ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES STAFF

JOB SUMMARY:

Environmental Services staff will clean and service rooms, baths, lavatories, offices, and facility common areas. Staff will clean window sills, empty trash baskets, dust, polish, sweep, mop, and arrange furniture in a organized fashion to keep the facility in a clean and orderly manner. Environmental Services Staff will wash, dry, fold, and dispense linens and resident's clothing. Staff will ensure that clean linen is returned to the linen storage area as quickly as possible, and that clean resident’s clothing is promptly returned to the appropriate owner. Staff will maintain laundry equipment in a clean manner, remove lint from dryer, and ensure tumblers are clean and appropriate. Staff will ensure that processed linens and clothing are clean, wrinkle-free, and appropriate for resident use prior to placing in service.

EDUCATION:

Must be able to read, write and follow oral and written instructions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. 1. Previous experience in environmental services preferable but not essential.
2. 2. Worker receives on-the-job training with supervision.
3. 3. Must have some knowledge in the use of cleaning devices such as brooms, mops, buffers and other cleaning equipment.
4. 4. Has an interest in learning, ability to cooperate, and willingness to work under supervision.
5. 5. Must work as scheduled each week, working weekends and holidays as needed.
6. 6. Must have a pre-employment and an annual Tuberculosis screening examination.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. 1. Adhere to directives of Environmental Services Supervisor, Administrator, or Director of Nurses.
2. 2. To keep the nursing facility in a clean and sanitary condition in order to provide for the welfare and core of the residents in a healthful environment.
3. 3. Must have a genuine interest in working with the elderly.
4. 4. Willingness to perform routine, repetitive tasks on a continuous basis, and perform task despite frequent interruptions.
5. 5. Ability to performing task with due consideration for residents in area.
6. 6. Exercise initiative and judgment involved in maintaining assigned area in a clean and orderly fashion.
7. 7. Must be willing to handle soiled, dirty laundry, and clean soiled, dirty lavatories, beds, chairs, and equipment within the nursing facility.
8. 8. Must have the ability to work well with co-workers and supervisors.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Use the percentages range as follows:

• 0% Never
• 1 - 33% Occasional
• 34 - 66% Frequent
• 67 - 100% Continuous

Requires full range of body motion including:

1. Standing/Walking: Frequently .

• Worker is on his/her feet the majority of the day to perform direct or indirect duties related to environmental services.

2. Bending/Stooping: Frequently .

• Required to bend or stoop in many job activities such as removing wax from floors, stripping and waxing floors, etc. Required to use commercial washers and dryers, gathering soiled clothing and linens and distribute the same.

3. Lifting/Handling: Frequently .

• Required to lift and handle cans of wax, disinfectants, laundry detergent, large bundles of clothes, linens, and etc. Some of these activities are done with push/pull activity. Range of weight: 1 to 75 pounds.

4. Carrying: Occasionally .

• Worker will carry large cans, boxes, sacks, various pieces of equipment, large bundles of clothing and linens, detergents, and etc. Range of weight: I to 75 pounds.

5. Push/Pull: Frequently .

• Required when working with various machinery, as well as when moving beds, furniture, large linen carts, and barrels over tile or concrete floors. Required when loading and unloading washers and dryers. Range of weight: I to 300 pounds.

6. Balancing: Occasionally .

• Carrying heavy objects where necessary and when placing or removing linens from the washers and dryers.

7. Twisting/Turning: Frequently .

• In combination with lifting and bending when stocking shelves and cabinets, buffing, waxing, sweeping, mopping, stripping floors, and loading and unloading machines.

8. Crouching/Stooping: Occasionally .

• May be required anytime during the working day.

9. Kneeling: Occasionally .

10. Reaching:

1. Greater than shoulder height: Occasionally .
2. Equal to shoulder height: Frequently .
3. Less than shoulder height: Frequently .

11. Handling/Manual Dexterity: Continuously .

• Both fine and gross motor skills are needed in all types of environmental services duties.

12. Speaking/Hearing/Seeing: Continuously .

• Must be able to communicate with co-workers, patients, and visitors.

FUNCTIONS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES:

1. Dust furniture with damp cloth or polishing cloth daily; straighten furniture.
2. Dust light fixtures inside and outside, dust window sills and beds, clean all door vents.
3. Empty and wash ash trays and waste baskets.
4. Sweep and mop floors in resident's room.
5. Clean wash basins, commodes, polish chrome fixtures in bathrooms wash all mirrors, and spot clean walls.
6. Clean window blinds. Clean beds thoroughly, including frames, side-rails, head boards and footboards. Clean bedside tables in patient's room, dust all-shelves, remove all trash and debris.
7. Clean environmental services cart and any equipment utilized daily.
8. Clean all assigned rooms daily.
9. Assist with emergency cleaning as needed.
10. Mop, wax, buff, and/or vacuum hallways, living areas, and dining areas as assigned.
11. Wash, dry, and fold linens and return promptly to the linen closets.
12. Wash, dry, and fold resident's clothing and return promptly to the owner.
13. Ensure that resident's personal clothing is properly identified and labeled with indelible ink pen.
14. Keep soiled linen and clothing separate from clean laundry.
15. Keep all laundry off the floor
16. Ensure that soiled linen barrels are cleaned prior to returning to issuance to the Nursing Department.
17. Perform all other duties that might be assigned by the Administrator.

FUNCTIONS RELATED TO SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT:

1. Practice economy in using supplies and equipment. Do not utilize supplies outside of manufacturer’s specifications.
2. Dispense supplies according to need.
3. Maintain safeguards for the care, storage, cleanliness, and use of supplies and equipment
4. Report to administrator or environmental services supervisor any supplies or equipment needed, or any broken or defective equipment.
5. Clean A/C weekly, Washer filters after each load.
6. Remove lint from dryers twice each shift and keep tumblers clean.
7. Do not overload equipment as this impairs efficiency and quality.

FUNCTIONS RELATED TO REPORTING:

1. Be on duty at beginning of shift, punch time card, and report to Environmental Services Supervisor for daily assignment.
2. Report to Environmental Services Supervisor at the end of scheduled shift, punch time card, and leave facility.
3. In the event of illness or other reasons for absenteeism, notify the administrator or immediate supervisor of the intended absence. The employee must give a minimum of two hours notice on an absence.

JOB LOCATION:

Must work in the laundry area and throughout the facility. May require irregular hours and may be exposed to communicable diseases and/or body fluids, medical preparations, toxic substances and occasionally ionizing radiation.