Environmental services refer to a healthcare facility’s department responsible for cleaning, disinfection, waste management, emergency response, and other services that help maintain a safe, hygienic environment.
The environmental services department, also known as housekeeping or custodial services, provides many critical functions in a healthcare setting. Their primary role is to ensure cleanliness and help prevent the spread of infections. This includes cleaning patient rooms, public areas, and operating rooms, disinfecting surfaces, managing laundry, collecting and disposing of waste, responding to spills or contaminations, and more.
Keeping the environment clean is vital for infection control. Contaminated surfaces and improper waste disposal can lead to healthcare-associated infections, a significant public health concern. Environmental services staff work closely with infection prevention teams to implement cleaning protocols and ensure standards are met.
Some of the key services provided by the environmental services department include:
The scope varies based on the type of healthcare facility. For example, environmental services in a large hospital handle more specialized cleaning and waste disposal than a clinic.
Environmental services staff work closely with infection prevention and control teams. Their cleaning and disinfection practices directly impact infection rates. Key areas of collaboration include:
Ongoing communication between the two departments is vital for identifying issues and improving practices.
Environmental services significantly impact infection prevention efforts in hospitals, clinics, and other care facilities. Let’s examine the roles they play:
Diligent cleaning by environmental services helps maintain hygiene throughout a healthcare facility. Daily cleaning of high-touch surfaces, floor care, trash removal, and prompt spill clean-up all help reduce bioburden.
It’s important to follow procedures consistently, such as using clean clothes for each room and washing reusable rags and mops properly after use. Staff must be trained on techniques like wiping surfaces in one direction and allowing enough contact time for disinfectants.
Environmental services teams are prepared to respond rapidly to emergencies like spills of blood or chemicals, potentially infectious material exposure, leaking collection containers, etc. They isolate the area, wear PPE, employ specialized cleaning techniques, and safely discard contaminated items.
If a patient area needs emergency decontamination, environmental services staff use disinfectant sprays, mists, wipes, or other methods to neutralize the space before it can be used again.
Soiled linen and laundry can harbor infectious agents. Environmental services must ensure contaminated textiles are appropriately contained, transported, and washed/disinfected per protocols before reuse. This prevents the spread of pathogens between patients via shared linens.
Environmental services staff must use separate carts for clean and soiled linen when collecting or distributing items. The laundry process must incorporate chemicals, temperature, and contact time needed to achieve disinfection.
There are strict protocols for segregating, containing, handling, and disposing of different types of waste generated in healthcare. Environmental services staff must follow regulations for collecting, transporting, and discarding biohazardous waste, sharps, pharmaceuticals, and hazardous chemicals.
Any lapses can lead to contamination and expose staff. Training and oversight are critical to ensure safe waste management.
Disinfecting patient areas and equipment is a core duty of environmental services. Cleaning agents and disinfectants are applied thoroughly to surfaces such as bed rails, tables, call buttons, and monitors. Stricter protocols are followed for isolation rooms housing patients with infections.
Enhanced decontamination is required if a space becomes contaminated with infectious material or is used for a patient with a highly transmissible condition. Environmental services staff must don PPE and use specialized techniques to clean and neutralize the area.
Explore tips and best practices for waste management in healthcare facilities.
Infection control is a critical component of any healthcare facility. Environmental services staff play a key role in preventing and controlling the spread of infections. An effective infection control program requires careful planning, training, and regulation compliance.
The first step in implementing an infection control plan is to assemble a multidisciplinary team to design the program. This team should include leadership, physicians, nurses, environmental services staff, and infection prevention experts.
When designing the plan, the team must conduct a risk assessment to identify areas of concern and establish procedures to mitigate those risks. The program should address routine cleaning and disinfection and enhanced protocols for isolation rooms or spaces with vulnerable patients.
Standard operating procedures should be developed to provide clear instructions for cleaning tasks. The plan should specify:
Once finalized, the infection control plan should be communicated to environmental services staff through training sessions. Compliance should be regularly audited, and the plan should be updated as needed.
Several regulatory and accreditation standards impact infection control programs in healthcare settings. Key agencies and regulations include:
For example, OSHA has standards on exposure to bloodborne pathogens that require facilities to have a written exposure control plan. The plan must cover the proper use of PPE, handling of contaminated materials, and response following an exposure incident.
The Joint Commission’s Environment of Care standards relate to infection control. Facilities must show compliance with hand hygiene, handling of medical equipment, waste management, and other protocols.
In addition, many states have regulations for specific organisms and diseases. Local health departments may investigate outbreaks and issue guidance. Staying current with requirements and integrating them into the infection control plan is essential for any regulated facility.
Robust training and education help ensure environmental services staff know how to support infection control efforts. Training topics should include:
Hands-on demonstrations and competency assessments should be incorporated. Consider requiring an annual refresher course to reinforce critical concepts. Visual aids like posters can serve as helpful reminders for staff. Another element addresses gaps identified through audits or reviews of infection control practices. Provide additional training and education where noncompliance is found.
With over 20 years of experience providing best-in-class environmental services to healthcare facilities nationwide, ERN has the expertise and resources to meet your medical facility’s cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilization needs. Our national network of highly-trained environmental service professionals is committed to delivering customized solutions and unmatched client satisfaction.
Contact us today to discuss how we can develop and implement a comprehensive infection prevention program tailored to your facility. Our dedicated team looks forward to partnering with you to enhance patient safety through improved cleaning protocols and stringent disinfecting procedures.
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