Survey: Staffing Tops Concerns for Healthcare ES Professionals
Orkin and ASHES respond to call for more staff training with free training sessions, continuing education credits
ATLANTA, July 1, 2010 - Survey results released today by Atlanta-based pest control company Orkin and the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) reveal that staffing is currently the most pressing issue for healthcare environmental services (ES) professionals.
The survey of more than 2,000 ASHES members asked about sustainability practices, pest management challenges and which job responsibilities weigh the most on their minds.
ASHES members who responded - primarily chiefs, directors or managers of ES - most often listed hiring, retention, training and management of quality staff as a top concern. Other challenges included fiscal management, infection control, cleaning practices and meeting regulatory standards. These issues affect core responsibilities of the ES professional, and respondents indicated that infection control is a top priority along with pest control, patient safety and cleaning practices.
"It comes as no surprise that staffing issues are top of mind for these professionals, due to the increasing budgetary pressures on the industry and the mounting responsibilities of ES staff," said ASHES Executive Director Patti Costello. "With that in mind, ASHES will continue to provide opportunities to help our members retain and train their best people."
The survey indicated that respondents want more staff training on pest management:
To respond to these needs, Orkin is offering free, onsite IPM training for ES teams that qualifies every participant for a continuing professional education unit from ASHES.
"IPM training takes a comprehensive, preventive approach to pest management and reduces the need for chemical treatments in sensitive environments like health care facilities," said Dr. Ron Harrison, Orkin's director of technical services. "A proactive approach requires the participation of the whole ES team, which makes training staff to know what to look for and how to respond essential to IPM success."
Healthcare professionals can visit www.HealthCarePestControl.com to request free, on-site IPM training and find other training resources about pest management in health care facilities. The site also provides a self-assessment survey to evaluate the user's current pest management practices.
About Orkin, LLC
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin is an industry leader in essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Central America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia and the Mediterranean. With more than 400 locations, Orkin's almost 8,000 employees serve approximately 1.7 million customers. The company serves homeowners and numerous industries including food and beverage processing, foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, retail, warehousing, property/ facilities management, schools and institutions. Learn more about Orkin on our Web site at www.orkin.com. Orkin is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins, Inc. (NYSE: ROL). To learn more about Orkin Commercial Services, visit www.orkincommercial.com.
About ASHES
The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) is the premier professional association for environmental services, housekeeping, waste management and textile care professionals in the healthcare industry. ASHES provides educational programs, opportunities to network with peers on a national level, recognition for personal and professional achievements, as well as affiliation and collaboration with the American Hospital Association on public policy and advocacy issues related to environmental services. See www.ashes.org for more information.
Media Contact:
Ashley Harp
Jackson Spalding
404.214.2241
aharp@jacksonspalding.com
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