AHE has started this initiative to encourage professionals in the field to begin, or continue to refer to the departments and the personnel caring for the healthcare environment as environmental services professionals rather than as housekeepers, janitors and custodians. The staff and management teams responsible for maintaining the clinical environment of care require different skills and competencies from those needed in the commercial cleaning and general maintenance industry and it's time we address this critical distinction.

Please help us redefine healthcare environmental services!

Health Facilities Management
The Value-based Product Evaluation and Implementation (VPEI) program is a national certificate for professionals making important decisions about products and services for their facilities.

Health Facilities Management
A new book released by the Association for the Healthcare Environment is designed to help managers develop and improve their hospital staffing strategies.

American Laundry News
Experts weigh in on how to set and monitor standards for employee productivity.

Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control
In its most recent influenza update, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention noted an increase in influenza-like illnesses, although overall activity remains low.

Infection Control Today
New research suggests that interferons, produced in the human body, can help treat Klebsiella pneumoniae.

6abc.com
Some simple tips, including proper hand hygiene, can help to ward off norovirus infections.

HuffPost
Good leaders delegate, are accessible, recognize the contributions of others, and treat their employees fairly.

Forbes
To identify team members with leadership potential, seek to involve more people in challenging projects and take a fresh look at what they have to offer.

By John Scherberger, BS, FAHE, CHESP

By Hank Carbone and Angela Becker

Make yourself indispensable and advance your career! Plan your education for 2017. Visit AHE’s 2017 ENGAGE site to learn more about educational courses, podcasts, webinars, and events. And make sure to check out AHE's EXPRESS Learning Courses. EXPRESS is a mobile learning platform that offers educational podcasts delivered by environmental services and infection prevention thought leaders. You asked for learning opportunities that require less of a time commitment and we delivered!

CMIP, the Certificate of Mastery in Infection Prevention for Environmental Services Professionals (CMIP) is a robust certificate program that provides the requisite knowledge for a "trained" professional in infection prevention and control specific to the clinical environment of care.