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LiveWell Talk On...
269 - A Day in the Life: Environmental Services (Brandie Dolter)
Brandie Dolter, Environmental Services manager at St. Luke's Hospital, joins Dr. Arnold to give listeners a look into a day in the life of Environmental Services. She shares daily routines, various projects and tasks, training, and so much more.
If you're interested in a career in Environmental Services or any other role at St. Luke's, visit unitypoint.org/careers.
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If you have a topic you'd like Dr. Arnold to discuss with a guest on the podcast, shoot us an email at stlukescr@unitypoint.org.
This is Live Well Talk on a day in the life of environmental services. I'm Dr Dustin Arnold, chief Medical Officer at Unapoint Health, st Luke's Hospital. Today's episode is part of a series of podcasts where we sit down with team members in various roles at Unapoint Health and get to know what they do on a daily basis. We've come to appreciate that a hospital is just not doctors and nurses, but there's an entire team that keeps the doors open and cares for patients. Joining me today on the episode is Brandi Dolter, manager of Environmental Services or EVS, to discuss types of roles that make up the EVS team and what they do. Brandi, welcome to the podcast. Hello, good to sit down with you.
Speaker 1:You know, people know people might not know if we're total joint accredited. People might not know that how many Tesla the MRI is. I have a white coat on. People all year are doctors. You have a white coat on. You must know what you're doing.
Speaker 2:We hope that I know what I'm doing, but everybody knows when it's clean. Exactly.
Speaker 1:You know, I mean, that is just a basic impression. You know environmental services is so important to that and your team takes so much pride in that. But just give me an overview of what actually environmental service does here in the hospital. It's more than being a janitor. Let's just start right there. It is.
Speaker 2:You know, we're the first impression when people walk in to the hospital doors. They notice if your carpet's dirty or if stuff's out of place. So we play an essential role in the healthcare environment. We work alongside many professionals like yourself and our infection prevention team to make sure that we are providing a clean and safe environment for our patients and staff. Outside. It starts outside, on the grounds, where we pick up, you know trash and make it nice, and then inside making sure the floors are clean, the rooms are clean for the patients coming in. It's a hard job, it's a really hard job. It's a very hard job. People just think you know. Like you said, it's just a janitor, but it's a lot more than that, because you have to know procedures and how to use stuff and follow protocols.
Speaker 1:Yes, there it's like it's might be janitorial services, but the amount of regulations on that is tremendous Biohazards et cetera. I mean, it's not just in being the trash.
Speaker 2:Yep, our equipment operators are DOT certified to handle our you know medical waste and hazardous materials, pharmaceutical waste. So we have to do yearly training on that Right no-transcript.
Speaker 1:First things first, because this I know a lot of listeners are carpet or floors. What? How's your team feel about that?
Speaker 2:We like hard floors. Hard floors, yeah, Carpets. We're very lucky here. We have a great carpet program, but hard floors are a lot easier to maintain.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I know we went with the carpet to keep the noise down. You know, I totally get that. But I'm kind of old school, I like the hard floors.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah. So I bet your team we're going towards that. Yeah, slowly, slowly, when we renovate it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it makes it easier to keep it clean. Kind of, take us through how the team is structured. I mean, what are the different roles? I mean it's I know you have, I could name by name, you know, but, like the team members that I see on a daily basis, what are their different roles?
Speaker 2:So we have supervisors that have I've been lucky that the supervisors we have have been here for many years, so they have a lot of knowledge and advice. We have a couple leads, both day and night shift, and then we have the housekeepers, equipment operators, and then we have a groundskeeper and a floor care specialist.
Speaker 1:So what do they do? I mean other than specialize in floors. But I mean, can you kind of give us more detail on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so some of our older floors that we have, the floor specialist goes and strips them, rewaxes them, makes them all shiny. A lot of our newer floors have gone away from that. So she's doing more maintenance on the floors now than than what it was previously, but it used to be stripping off the old stuff, putting new stuff on a very tedious job and usually has to be done, you know, on the off shifts, so not very many people, because it got closed down hallways for that. So you know that's.
Speaker 1:That's what's hard about a hospital is we're open 24 seven. It's not like we're closed you can get your work done from that standpoint.
Speaker 2:Mm, hmm.
Speaker 1:I mean what? What is the role of just a housekeeper that type?
Speaker 2:So the housekeepers, their daily role is they go to a unit, a department and they clean. So our first shift housekeepers differ from our second shift housekeepers. First shift housekeepers focus on patient rooms and more. They interact more with the patients and they go in and do cleaning, the daily cleaning and then also discharges. Second shift is more in your procedural areas and your office cleaning. So after everybody's done for the day, our second shift housekeeping team goes in and cleans all that. So just a couple of different roles with that. But they both. They both do beds when discharges. We average about 80 discharges a day. So that's how many beds we're cleaning a day on top. Of you know, cleaning them.
