To acquire data for our 2010 State of the Industry Report, we conducted anonymous electronic polls of ICT readers who work in infection prevention, in the operating room, in sterile processing, in environmental services and in materials management. While the polls are unscientific in nature, we believe the results provide an intriguing look inside these departments and provoke dialogue about what is happening in the current economic climate. The conclusions that can be drawn from this report are varied, but two important trends are clear:
-- No matter the discipline, budget cuts have had an impact on professionals’ perceived ability to do perform their jobs.
-- Professionals in every discipline expressed the need for more education, resources and funding to enhance their job performance.
We present results for the five segments of the infection prevention community:
Environmental Services
From our poll it's clear that individuals working in environmental services (EVS) have a significant number of years of experience, are mostly in management, and are responsible for many other tasks beyond environmental services. Most EVS departments have experienced budget cuts, and the majority of poll respondents report that these cuts have in some way hampered their job performance. The good news is that a whopping 95 percent of respondents indicated they work closely with their facility's infection prevention and control department. Here are the results of our poll:
How long have you worked in environmental services?
Less than 1 year -- 2%
1-3 years -- 10%
4-8 years -- 10%
9-15 years -- 21%
16-20 years -- 21%
21+ years -- 36%
Are you a:
Technician -- 2%
Supervisor -- 7%
Manager/Director -- 90%
Do you hold a CHESP credential?
Yes -- 19%
No -- 81%
How many employees work in your department?
1-5 -- 7%
6-10 -- 14%
11-15 -- 5%
16+ -- 74%
How many licensed beds are in your facility?
1-50 -- 24%
51-99 -- 14%
100-250 -- 31%
251-300 5%
301-500+ -- 29%
Where do you work?
Acute-care hospital -- 86%
Long-term acute-care facility -- 12%
Other -- 12%
(county hospital, critical care hospital, VA medical center)
Long-term care facility -- 10%
Community clinic -- 10%
Ambulatory surgery center -- 7%
Where are you located?
Midwest -- 36%
Northeast -- 24%
Southeast -- 14%
West -- 14%
Pacific Northwest -- 10%
Southwest -- 2%
Are you located in:
A rural area -- 40%
A small city -- 36%
A major metropolitan area -- 26%
Are you responsible for:
Environmental services only -- 53%
Other -- 47%
(Laundry/linen; waste management; hazardous materials management; patient transportation; other physical-plant responsibilities)
Has your department experienced staffing and/or resource/budget cuts in the last year or so?
Yes -- 71%
No -- 29%
Have these cuts diminished your capacity to do your work?
Yes -- 57%
No -- 43%
Do you have the tools and equipment you need to perform your job properly?
Yes -- 88%
No -- 5%
Uncertain -- 7%
What activities do you engage in daily?
Administrative tasks and meetings -- 95%
Observational rounds -- 90%
Education -- 86%
Supervision of cleaning and sanitation activities -- 88%
Human resources-related tasks -- 79%
Cleaning and sanitation activities-- 62%
Other -- 5%
(Corrective actions, purchasing)
How often do you participate in educational events (conferences, Webcasts, etc.)?
Rarely -- 26%
Regularly -- 62%
Frequently -- 19%
Do you pay for your own education?
Yes -- 36%
No -- 71%
What resource(s) do you use for on-the-job information?
Internet research -- 86%
Industry guidelines and recommendations -- 83%
ASHES resources -- 74%
Trade journals -- 64%
Other -- 17%
(Webinars, in-services, colleagues and peers at other facilities, sales reps )
Are you a member of:
ASHES -- 69%
Other -- 38%
APIC -- 7%
Are you involved in cleaning/sanitation/waste management/infection prevention-related product evaluation and/or purchasing?
Yes -- 100%
No -- 0%
How is your department perceived by your facility’s administration?
Positively-- 81%
Neutrally -- 17%
Uncertain -- 2%
Negatively-- 0%
Does your occupation receive the respect it deserves?
Yes -- 45%
No -- 45%
Uncertain -- 10%
Do you work closely with your facility’s infection prevention department?
Yes -- 95%
No -- 0%
No, but I would like to if given the opportunity -- 5%
Has your facility ever experienced an outbreak of infections tied to improperly cleaned surfaces/patient rooms?
Yes -- 7%
No -- 93%
Do you feel confident in your ability to properly clean the patient environment to prevent infections?
Yes -- 95%
No -- 2%
Uncertain -- 2%
What would improve your department’s performance?
More personnel -- 66%
More educational opportunities -- 54%
Bigger budget -- 44%
Better/more equipment and tools -- 34%
Better/more cleaning products -- 10%
Other -- 10%
(Better collaboration/cooperation from nursing, better quality of ES staff)
Better/more personal protective equipment -- 2%
