The Geisinger Health system has developed a plan to help its environmental services (ES) technicians achieve CHEST certification, according to an article on the Health Facilities Management website.
Pennsylvania-based Geisinger Health’s management team was conducting a job description redesign when it learned of Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE)’s CHEST program (Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician), which inspired the team to narrow ES front-line staff job descriptions to three categories.
The categories were narrowed to ES technician, certified ES technician and team lead. The management team then worked to establish an upgraded pay scale for each job category.
Hospital administration also OK'd a CHEST certification program within the hospital. The first class consisted of 18 students from across the system. A subsequent marketing campaign touted the department’s redesign story, highlighting the staff’s professional development opportunity and its relation to the patient experience.
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