Speaker 1:And then equipment operators. How does that? What is that?
Speaker 2:The equipment operators are. They pick up the trash, they clean, used to the big machines to clean the floors, the sweepers, the scrubbers. They do our projects. We have room setups so they set up rooms for meetings and stuff. They go around and fill. Since COVID they go around and fill your mask and hand sanitizers and stuff. So they kind of they kind of do a little bit of everything and they even fill in and housekeeping as well. You know, sometimes we just have to move those pieces around.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've seen it's all hands on deck type of thing. So I've seen Don everywhere.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Don's everywhere.
Speaker 1:He does a little bit of everything.
Speaker 2:They change out the chemicals and the dispensers on the units and yeah, so what is the training?
Speaker 1:I'm sure you just don't say you know, here's a, here's a cleaning supplies. Go go to it. What is the the training and the requirements to be a member of the EBS team?
Speaker 2:Um, we go through a two week training process. Um, they train with the leads. Um, the leads are with them the first, like two or three days, like right beside them, and then they kind of release them to other team members and then they work with the other team members um to um learn their daily cleaning steps. Um, a lot of people come in with no cleaning background and um, which is great because we can train them right from the start. Some others come in from like house, um hotel cleaning and stuff, which is not the same. It is it's very different from hotel cleaning. Um, but, uh, we go through. People need more time we give them more time.
Speaker 1:I like that analogy because I think it's easy to think it's the same thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, we have a lot we lose. Unfortunately, we lose some people because of they think it's the same thing and it, it's hard.
Speaker 1:No, it totally is.
Speaker 2:We have a whole folder of policies and procedures that we have to learn Um. You know, we use, uh the chemicals we use. We housekeeping team is the only one that can dispense them because of the you know um the safety around them.
Speaker 1:Um, but they're not leaving chocolates on your pillow either, are they, nope?
Speaker 2:We leave the TV on to a nice song, music. Yeah, you do, yes.
Speaker 1:And then sometimes, yeah, the thing that impresses me and I shouldn't be, I shouldn't say I'm not, definitely not surprised by it, but I it's. I've had relatives that have been in the hospital and the people they remember is the EVS people and their names and their stories and you know, and they, when they get re-admitted, they, you know, they're so happy to see that same person back because they remember them and really connect.
Speaker 1:I had an aunt that really connected with a couple of them and that was just nice, you know to have that continuity and it meant a lot to her to be, on that floor and have the same people. So, um, it's not like they're faceless. I mean, they're in there, they meet the patients and they get to know the patients and, uh, that's that's. They bring a smile to their faces and that that's important.
Speaker 2:They're part of the department. Yeah, and they're not, I mean they kind of our house. Our housekeepers have two departments. They have the housekeeping department and then they have the, the unit they're working on. Um, we're very, um, we have great teamwork. We are I don't um how to explain it like for center, you know, or the ortho department. They take in our housekeeper involve them in their holiday events and stuff Um so it's a, it's a good ownership.
Speaker 1:It's, uh, it's Nora, right From Germany. Norm, yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:She, I think, had 10 guardian angels oh, easily, easily.
Speaker 1:So she was awesome. Now she's retired, correct? Yeah?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Good for her.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she was a great face. Patients loved her.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:She loved what she did.
Speaker 1:She's a fixture on three West in the back of the day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, great ownership yes.
Speaker 1:Good and talk her for a while and I would talk to her. She was awesome. Um, now there Is there. There's once, once they get here, what, what? Is there opportunities to enhance their skills or professional development?
Speaker 2:I mean there are programs out there that we can further. It's something I would like to look more into. But as for the hospital, a lot of people like to get in work environmental services, move on to CNA positions and Just kind of move up throughout health care. Yeah, we have a great team Right now that, if they're that they bounce around a little bit between departments. So I have great cross training between my teams. I have laundry Text that help in housekeeping or environmental services when needed. I have courier Folks that help in laundry or environmental service. You know a lot of good cross training going on and will work with anybody who wants to move up courier services and mail.
Speaker 1:The room is that you're under your umbrella to? Yep? Oh cool, I got a lot. Yeah, there too. Yes, let's not forget about them, yeah, I have a great team and and they help each other out.
Speaker 2:I have housekeepers that will stay and make sure our laundry team is set to go in the morning. You know I, my career team. You know you talked about the pandemic. They were part of. They were a reason why we had iso counts because they were going through them. Just a great Training or, you know, great cross training we have going on.
