Resource Library

As more and more research unfolds regarding preventing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), it is very apparent that cleanliness is as critical to a hospital’s successful operation as any clinical function that takes place within the health care institution.

The new CHEST program is anticipated to change perceptions from ‘housekeepers’ sweeping and mopping floors to competent health care environmental services technicians who are able to provide a safe environment reducing the risks of health-care-associated infections (HAIs) and improving the patient experience.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that one out of every 25 hospitalized patients will contract a health-care-associated infection (HAI). Each year HAIs are a documented source of increased mortality and morbidity, significant costs for care delivery, and have a negative impact on the patient experience.

Two very important updates regarding CRE and Shigella sonnei outbreak investigations.

Nazar Masry answers questions about the Certified Health Care Environmental Services Professional (CHESP) certification process.

Those who are determined and who work hard often spend a lot of time and effort to learn new skills and maintain their existing ones. They display the most current knowledge of new technology and ideas. Having employees who will improve themselves over and above the company-sponsored training is critical to an organization wanting to innovate and improve.

Colby C. Morris shares best practices for education, training, and keeping staff engaged in those activities.

Greg May, BA, CHESP highlights upcoming AHE programs and events.

Same old, same old, over and over again. Environmental services leaders are required to train their staff on cleaning procedures, safety topics, and human resources policies. Teaching the same topics year after year gets flat out boring—even for the leaders! Here are some ideas used at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to brighten up the training and get the staff engaged and involved.

EXPLORE magazine spoke with Sandra Rials, MS, AHE director of Education about ENGAGE, AHE’s education platform.

AHE is proud to announce a certification program for environmental services technicians or frontline staff. The program will officially launch as Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician™ or CHEST, with an overarching goal to improve outcomes—for the patient, department, facility, and the community.

Michael Lee Stallard discusses a framework for managing change.

The Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) announces a new certification that will set performance and knowledge criteria for environmental services technicians and provide the means to ensure frontline employees are thoroughly prepared for service in healthcare.

Allen E. Rudd answers questions about the Certified Health Care Environmental Services Professional (CHESP) certification process.

There are many elements that go into emergency response plans, and here we’ve outlined some of the main considerations of a plan as it relates to infection prevention and control and environmental services (EVS). It is EVS’ responsibility to ensure that it is able to provide a safe place for patients to be treated and heal—regardless of the conditions outside of the organization’s walls.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released updated Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Hospitalized Patients with Known or Suspected Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever in U.S. Hospitals. Standard, contact, and droplet precautions are recommended for any patients with known or suspected Ebola hemorrhagic fever.

By becoming connected with the network that is AHE, you immediately gain access to a membership base of over 2,000 professionals, all with knowledge and expertise to share.

Laundry processing of health care linens has experienced a significant shift. From the management of self-operated onsite laundry operations to the use of outsourced external central laundries, hospitals are evaluating the cost efficiencies of both in-house and outsourced processes. To do this, they must weigh the value of each while keeping the balance of effective textile care processing as the key fulcrum point in making their decision.

Each year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over 722,000 hospitalized patients contract a healthcare associated infection (HAI), resulting in over 75,000 deaths. In September 2013, the CDC released new evidence of emergent antimicrobial resistance threats and categorized them into categories of urgency.

In EVS, the transformational management philosophy can be a great tool when changes are necessary in your department. Introducing new ideas is never easy in EVS, but clear communication and strong determination will take you to your end result. When planning and executing, keep these 10 traits in mind.