Clinical Engineering Technician Combines Interests to Help His Patients
Chris Shores’ journey to becoming a Clinical Engineering Technician II at Fairview Hospital began with Mission trips he joined through Campus Crusade for Christ at 18, during his college years. He later continued those trips with his father. Traveling to places like Berlin, Ghana and Mexico back in 2004, he would see donated medical equipment in use but wondered who was going to fix it if something were to go wrong. “Well, there are electronics now and electricity, but who’s going to work on this when it malfunctions?” he asked himself.
He had the same concerns on an African trip with his father in 2006. “I started thinking, ‘You know, as Americans, we are helping and donating equipment to these countries, but who’s going to maintain it and help train the people there how to work on it?’ That’s what sparked my interest.”
Chris was inspired to pursue medicine by his mother, a skilled dialysis nurse, while his interest in engineering was nurtured by his father, a former IBM employee who later worked in the airline industry. This unique combination of influences shaped his professional path.
His Path to Success
Focused on getting medical experience first, Chris worked as a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA) in a nursing home, a role he held for 15 years. He then transitioned to Fairview Hospital, working as a Patient Care Nurse Assistant (PCNA) for four months while completing his associate degree in Electronic Engineer Technology at ITT Technical Institute.
Despite his PCNA role, Chris aspired to do more. Eager to make a strong impression on the Clinical Engineering team, he initiated an unpaid internship, volunteering his time to learn the department’s functions. “I was very determined to figure things out,” he says.
After graduating, Chris joined General Electric, where he spent a year refining his skills on MRI equipment. However, when layoff rumors began, he decided to return to Fairview Hospital as a PCNA, due to the lack of engineering positions. His persistence paid off when he landed his dream job as a Clinical Engineering Tech I in 2016.
Combining His Strengths and Interests
Promoted to Clinical Engineering Tech II in 2019, Chris now expertly merges his two passions – medicine and engineering – to significantly impact the lives of patients who depend on Cleveland Clinic’s medical equipment for their injuries and illnesses.
He and his team service a broad range of equipment that nurses, doctors and therapists use to take care of their patients. This includes electronics such as patient monitors, ventilators, EKG machines, infusion pumps, and even CT and MRI components.
Chris specializes in dialysis machines, a tribute to his mother’s career. He gets an early start to the day, making rounds to check equipment in the ICU and Dialysis Department. He responds to notes, voicemails, and work orders, addressing issues and performing preventative maintenance. When equipment is functioning properly, but user error is suspected, he informs management and encourages staff education. “I’m an instructor at heart,” Chris laughs. “It’s in my DNA to explain what went wrong and help clinicians understand how to prevent failure issues.”
An Important Role
Understanding the impact medical equipment has on his patients’ lives, Chris shares, “What I do is very important. If I don’t cross my Ts and dot my Is, that could result in life or death for a patient. I know I need to do the best that I can so the nurses and doctors are able to do the best they can to help save multiple lives.”
Making Improvements
A particular project Chris took great pride in recently was collaborating with employees from Phillips Corporation on revamping telemetry monitors in the med/surg unit. Concerned that patients’ names and vital signs were being publicly displayed (and violating HIPAA rules), Chris shared helpful input with the manufacturing team as they were updating their technology to ensure confidentiality.
Always There for Him
As busy as Chris is – he is a dedicated drummer, giving private lessons and playing at churches (he’s also the drum advisor to Lutheran West High School) – he credits Cleveland Clinic for supporting him during challenging moments in his life. “When my mom was sick and going through her own dialysis, my boss never asked any questions. He’d say, ‘Get out of here. Be with your family.’ So, my experiences with this organization…I’m able to be a great father, a great son, a great sibling, and a great husband, because this organization is a family. They help me help my family.”
Chris Shores’ journey to becoming a Clinical Engineering Technician II at Fairview Hospital began with Mission trips he joined through Campus Crusade for Christ at 18, during his college years. He later continued those trips with his father. Traveling to places like Berlin, Ghana and Mexico back in 2004, he would see donated medical equipment in use but wondered who was going to fix it if something were to go wrong. “Well, there are electronics now and electricity, but who’s going to work on this when it malfunctions?” he asked himself.
He had the same concerns on an African trip with his father in 2006. “I started thinking, ‘You know, as Americans, we are helping and donating equipment to these countries, but who’s going to maintain it and help train the people there how to work on it?’ That’s what sparked my interest.”
Chris was inspired to pursue medicine by his mother, a skilled dialysis nurse, while his interest in engineering was nurtured by his father, a former IBM employee who later worked in the airline industry. This unique combination of influences shaped his professional path.
His Path to Success
Focused on getting medical experience first, Chris worked as a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA) in a nursing home, a role he held for 15 years. He then transitioned to Fairview Hospital, working as a Patient Care Nurse Assistant (PCNA) for four months while completing his associate degree in Electronic Engineer Technology at ITT Technical Institute.
Despite his PCNA role, Chris aspired to do more. Eager to make a strong impression on the Clinical Engineering team, he initiated an unpaid internship, volunteering his time to learn the department’s functions. “I was very determined to figure things out,” he says.
After graduating, Chris joined General Electric, where he spent a year refining his skills on MRI equipment. However, when layoff rumors began, he decided to return to Fairview Hospital as a PCNA, due to the lack of engineering positions. His persistence paid off when he landed his dream job as a Clinical Engineering Tech I in 2016.
Combining His Strengths and Interests
Promoted to Clinical Engineering Tech II in 2019, Chris now expertly merges his two passions – medicine and engineering – to significantly impact the lives of patients who depend on Cleveland Clinic’s medical equipment for their injuries and illnesses.
He and his team service a broad range of equipment that nurses, doctors and therapists use to take care of their patients. This includes electronics such as patient monitors, ventilators, EKG machines, infusion pumps, and even CT and MRI components.
Chris specializes in dialysis machines, a tribute to his mother’s career. He gets an early start to the day, making rounds to check equipment in the ICU and Dialysis Department. He responds to notes, voicemails, and work orders, addressing issues and performing preventative maintenance. When equipment is functioning properly, but user error is suspected, he informs management and encourages staff education. “I’m an instructor at heart,” Chris laughs. “It’s in my DNA to explain what went wrong and help clinicians understand how to prevent failure issues.”
An Important Role
Understanding the impact medical equipment has on his patients’ lives, Chris shares, “What I do is very important. If I don’t cross my Ts and dot my Is, that could result in life or death for a patient. I know I need to do the best that I can so the nurses and doctors are able to do the best they can to help save multiple lives.”
Making Improvements
A particular project Chris took great pride in recently was collaborating with employees from Phillips Corporation on revamping telemetry monitors in the med/surg unit. Concerned that patients’ names and vital signs were being publicly displayed (and violating HIPAA rules), Chris shared helpful input with the manufacturing team as they were updating their technology to ensure confidentiality.
Always There for Him
As busy as Chris is – he is a dedicated drummer, giving private lessons and playing at churches (he’s also the drum advisor to Lutheran West High School) – he credits Cleveland Clinic for supporting him during challenging moments in his life. “When my mom was sick and going through her own dialysis, my boss never asked any questions. He’d say, ‘Get out of here. Be with your family.’ So, my experiences with this organization…I’m able to be a great father, a great son, a great sibling, and a great husband, because this organization is a family. They help me help my family.”
