Baptist Health Care Environmental Services Technicians Receive Certification
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Baptist Health Care Environmental Services Technicians Receive Certification
PENSACOLA, Fla. (December 14, 2016) Environmental Services team members from Baptist Hospital recently graduated from the Association for the Healthcare Environment CHEST program. These front line team members became Certified Healthcare Environmental Service Technicians (CHEST) after completing 24 hours in this certification course. This is the first team in Sodexo’s Southeast region to become CHEST certified.
This is a great achievement for our team and for our hospital, says Don Gabriel, environmental services director, Baptist Hospital. Employees who have more confidence in achieving their work goals are 83 percent more likely to be engaged on the job, which correlates to greater job satisfaction.
The goal of the CHEST certification course is to strengthen health care by developing a skilled, well-trained workforce.
“We have to keep up with continual changes in waste training and CDC regulations, says Ashley Sainski, environmental services operations manager, Baptist Hospital. This type of certification and training ensures this compliance.”
The content covered during the workshop is based on seven areas: infection prevention, communication, safety, waste handling, linen handling and floor care. The newly certified team agrees the training and information is a win for all at Baptist.
The more the better; anything we can do to further our education in what we do and just knowing why we do what we do, says Cora Hammac, environmental services technician, Baptist Hospital. It makes me feel good that Ive done what Im supposed to do and that its done correctly.
The certification is valid for four years and sets national standards specifically for environmental services technicians working in health care. The program strategically helps organizations prevent health care associated infections (HAI) and improve patient satisfaction scores related to cleanliness.
“I learned a lot about why we do what we do, says Sam Whittemore Jr., environmental services technician, Baptist Hospital. If my family members were in this hospital, I would want to know they were safe when they came here.”
Pictured left to right: Don Gabriel, Cindy Nelson, Sam Whittemore Jr., Cora Hammac, Dennis Zills Jr., Erica Moorer, Ashley Sainski.