Speaker 1:So at least I know down in the, you know, administrative side of things at the courier that health care they're part of our team.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's just part of our team. We talk to them every day, yeah, multiple times every day. So, um Well, technology has touched every Profession not just medical. I mean technologies everywhere. So tell us how technology has helped your team more efficient and how it's integrated in with maybe, so you know about things ahead of time. Tell us about that with the medical record you know so does that?
Speaker 2:work. We use a Program that is census-based and it links up with our epic system. So we know if patients come into the room after midnight. If they come into the room after midnight It'll show up that they're the rooms vacant and we won't necessarily go in and clean that room. We'll go touch bases with the patient, say, hey, do you need anything? But we won't go in and like, mop the floors and do the daily cleaning. So that Allows flexibility with some of the schedules, so we're able to combine some schedules. You know, if it's low census we're able to put, like the housekeeper on three center and three West.
Speaker 1:So you actually use the, our epic, our computer system, to get your job done efficiently? And know about things ahead of time. Okay, wow, that's, that's it. I know sometimes how long does it take to clean a room.
Speaker 2:It takes an average about 40, 45 minutes to clean a normal discharge room. It could be longer If it's in isolation. It takes a little over an hour and every room's different. If you have a patient that was here one day, it's probably not going to take that long. If you have we've had some patients that are here for 60 days those take a little bit longer because they've lived in that room.
Speaker 2:So those take a little bit longer to clean and then that's when we usually like those rooms. We would involve our equipment operators and they'd go in and do a tap to bottom like deep clean. So it's about 45 minutes Well that's the housekeeper, and then we would probably spend about five, six hours with our if we're able to with our equipment operator to do a like full.
Speaker 1:But even in a best case scenario, you're in the ER, you're waiting for a bed. It's going to take 45 minutes to an hour yeah.
Speaker 2:And so, and that's if we don't have any others that we're cleaning.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah there's. Sometimes the bed board has 15 beds that need to be cleaned and you just got to kind of.
Speaker 1:Our supervisors and leads do a really good job at looking at the bed board, seeing what areas have open beds and what areas don't, so they try to focus that attention and get the rooms that don't have open beds before the ones that already do, but it's, I guess I I kind of I mean, I understand you want to do things fast, just from a standpoint of efficiency, but I guess I also raise this with mentality If you don't have time to do it right the first time, you're going to have time to do it right the second time.
Speaker 1:You know, and so so you know, take your time, get it done correctly and clean and you know, that's just kind of me, I don't. You know, my surgical friends are always trying to get because they don't want their patient under anesthesia. And you know, hurry, hurry, hurry. And I'm more of a. That's probably why I'm not a surgeon.
Speaker 2:Our team takes great ownership. You know their names. Their names are on the board the patient knows you know, they know who cleaned it. We write our name on the whiteboard. Have a nice table tent that says who cleans the room.
Speaker 1:So it's and you, just, you just can't teach that.
Speaker 2:That is just something people have.
Speaker 1:And your team has that Great ownership. Yeah, I know your story, but why don't you tell us how did you get started in EVS and ended up where you're at?
Speaker 2:Oh man, so I've been here about 20 years. In August I started and, I guess, grew up within support services. I don't know where I wanted to be, but some environmental services is kind of where I landed. I had some great, great managers over the course of the years and I looked up to them, so this is kind of where I'm at. Some of them pointed me in the direction on where to be and how to get there, and so I'm part of the America Healthcare Association and I've gotten some training through there and well.
Speaker 1:You're very, very well respected amongst the hospital leadership. I know Casey Green has nothing but praise to say for you and your team.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love it here. I mean, this is my family. I've been here since I've been eight, well, 17 years old, but so Well, I tell people, this is my forever home, this is where I was born here.
Speaker 1:I'm going to finish here.
Speaker 2:I think that's going to be my case too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we know we'll retire together Right Now. Hopefully some listeners are maybe interested in environmental services and so how would they get a career in that? How would they get started?
Speaker 2:They. You go out to our website and there's usually openings and everywhere within UnityPoint, no matter where you live, we do a. We have a great transfer program too, Like if you end up, we have some housekeepers that'll move up to like Waterloo and they'll transfer up there. But you just apply and we'll give you a call.
Speaker 1:Randy, thanks for joining me. This has been very interesting sharing day in the life, environmental services and the critical role that they play in the hospital Cause that's people's first impression. You know that is the first impression. You know. Once again, this is Brandy Dolter, manager of environmental services for St Luke's hospital. If you're interested in a career in environmental services at St Luke's, visit unitypointorg backslash careers. Thank you for listening. Live well. Talk on. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe. And if you want to spread the word, please give us a five star review and tell your family, friends, neighbors, strangers about our podcast. We're available on Apple podcasts, spotify, pandora or wherever you get your podcast. Until next time, be well.