Housekeeper

Housekeeper | Palms Behavioral Health | Harlingen, Texas Job Summary: The Housekeeper maintains assigned areas in a clean, safe, sanitary and orderly manner. Advises Director, Environmental Services on environmental services equipment needs and repairs. Ensures that infectious waste and confidential disposal contractors perform as scheduled. Assists Director, Environmental Services with environmental services work scheduling and special projects. Job Duties: ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES In accordance with hospital policies, washes beds and mattresses and remakes bed after dismissal of patients. Maintains utility and storage rooms in clean and orderly condition. Attentive to infection control standards, transports soiled linen to storage area and distributes laundered articles and items. Sweeps, scrubs, waxes and polishes floors. Work is performed with careful attention to slips/fall risks during and after cleaning floors. Cleans rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture and draperies. Dusts furniture and equipment. Washes walls, ceilings, woodwork, windows, door panels and sills. Empties wastebaskets, transports trash and waste to disposal area. Practices standard/universal precautions and environmental safety guidelines, including instructions upon SDS for materials encountered during task completion. Complies with established measures for infection control, OSHA regulations and Safety/Risk Management plans, policies and procedures. Coordinates confidential document and infectious waste disposal with contractors. Assists with maintaining hospital Safety Data Sheet binders. Assists Director, Environmental Services with conducting environmental/performance improvement rounds. Customer Service Champions the AIDET approach to customer service (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation and Thank-You). Models a steady practice of AIDET throughout the customer experience. In-person and telephone communication is consistently attentive, responsive and reflects “helpfulness”. Professional awareness and boundaries are observed. Telephones are answered by the third ring whenever possible along with a professional greeting. Dedicated extensions/mobile phones with voice mail have a personalized greeting and messages retrieved/responded to in a timely manner. Critical customer encounters are met with advanced skills and timely resolution. Understands how to escalate concerns when beyond the department’s scope. Note: Palms Behavioral Health reserves the right to adjust the above duties and make assignments to specific areas appropriate to this position and in support of the facility’s operational requirements. DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT Environment: Located in an indoor climate-controlled environment with constant exposure to patients with a psychiatric diagnosis along with medical complications. Water and cleaning equipment introduces risk for slips/falls. Use of trained safety precautions and proper slip resistant footwear can greatly diminish these risks. Patient acuity will at times increase environmental stressors and sound volume. Sight: Vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Hearing: Must be able to hear and respond to others in person, by telephone, alarms and to medical equipment/devices. OSHA Category 1: Task occasionally may involve exposure to blood, body fluids, tissue and other potentially infectious materials. The use of universal precautions, personal protective equipment, regular hand washing, and following manufacturing guidelines can greatly reduce exposure risk. Physical: This position requires regular sitting, stooping, standing, walking and lifting/reaching/carrying materials up to 35 lbs. Psychiatric emergencies require the use of safe physical techniques to lift and/or move patients in excess of 100lbs. Employees are urged to use slip resistant footwear in wet are damp areas and follow lifting guidelines. Education / Licensure: Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent preferred. Previous housekeeping services experience is desired. Skills: 1) Organizing and prioritizing workloads to meet deadlines; 2) knowledge of basic environmental services duties; 3) knowledge in universal precautions; 4) effective oral and written communication. Additional Requirements: Annual professional skills verification. Why Palms Behavioral Health? Challenging and rewarding work Career development opportunities Supportive and responsive leadership Palms Behavioral Health offers a comprehensive benefit plan and a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. Qualified candidates should apply by submitting a resume. Palms Behavioral Health is an EOE. Veterans and military spouses are highly encouraged to apply. Summit BHC is dedicated to serving Veterans with specialized programming at our treatment centers across the country. We recognize and value the unique strengths of the military community in supporting our mission to serve those who have served.