Project Firstline
Environmental Services Health Care Facilities Enhancing Teamwork Infection Contol Training

Healthcare Environmental Services (EVS) Technicians are on the frontlines of the battle against health-care-associated infections (HAIs). While an EVS Technician often has a routine schedule and implements standard precautions approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they will be given assignments during their shift to help maintain the safe and steady turnover of inpatients, outpatients, and staff.

In most facilities, EVS Technicians have a consistent schedule and routine, which includes a scheduled lunch break. There are also opportunities for professional development. EVS Technicians may also choose to specialize in a particular type of facility, task or time of day.

An EVS technician’s shift often starts at the clean utility room, where they identify the correct cleaning and disinfecting supplies for their tasks. The “Cleaning and Disinfecting Matrix,” a tool designed by the Association for the Health Care Environment (AHE), is a helpful reference for EVS Technicians to ensure they are following correct CDC-approved standard precautions. EVS Technicians will use this tool to remind them of the safe cleaning and disinfecting solutions for different patient settings and surfaces.

The matrix “offers a quick view of some commonly found pathogens in health care settings and how to protect yourself and others by avoiding cross-contamination. It also explains the essentials or the whys behind why it's important to clean and disinfect with certain products and not others,” explained Benjamin Kenyon, evening supervisor for environmental services at Saratoga Hospital in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

EVS Technicians then follow structured cleaning routines that are designed and recommended by the CDC. Depending on the task, the technician will also be careful to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). When servicing the room of a patient who is recovering from a respiratory disease like the flu, for example, an EVS technician will put on a fresh surgical mask and gloves. They also use hand sanitizer or wash their hands before and after visiting a patient’s occupied room.

Because many contaminants are not visible, EVS Technicians are careful to scan their surrounding environment and analyze potential areas of infection risk. “Cleaning removes visible dirt and debris and makes the surface ready for disinfection. Disinfecting reduces the bioburden — the number of germs that are present on surfaces,” explained Patti Costello, recent executive director of the AHE.

When cleaning, EVS Technicians always start at higher points in a patient’s room such as a dirty ceiling or tabletop and work downward. It’s also important to clean from the cleanest to dirtiest areas. This helps prevent recontamination of cleaned areas, reduces risk and saves time.

An EVS technician’s day is often fast paced and requires continuous attention to detail. On busy days with high turnover, the technician is challenged to balance the need to complete tasks promptly with ensuring that high-touch areas not only appear clean but are also disinfected.

In addition to using their technical skills, EVS Technicians help set the tone of a medical facility. Through their frequent visits to rooms, EVS staff often build strong relationships with patients and their loved ones. They help ensure that routine maintenance tasks such as fixing a leaky faucet are promptly performed, helping to reinforce the perception of a culture of safety. EVS Technicians demonstrate, through their work and their collaboration with colleagues, the importance of preventing and controlling the spread of HAIs. Their work is often the difference maker in preventing illness at medical facilities.