Housekeeping in a hospital is an integral part of measures taken to keep infections from spreading, a speaker at a discussion on housekeeping in hospitals said on Saturday.
The safety of patients and healthcare providers also depends on how the housekeeping team performs, said Soma Chakraborty, vice-president of facility and support services at Medica Superspecialty Hospital.
“It is a work that involves a lot of expertise. Housekeeping doesn’t only mean cleaning a floor or mopping. Housekeeping is the frontline of defence against the proliferation of infection and here housekeeping works hand-in-hand with doctors and nurses,” said Chakraborty. Medica had organised the talk titled The Evolving Role of Housekeeping in Modern Healthcare.
The speakers also discussed the need for a separate hospital housekeeping course. They said housekeeping is now taught under hospitality management courses, but housekeeping in a hotel and in a hospital are different.
“If there is a certified course, then many students might want to take it up. Housekeeping focusing on how to do it in hospitals is necessary,” said a panellist.
Every hospital has a significant number of housekeeping staff.
Ayanabh Deb Gupta, joint managing director of Medica, said they had about 400 housekeeping staff, out of a total workforce of 2,500 for 600 beds. “It is a job that requires a lot of understanding, like what chemicals to use where and in what concentration. They are responsible for keeping wards, OTs and ICUs clean,” he said over the phone.