Professionally cleaning hospitals has always involved a rigorous process with hospital-grade disinfectants, but Centura environmental services (EVS) teams are working even harder with coronavirus in mind. EVS personnel wear full protective gear, including an N95 mask, face shield, gown, two layers of gloves, shoe coverings and other equipment, with the goal of eliminating viruses and germs to protect caregivers, patients and all who enter.
“Their role may be different, but no less important in the battle against COVID-19,” stated Stephen Cobb, MD, Denver area Chief Medical Officer. “The environmental services team works closely with our clinical team to coordinate cleaning and disinfecting of patient rooms and all public areas of the facility. We couldn’t achieve good patient outcomes without them.”
To work in a hospital setting, EVS professionals have trained for the cleaning and disinfecting of rooms used by people with potentially contagious illnesses. With the pandemic underway, these pre-existing protocols have been enhanced even further. While standard cleaning in common areas (nurses’ stations, the ER and visitor areas) occur daily, EVS teams have conducted this same thorough cleaning four times a day since the pandemic began, taking cleaning to the next level.
“The nature of their work is meticulous. They focus on high-touch points determined by the CDC, such as elevator buttons, waiting room chairs, remote controls, door handles and other frequently touched surfaces,” explains Dr. Cobb. “They’ve always put safety at the forefront, and they take their work very seriously. We’re grateful for that!”
Whether an OR, patient room, Emergency Department room, nurse’s station or common area, Centura EVS teams clean to CDC standards. These professionals are on the front lines and work with courage and compassion for all those we serve.
