July Guru of the Month - Kevin Vandermeer

Kevin Vandermeer, BMET III certified, has been at the University of Kansas Health System for about 18 years and has seen it grow from 300 beds to now over 800 beds. Kevin began his HTM career in field service with Hill-Rom. The hospital offered him a position to help get rid of contracts and keep the work in-house. "From there, I took the opportunity to learn and advance," Kevin noted. 

Kevin has been a part of the MedWrench community for about 8 years and describes it as "a good place for information and service guides." Lately, he's been utilizing service guides and webinars on MedWrench to stay informed.

"The MedWrench website has helped myself and co-workers on many occasions from manuals to blogs, as well as different vendors to assist daily activities," stated Kevin. 

Currently on his bench, Kevin has a rapid infuser and defibrillator, as he works primarily on OR equipment. He says the ESU and fluid/blood warmers repair and maintenance keep him busy. 

Kevin shared some very insightful advice with MedWrench for anyone just graduating and entering the HTM field:

"My advice to a newcomer would be don't get overwhelmed with the variety of equipment we are tasked to service. Start with the simple devices, get comfortable, then move on. It takes a number of years to learn all the equipment."

During his off-time, Kevin likes to hike with his wife and their boxer dog, Leah. They enjoy getting out of town to the lake and boating...with their dog of course! Kevin said he couldn't forget to mention they are all big Chiefs fans.

Thank you, Kevin, for your dedication to the HTM field! We appreciate your input and wisdom in our community. 

Want to be our next MedWrench Guru or know someone that should? Send us an email at mandy@medwrench.com to nominate or be considered!