Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/750495
5 0 | PULSE Fa l l 2 0 1 6 E N D N OT E Jesse Castenada and Rafael Ulloa T here's a department at Torrance Memorial Medical Center with a vast responsibility: to keep every patient, visitor, doctor, nurse, volunteer and staff member safe. Yes, safe. Is it Security? You might think so, but guess again. It's the Environmental Services Department, and its director, Jesse Castenada, takes his task— "providing a clean and safe environment for not only our patients, but also our visitors and employees"—quite seriously. e hospital is formidable: 446 beds, nearly 780,759 square feet of usable space, including 400,000 square feet of added space due to its latest project, the Lundquist Tower, which opened two years ago. "I'm proud of the organization," Castenada says. "It's always investing in the hospital, always growing and making everything better." He has a staff of 125 employees who work three shis around the clock. "And you are talking 125 different individuals," he adds. "ey are not pieces of machinery you can program and let run themselves. My job is to be with them in different ways and support them in different ways. And help them grow within the company." An example of an employee who embodies the excellence of the ES Department is environmental technician Rafael Ulloa. He has been with Torrance Memorial for 35 years and says, "Torrance Memorial Medical Center has been a wonderful company to work for. e leadership is made up of great people who demonstrate care and respect." Ulloa adds, "My CEO knows me by name and to me, that's impressive." To Castenada, the positive work environment translates to happy staff, visitors and patients. "When you get those positive comments on the surveys we do, that makes me happy. If they don't mark 'Always' in response, we get no recognition. We have high expectations and I always want to see what else we can do to meet and exceed them." anks to this excellent sector of the Torrance Memorial system, we can count on sparkling halls, walls and rooms. The Environmental Service and Infection Prevention departments are working together to make sure the rooms at Torrance Memorial are as clean as they can be. A new initiative uses hand-held ultraviolet devices—resembling small flashlights—to check the cleanliness of high-touch areas, such as bedside tables, call lights and light switches. "Before the room is cleaned, inspectors swab the high-touch areas with a marking material, likely a type of phosphor," says Amy Beasley, RN, MSN, CPHQ, HACP, CIC, director of infection prevention. "Then housekeeping cleans the room, and inspectors return to see if the material has been removed. The marked areas will glow under the light," she explains, "and so will show any areas that were missed. "The goal," Beasley continues, "is to work in collaboration with Environmental Services to train our staff and validate that we don't take it for granted that the rooms are being cleaned thoroughly and appropriately. This kind of visual inspection educates and helps raise awareness. It's an opportunity for improvement." Indeed, since the initiative started, rooms are in the range of 20% cleaner, Beasley estimates. "Everyone has responded positively; they welcome the feedback." SHINE A LIGHT ON CLEAN HYGIENE IS HIGH PRIORITY