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.

In order to serve as many people as possible on a tight schedule, doctors, nurses, and other staff members usually exit one room and enter another without changing into scrub suits or putting on masks. Unless their surroundings are sanitized, they may carry unintended organisms with them. It is the important job of the service staff to make certain all room and hallway floors are kept scrubbed and as free of soil as possible.

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 is a department that necessarily generates a lot of waste, and as such, great efforts are made to recycle and re-use whenever possible. Since waste disposal rules change periodically, it is a function of management to ensure all waste removal is handled in accordance with government guidelines.

Good department heads know that it takes a team to get such a massive amount of work done each day. Cooperation, communication, and coordination are necessary for one shift to blend seamlessly into another. Many hospitals award service employees for outstanding work and for going above and beyond to make the hospital a safer and more secure place. Some have special team building activities and events for employees to help create a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Successful hospitals almost always have good marketing departments, and when someone is recognized by local or national organizations, they alert the public through newspapers and social media. This boosts public confidence and elevates all the departments in the hospital community.

Hospitals can be scary places for people who are sick, injured, and out of their comfort zone. A good service staff can be a great help when it comes to making them feel more secure.




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