John Weir – Healthcare Cleaning Professional

Sure it seems like a never ending cycle of cutbacks, reductions and expectations to do more with less. Some hospitals reach the breaking point sooner because they have been more efficient to begin with. Eventually even the over-staffed facilities will feel the challenge to keep up.

Patient satisfaction scores are one measure of performance. While it is important to listen to the customer we must first measure our staff performance ourselves. When rounding do you take the time to observe how your staff are cleaning, and offer tips, suggestions and training on the spot?

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A properly stocked cleaning cart will help prevent wasted trips to supply closets and should be equipped with any of the following items which are necessary for your work:

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The major difference between cleaning a medical facility and any other building is the focus on the un-seen enemy, bacteria. Environmental Service’s job is to not only provide good visible results, but to reduce the number of surface bacteria to a safe level in order to control cross infection. This is an extremely important responsibility because it keeps harmful bacteria from infecting the person next door or across the hall. Persons whose bodies are recuperating from surgery, injury or a primary infection are in a weakened condition and therefore, cannot put p their normal fight against harmful bacteria. A secondary infection in these cases can cause very serious illness.

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Here I continue to list cleaning standards. We use these as a guide to understanding our responsibilities in general cleaning. This is not meant to be a complete list, rather a broad overview. Enjoy your reading:

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In Environmental Services, we are aware that first impression of our facility is very important to our clients and other staff, so we strive daily to provide a clean, safe and attractive environment. We also ensure that patient rooms are cleaned to the highest level to prevent cross contamination. The hospital, staff and patient depend on us to do our job with excellence.

Cleanliness is a prime concern to every member of our team because a clean environment successfully keeps bacteria and other germs from multiplying on facility surfaces, and this helps prevent a sick person from being at a greater risk from other diseases and conditions.

Yet as important as it is to remove soil and germs from the physical environment, it is also important to keep all areas neat and organized and in good repair. After all, surroundings with a pleasant appearance help to cheer up patients and send the message that their caregivers are concerned about every detail of service. A clean and attractive facility can actually enhance a patient’s ability to receive care and get well again.

One of the organizations I am a member of, and actually the first that I joined, is the International Executive Housekeeping Association or IEHA.

Since 1930, the International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA) has been a non-profit organization committed to raising professionalism in the cleaning industry and providing a cleaner, safer, healthier environment.

IEHA members are Executive Housekeepers—managers who direct housekeeping programs in commercial, industrial or institutional facilities. IEHA provides members with an array of channels through which they can achieve personal and professional growth. Some are: leadership opportunities; resource materials; education program designation; employment referral service; a Technical Question Hotline (1-800-200-6342); networking; an annual convention and trade show, including several educational sessions; and a monthly trade publication, Executive Housekeeping Today.

Take a moment and learn more about our professional organization:

The most important staff related task we have in Environmental Services is training. Almost every challenge or difficulty we face can be reduced or eliminated with great training. I’m going to list steps that will help you conduct successful training. This is not meant to be a perfect or complete list, just use this as your starting point and customize it for your needs.

ACTION STEPS:

1. Organize the Approach for Training

a. Decide the amount of skill you expect the trainee to acquire and by what dates.
b. Prepare a schedule to follow

1. Have the employee ready for training.
2. Decide what area will be used for training.
3. Decide items to be covered in each training session.

2. Organize the Work

a. Decide how the area to be covered will be separated into segments that can be learned.
b. Arrange for the proper supplies.
c. Be sure the necessary equipment is available and in good condition.

3. Orient the Employee

a. Put the person at ease.  Make them feel comfortable with you.
b. Explain the task to be learned and find out how much the employee knows about it.
c. Stress the importance of the task, the reason it must be done, and the results of doing it well.  The employee must become interested in learning the work.
d. Explain and show the employee each step of the task, one step at a time.  Don’t go too fast, look for understanding.
e. Stress each step clearly, completely, and with patience to make sure the employee understands.

4. Hands on Training

a. Have the employee attempt the task, and correct any errors while he or she does the task.
b. Have the employee do the task again, and explain each step as the employee does the tasks.
c. Repeat the procedure until you are certain that the task is being done properly and the employee fully understands.

5. Follow Up

a. Allow the employee to perform the task on their own.  Be sure they know that they should contact their supervisor if assistance is needed.
b. Check on the employee frequently until they are thoroughly comfortable in the performance of their duties.  Always encourage the employee to ask questions.

6. Evaluation Employee Performance

a. What are the areas of poor performance?
b. Should they be retrained?
c. If retraining is required, when should it be started, and how long should it last?
d. Is the schedule being met?  If not, why?

Any Questions?

We know that our primary purpose is cleaning. We train our staff to recognize dirt and soil in so many forms and to remove it. We educate, coach and celebrate our successes. We also know that good strategies for combating infection and cross contamination include things such as hand washing and personal protective equipment. In fact recent studies point more often to poor hand washing practices then the environment as the primary cause of hospital acquired infections.

We in Environmental Services understand the importance of hand washing as well as the importance of a clean environment. No matter how well hospital employees adhere to hand washing policies we simply cannot keep pathogens out. Without a top quality training program focused on cleaning and disinfecting the environment, infections will continue to be a problem; germs must be killed wherever they exist within the hospital environment.

I teach my staff to focus on cleaning. Our primary purpose is cleaning, and we never stop and say good enough. We clean and disinfect so that our surfaces not only look clean, they are free of contamination also. I work closely with our infection control department to track results and the partnership has helped to develop best practices that have proven very successful.

When you think about your role in healthcare, remember that without a healthy environment, patients will get sicker, and ultimately, go somewhere else for their healthcare. Support you facility with excellent cleaning, a team relationship with your infection control department as well as your staff. And don’t ever lose focus on cleaning for success.

Housekeeping management is often viewed as a straightforward position and can be an overlooked area for training. While everyone thinks they know how to clean, the management of housekeeping is more complex than people realize and has critical impact on guest satisfaction. To help tackle your job, cover these 10 areas:

1. Guest experience
2. Multicultural understanding
3. Staff training
4. Efficiency
5. Inspections
6. Deep cleaning
7. Preventive maintenance
8. Safety and security
9. Inventory
10. Standard operating procedures