MWPH's Ray of Sunshine

With 20 years of Service to the Hospital and the Community, Nutrition Assistant Supervisor Ilde Fischbach Joins MWPH’s President’s Club

Twenty years ago, Ilde Fischbach responded to a help-wanted ad for a nutrition assistant at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital that would change her life.

“I had to Google what a ‘resume’ was,” said Ilde with a laugh. A native of the Philippines, she had a CV but was still working on improving her English at the time.

But Ilde quickly impressed her interviewers by doing complex math problems without a calculator. She said by the end of the interview, she was already filling out her tax forms with HR.

Ilde eventually became a supervisor and an essential source of institutional knowledge. Her colleagues say Ilde is incredibly dependable (she has only called out twice in 20 years), resourceful, and is always willing to lift her coworkers up.

Now, with two decades of service to the hospital and the community, Ilde is one of the newest members of MWPH’s President’s Club. The club comprises more than 75 employees, each with 20 or more years of service to MWPH. Every year during Hospital Week, they gather to celebrate their tenure with the CEO.

Like many members of the President’s Club, Ilde said she has made a career at MWPH because of its mission and nurturing environment.

“I can make a difference in the lives of not only the patients but also my coworkers. I feel like I’m really part of something,” Ilde said. “It feels like I’m home, and my coworkers feel like family.”

As Nutrition Assistant Supervisor, Ilde ensures that the hospital’s patients, especially infants, receive the correct nutrition based on their diet order. It’s an exact process that requires a lot of attention and care.

Ilde previously worked with worked with MWPH’s childhood lead poisoning prevention and treatment program. She said that educating parents is one of the highlights of her job.

“I was the one that educated moms about what to avoid for the children that have lead poisoning in their body. I love teaching the moms,” Ilde said. “For me, it feels like you’re continuing to help them, even if they’re not here.”

Director of Clinical Nutrition Services Donna Morris-Snoussi hired Fischbach and has proudly watched her professional growth over the years.

“Ilde has been instrumental in helping to design and implement the Timeless Medical Scanning system for the preparation and administration of patient feeds,” she said.

Donna said Ilde is a “super user” of the scanning system and trains other staff members. But Morris-Snoussi said Fischbach’s knowledge and skills are just part of what makes her such a valued employee.

She added Ilde is always the first to volunteer to stay overnight at the hospital during a snowstorm. This way, she would already be on site and be able to prepare the early feeds for our patients.

“She’s very personable. She’s always smiling and greeting people when she sees them in the hall. Some people call her ‘sunshine’ because that’s just the kind of person that she is.”