Star Bright: Living the American Dream
After moving from Jamaica to Cape Cod in 2020, Security Officer Lincoln Barrett has found a place to call home, both personally and professionally.
Lincoln Barrett is truly living the American Dream.
Several years ago, Lincoln moved from Jamaica to Hyannis to start a new life with his wife, Donna Smith Barrett, a CNA on Mugar 3 at Cape Cod Hospital. The couple bought their first home in July, and Lincoln is in the process of becoming an American citizen.
“We have built a nice community here,” says Lincoln, adding he and Donna enjoy getting together with friends, going to church every Sunday and working on projects around the house. The couple met in Jamaica at a garment factory, where Lincoln worked as a machine mechanic.
Lincoln started at Cape Cod Healthcare in January of 2020—just a few months before Covid—in the Environmental Service department cleaning and sanitizing patient rooms on Mugar 4. When a position opened up in the Security Department 2-1/2 years later, he decided to apply. It was a natural fit for him, as he worked as a security officer in Jamaica for more than 20 years. “I used to be a supervisor at one of the largest security firms and worked with ex-military men in Jamaica,” says Lincoln, during a recent interview in between working a double shift. During high school, he was a member of the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force, a paramilitary youth organization geared toward the development and mentorship of young people.
Welcoming presence in ER
On any given day, you’ll likely find his warm and welcoming presence in the ER where he interacts with patients, visitors and hospital staff and monitors activities to ensure everyone’s safety.
His responsibilities include de-escalating tense situations or mollifying aggressive people, maintaining records and preparing incident reports, among many other responsibilities. “When a situation involves a patient, which could be mental illness–related, I talk with them and help calm them down.”
Craig Bayer, Manager of Security Operations, says Lincoln embodies all the values of Cape Cod Healthcare as an organization and emphasizes that many people can learn life lessons from his story. “I find his path to be so inspiring,” says Bayer, “and he has used CCHC as the foundation for creating a better life for his family.”
Most recently, Lincoln was named a November STAR through Cape Cod Healthcare’s organization-wide recognition program, which spotlights team members who excel in their daily roles and demonstrate core values of Service, Teamwork, Accountability and Respect. He is clearly well liked by his peers and supervisors. Many comments on the nomination forms feature words of praise, including “collaborative spirit,” “willingness to assist colleagues” and “seamlessly navigates difficult situations.”
Career Growth, Path to U.S. Citizenship
The Hyannis resident credits Cape Cod Healthcare for giving him opportunities to help grow his career. “If you see somewhere where you’d like to go, they will train you for the job,” says Lincoln. “When I came here, I had never done housekeeping before, and they trained me for four weeks and then I worked on my own.”
As Lincoln looks forward to celebrating Christmas with Donna and friends, he is also excited about obtaining his U.S. citizenship. He recently completed a six-week-long class and traveled to Rhode Island earlier this month for a biometrics appointment, which involved taking his fingerprints and photo. He’s been studying hard for the last and final step—a naturalization interview, which includes an English and civics test. “If I pass, I’ll become a U.S. citizen in the new year, which has been a dream of mine.” After he obtains his citizenship, Lincoln says he plans to take management courses to further his career.
So what has been Lincoln’s biggest adjustment to living on Cape Cod? “I don’t like the winters, but my wife doesn’t mind,” says Lincoln. “I can adjust to any new situations. Few things bother me. I create my own happiness.”
