I was working the graveyard last night and i got called to come terminal clean a room in the E.R. Non-stat, so I cruise down clean the room (lots of hair on the ground) and as I'm walking out tossing some trash the nurse sees me and says "make sure you wear booties and a cap that patient had lice."
Another time I was working the morning shift down in the snf attached to our hospital. A patient passed and the nurse wanted the room cleaned stat. So I go over to the room, it's a mess the bed not even stripped (big no-no for us housekeepers), so i clean the room the best I could fast without compromising proper sanitation. I finish in about 20 minutes and I'm walking back to grab some trash bags, the lvn sees me and ask me if I finished the room yet. I respond with a thumbs up, she then says "oh did you gown up? that patient has scabies."
Both times had no contact precaution sign on the door.
I have about 5 more months of housekeeping left until I become a C.N.A. I would like to be able live and be healthy for that time. My question is whose responsibility is it? I say the nurses because I'm not there, I have no idea which nurse has which room, there is no possible way for me to figure out what a patient has and if it something I should be concerned about.
I have seen the opposite happen as well, kitchen and housekeeping staff ignoring signs and entering rooms to conduct their duties. How someone needs to be told on a daily basis that gloves, mask and gown are required has me lost. But the same person I had issues with also ignored the sign of a water jug with a line through it, giving Pt's with Fluid Restrictions a fresh jug of water on every pass.
To solve the OP's problem I think that a suggestion be put through the housekeeping manager giving an outline for a training strategy aimed not only at the medical and nursing staff but everyone who enters Pt areas as part of their job. If the training is aimed at everyone, no-one can get their back up, it will also go a long way to fostering the best programme for all involved rather than an occupation-centric solution.
Once the staff are trained to recognise the problems and a solution is in place, it should become part of the generalised orientation to the facility.
twistedpupchaser
266 Posts
I have seen the opposite happen as well, kitchen and housekeeping staff ignoring signs and entering rooms to conduct their duties. How someone needs to be told on a daily basis that gloves, mask and gown are required has me lost. But the same person I had issues with also ignored the sign of a water jug with a line through it, giving Pt's with Fluid Restrictions a fresh jug of water on every pass.
To solve the OP's problem I think that a suggestion be put through the housekeeping manager giving an outline for a training strategy aimed not only at the medical and nursing staff but everyone who enters Pt areas as part of their job. If the training is aimed at everyone, no-one can get their back up, it will also go a long way to fostering the best programme for all involved rather than an occupation-centric solution.
Once the staff are trained to recognise the problems and a solution is in place, it should become part of the generalised orientation to the facility.