3. INTRODUSTION
Housekeeping services , also called environment services, are of
Paramount importance in providing a safe ,clean , pleasant, orderly
And functional environment for both patients and hospital person
A clean and hygienic environment has a tremendous psychological
Impact on patients and visitors , which immediately gives them an
Overall impression of the hospital
It is difficult for people to judge the practice of medicine in any
Hospital because of their lack of medical knowledge, they often
Form their opinions about the hospital on the basis of its
Appearance and cleanliness.
Good housekeeping is an asset and a powerful public and patient
Relation tool.
4. WHY HOUSEKEEPING IS IMPORTANT
Consider following two scenarios
1. Patients or the visitors finds the floor and wards of the hospital
Refreshingly clean. He will naturally be pre-disposed to speak well of
the hospital, thus adding to its good reputation
2. visitors find the lobby dirty and untidy ,and the wards smelling of
Offensive odours . He will immediately entertain doubts about the
Quality of care his loved one may be receiving in the hospital.
5. Good house keeping is important to patients because
1 . The hospital is their temporary home for the duration of their
Stay.
2 . Knowingly or unknowingly , they are exposed to risk of cross-
Contamination or hospital –acquired infections.
3 . Every patients has a right to be protected from hospital-
acquired infection and from germs brought into the environment
Bye other patients, visitors and the hospital staff.
4 . The hospital may have the best doctors on its staff and the
most modern equipment, but if its housekeeping is of a poor
quality , it will overshadow the effect all other things.
7. Common function
•Daily cleaning : This includes sweeping and mopping floors,
dusting furniture , cleaning walls , ceiling , windows and bathrooms ,
emptying trash cans and defrosting refrigerators in nursing station
• Periodic cleaning : This include washing windows, washing floor
Cleaning carpets , dusting high ceiling .
•Trash and garbage removal : This include collecting trash and
garbage from various points within the hospital and moving them to
the dumpster
•Discharge cleaning :This include cleaning the patients room after
discharge or transfer of patient and readying it for another patient.
8. • watering indoor plants if required.
• Exterminating bugs and pests.
• Preventing spread of infection and ensuring condition for good
Patient care by using proven infection control procedures and
9. Incidental responsibilities
• saving electricity by turning off lights , fans , etc . When not in use
• Ensuring an economical use of supplies ( which is one area where
there is much waste )
• Developing goodwill bye a helpful and caring attitude towards
Patients and visitors.
• promoting safety rules and measures bye observing them and
reporting dangerous conditions
10. The work lode of house keeping department fluctuates
Depending on patient census
• When the bed occupancy is high , the workload increases.
• when it is low , empty rooms are generally kept locked making
daily cleaning unnecessary.
• Discharge and transfers call for extra cleaning . They require extra
staffing on certain days of the week and time of the day when most
discharge occur.
11. Location
Housekeeping serves all areas and departments of the hospital.
Although it can be situated in a nonprime area , it should as far as
Far as possible be centrally located and close to the vertical transport
System to facilitate easy movement of housekeeping materials and
equipment.
13. • The head of housekeeping department is called the executive
Housekeeper who is assisted in the administration of the department
by an assistant executive housekeeper and floor supervisors
• the training and qualification of the executive housekeeper is very
Important
• he/she must have a degree in science and basic knowledge of health
Care sanitation including principles of bacteriology applicable for
Prevention and control of infection and communicable diseases.
• Good interpersonal skills and leadership qualities are essential.
14. In the selection and development of housekeeping
employees
the following principles should kept in mind
• Good selection : check the applicant as a person , his / her ability to
work with other & potential to do the required job
• Good training : give the employee help and training he/ she
Needs to perform
• Good supervision: provide guidance in performing work, correct
poor Work and support him/her on the job
• Recognition : recognize and praise good performance . Make the
Employee feel wanted and appreciated.
15. • The key to efficient and effective functioning of the housekeeping
department is good communication , particularly with the admitting
department and nursing units – the two potential areas where
conflicts arise.
16. Facilities and space Requirements
• office for the executive housekeeper.
• clerical work area .
• office for the assistant executive housekeeper and desk or office
space for supervisors . It is desirable that the floor supervisors are
Physically located in their assigned area of supervision where the
Personnel under them work.
• storage room for housekeeping equipment.
• storage for housekeeping supplies
17. • Housekeeping closets on all floors throughout the, hospitals
equipped with floor sinks, and space and shelves for housekeeping
equipment , carts , buckets and supplies. As a matter of daily use
On the floors and departments should be delivered to their closets
directly
