Is there a written policy where Environmental Services in a hosp. disinfects after nursing cleans up bodyfluid?
Asked by Juan D
I've worked in health care as an ES Manager for 5 years. Now nursing is contesting the fact that the housekeepers should clean up all feces or body fluids and not only disinfect. It's always been past practice that this is considered patient care and nursing is responsible for it. I would like some documentation so I can take to my nursing administration for review. Thanks!

Best Answer:
I've worked in a number of hospitals and the medical care personnel usually do the gross cleaning and ES does the final disinfecting and housecleaning. However, that's the custom and there is no legal or licensure requirement for one or the other entity to do the job. The issue is training and competency. Your nursing department is trying to get rid of a job because they feel overworked, so what you've got is a turf war. You may lose this battle because there are more of "them" than there are of "you". I would contact the ES directors of several hospitals of your size and find out what their policies are. If you can show that 9/10 do it your way, it will give you a little ammunition. If it looks like you're going to be stuck with this job, this is time to ask for extra FTE's. Be positive with your "O" and tell him you'd be happy to take on the extra responsibility but that you'll need extra personnel if you are to respond quickly when accidents happen. Make Nursing look like the whiners that they are! LOL! Of note, remember that in many hospitals, Nursing has taken on phlebotomy because it is assumed that they can draw the blood more efficiently and on time. It sounds like they are using the opposite argument when trying to give you the extra cleaning jobs.