MADERA, Calif. — Eric Trunnelle never knows when a keyboard or monitor will fail, but as an IT support specialist with Valley Children’s Healthcare, he’s always ready.
Trunnelle is part of the hospital’s boots-on-the-ground troubleshooting team that keeps critical systems running. From fixing broken printers and mice to installing new software, Trunnelle and the team keep the technology running that’s vital for patient care.
“Everything is related to patient care and data entry,” Trunnelle said. “Being able to solve these problems for the hospital gives me a great sense of purpose.”
In addition to helping resolve requests from staff, Trunnelle and the team also take a proactive approach to try to get to problems before they get too big. “Just by circling around the hospital — it’s all about saving time for that nurse or doctor,” he said.
Outside of the office, Trunnelle developed a personal passion for 3D printing. He calls it, “incredibly fascinating,” and began printing small yellow giraffes to be given to patients and staff at Valley Children’s.
Trunnelle can often be seen in the halls of the hospital, and there’s a pretty good chance he has some 3D printed giraffes on him at all times. He gives them out to patients in the hallways, the cafeteria, and anywhere else he runs into them. “Just a small gesture,” he said, “a brief moment where patients can be taken away from why they’re here.”
What started as a hobby for Trunnelle has evolved into a useful tool for Valley Children’s — the IT team has its own 3D printer now, enabling departments across the hospital to solve problems with custom-printed solutions.
Some of the work is geared toward patient experiences, including 3D printed models of mediports that patients can take home with them to remember their journey. Trunnelle also prints models of cochlear implants — an electronic device that improves hearing — that are put on teddy bears to give to patients who are wearing their own cochlear implants.
Other work is more practical. This summer, Trunnelle printed custom grips for adaptive sports athletes that will be used when track and field begins in the spring — replacing the need to spend hundreds of dollars to purchase them elsewhere.
He also prints parts that provide quick fixes around the hospital, like a coupler on an IV pole. The previous solution was made of PVC and sometimes wouldn’t fit — now, Trunnelle can print the pieces to the precise size that’s needed without having to order something and wait.
“We can get it down to a fraction of a millimeter in order to make sure it’s a perfect fit. We can print pretty much almost everything,” he said.
Trunnelle hopes to expand the program and be able to print 3D models of bones that can help doctors prepare for complex surgeries. “I can make a sample of a metacarpal or a hand or something so the doctor can get a good look,” he said.
Whether it’s installing new software or fulfilling a custom print job to fill a need, Trunnelle’s work ensures technology continues to serve the hospital’s mission of improving the health and wellbeing of children.
“To be a part of this project from the ground level is a great honor,” he said.
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