The Vital Environmental Services Henrico VA Hospitals Count On

By Karen Anderson


Anyone who has ever had to spend time in a hospital knows how noisy and busy they are. Even small facilities have a large staff made up of doctors, nurses, administrators, office employees and others. Taking care of individuals in varying stages of sickness is a complicated and difficult process. Everyone has a specific job to do to ensure patients have the best care possible in the cleanest environment. The environmental services Henrico VA hospitals use have an important part to play.

Patients want to feel better when they are discharged, not worse. All patients are sectioned off and put on different floors depending on their conditions, but staff members come and go all through the hospital without changing clothes or shoes. Making sure the surfaces they come into contact with are as sterile as possible is the job of the service employees. They are the workers who keep house, swab the floors, and handle the massive amounts of laundry generated each day.

Since they have such an important job, it is critical that they be kept abreast of the latest information on hospital rules and regulations, and the latest techniques, methods, and products for sanitizing public buildings. Training leaders conduct meetings that include emergency codes, protective gear, fall prevention, radiation safety, and the procedures for hand washing. They also emphasize the sensitivity of diseases transmitted in blood, and keeping all medications secure.

The best service employees are very concerned with the quality of the work they do. Most managers conduct routine inspections to make certain all regulations are being followed and department employees are adapting to any new rules regarding such important tasks as sanitizing flooring.

This department is also dedicated to making every effort to recycle where it is possible and re-use items where it is appropriate. The managers keep up with the latest technology and processes in an effort to be as cost effective as possible. They also participate in community outreach programs to better educate the local population on the best ways to stay healthy.

Most of the service staff work eight hour shifts and, when it is time to end one shift and begin another, everyone has to be able to communicate and cooperate to ensure the least amount of disruption. In order to build the teamwork this requires, many departments plan special events, such as birthday parties, and picnics where co-workers can get to know one another outside the hospital. Awarding outstanding service is another way to make employees feel like they are an important part of the team.

Hospitals with reputations for cleanliness are much more likely to have patients who feel confident and secure. When organizations and communities recognize the efforts of the service department at a particular hospital, the management makes sure the information is spread by print and social media.

People who are sick or injured already have enough on their minds without having to worry about whether or not they will be accidentally exposed to some dangerous infection or virus. Maintaining the highest degree of cleanliness will greatly lessen this possibility and ease the minds of the patients.




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