turning point.

In 1999, he began working with CLB on a new contract with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Under this contract, CLB operates an on-the-job training program through which individuals who are blind or visually impaired are trained as switchboard operators. The trainees receive instruction in assistive technology designed to assist them in their daily responsibilities, such as processing all incoming calls, routing calls as appropriate, providing general information to callers and paging medical center personnel. Mr. Colbert was one of the first trainees in the program and was instrumental in getting the switchboard up and running.

Mr. Colbert says of his decision to work with Columbia Lighthouse and reenter the workforce, “Although the door had been opened, it was up to me to take the step through. Doing so has changed my life.”

With prior experience in telecommunications, Mr. Colbert mastered the assistive technology necessary to perform the job quickly. He helped solve computer glitches, offered recommendations for improved operations, and took initiative to make the switchboard run smoothly. Upon the successful completion of the training program, Mr. Colbert was hired as a full-time switchboard operator at the VAMC. He enjoys performing his job and the daily responsibilities that come with it, which include directing emergency physicians and support staff to areas of the hospital in which patients are experiencing medical emergencies.

When an emergency situation arises within the hospital, Mr. Colbert may receive a call from an employee, patient or visitor who is in a state of distress. “Even though the person on the other end of the line may be panicking, it is important for me to remain calm. A person’s life may very well be at stake, so it is absolutely essential that I remain focused and make sure that a response team is routed to the area of the hospital where the emergency is occurring,” said Mr. Colbert.

In 2001, Mr. Colbert was diagnosed with diabetes. Complications from the disease caused him to be rushed to the hospital and given emergency treatment. Mr. Colbert has once again overcome the challenge of a difficult physical condition. He has learned to test his blood sugar level and administer insulin shots with adaptive devices that aid blind diabetics. Within two days of his hospitalization, Mr. Colbert was back at work full-time, dedicating the same level of energy and reliability that characterizes him. Throughout his initial bout with diabetes, he only missed a week-and-a-half of work.

Ted Bourke, contracts specialist for CLB, says of Mr. Colbert, “John is one of the most conscientious and dependable people I know. Even on the morning he was rushed to the emergency room, he was already dressed and planning to come to work. His reliability and enthusiasm for his job greatly benefit his co-workers and the patients at the VAMC.”