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Hospital Housekeeper

What Is a Hospital Housekeeper and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

Table of Contents

What Does a Hospital Housekeeper Do?

Hospital Housekeepers ensure ensuring sanitization, sterilization, and cleanliness of patient rooms, hallways, offices, restrooms, work areas, and waiting rooms. During your career as a Hospital Housekeeper, duties and responsibilities might include removing medical waste from surgery and exam rooms, cleaning windows, keeping foot-traffic areas clear, changing bed sheets, sweeping and vacuuming floors, mopping up spills, emptying trash receptacles, and removing debris from hallways. Those who can stand for long periods and possess effective time management, attention to detail, and communication skills typically meet the qualifications for Hospital Housekeeper job openings.

How to Become a Hospital Housekeeper

There are no standard minimum qualifications for a career as a Hospital Housekeeper. Some employers might prefer a high school diploma or related prior work experience. Previous experience in any housekeeping or caregiver role could prove beneficial to landing a Hospital Housekeeper job, but some employers may prefer experience in a health care environment. Hospital Housekeeper positions are typically found in hospitals, though you can locate similar postings in medical clinics, nursing homes, health departments, and convalescent homes. Other qualifications include communication and reading chemical labels. You may also need to be able to work a flexible schedule as some shifts might require you to work nights and weekends.

What Are Environmental Services in a Hospital?

Environmental services (EVS) at a hospital are there to make sure the worker and patient environments stay clean and sterile. In this department, you are responsible for inspecting rooms and hospitality areas, keeping up the appearance of the facilities, and making sure all cleanliness practices are up to state and federal codes. Generally, the EVS department covers housekeeping and cleaning duties and may also be responsible for disposing of biohazardous material.

What Is the Role of Housekeeping in Hospitals?

Housekeeping in hospitals focuses on maintaining the sterility, sanitation, and environmental safety of patient rooms, work areas, hallways, and offices. In this role, you remove obstacles, sweep up debris, disinfect surfaces and equipment, change and launder linens, and attend to a variety of other housekeeping tasks that ensure the hospital is safe and sterile. This plays a significant role in preventing further illness and infection from spreading. Housekeeping and janitorial work are vital to the functioning of any medical facility.

How to Get a Housekeeping Job at a Hospital

There are no special qualifications needed to get a housekeeping job at a hospital. Some hospitals may require you to take a course and get on-the-job training, as they want you to do things their way and avoid having to unlearn any bad habits. To get a housekeeping job, it helps to have prior experience in housekeeping or caretaking. Even experience in a kitchen can be valuable. When you speak to the hiring manager, emphasize your meticulous attention to detail and understanding of the importance of proper cleaning procedures.

What Is the Role of a Hospital Housekeeping Supervisor?

A housekeeping supervisor at a hospital organizes all of the housekeeping and janitorial staff, makes sure all cleaning supplies are readily available, and takes responsibility for hiring and terminating staff members in their department. As a housekeeping supervisor, you must understand all the procedures of hospital cleaning and the use of all basic cleaning equipment. You coordinate the janitors and housekeepers, sending them to rooms and areas where they are needed the most, and inspect all areas to ensure they follow all sanitation standards. If your staff is not meeting the hospital’s standards, it is your responsibility to retrain your employees and have them reclean the area until it is satisfactory. Housekeeping supervisors need several years of experience in the field before applying.

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