Environmental Services Make a Difference: Happy EVS Week!
A note from Tru-D's Program Manager, Jennifer Picker:
Environmental Services is so important to the overall functionality of the hospital. The ladies and gentlemen of ES work day in and day out to ensure our patients have the cleanest and safest environment to promote healing. Their daily touchpoint with patients can make a huge difference in the perception of the hospital. A friendly, smiling face could be the difference between a good and bad day in the hospital for our patients. I can’t count how many times I have heard patients say their favorite person in the hospital was their ES attendant. A nice towel origami, a napkin rose or a little note left for the patients can make a large impact.
“It’s the small things that count,” said a 7-year-old boy waiting on a kidney transplant at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. This would be his 3rd transplant, and he was hoping for the best. I was training as an ES manager at the time and had cleaned his room the day before his surgery. I made small talk with him and his parents who told me he has never been able to urinate in a toilet before because of his condition.
The next day was surgery day, and I came by the room as he was being wheeled off to the Operating Room; I spoke with the boy’s father who was visibly nervous for his child. I reassured him I was going to disinfect the room while he was in surgery, and I had something special for him when he gets back. I made sure we disinfected every inch of that room, and I found a little red bow to put on the toilet for when the little boy was able to urinate in a real toilet for the first time in his life. The parents were so grateful, and the reassurance I gave them that I had cleaned the room top to bottom made them feel less stressed, so they were able to focus on the real pressing issue—the health of their son.
Happy EVS Week we appreciate all that you do!