AHE Pilots Certified Healthcare Environmental Service Technician Program
The Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) piloted its new certification program for environmental services workers at Renown Healthcare in Reno, Nev. Renown is the first healthcare system in the U.S. to implement the Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician (CHEST) program, designed to set performance and knowledge criteria for frontline technicians in healthcare.
"We were very pleased to pilot the CHEST program," says Chris Baker, manager of facility operations at Renown Healthcare. "Renown values the critical role environmental services plays in patient satisfaction and outcomes. We chose to invest in CHEST training and certification to validate the knowledge and skills of our frontline workforce, and ensure Renown is in the forefront, providing the best and most professional level of care to our customers from the ground up."
Renown Healthcare selected nine staff members in key supervisory positions to participate in AHE's innovative CHEST Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program at their Reno location. The TTT model allows healthcare organizations to provide certification training in-house and present the curriculum and training as often as is needed. "The structure of the program is brilliant," notes Baker, "it's perfect for our needs."
CHEST certifies that healthcare environmental services frontline technicians are trained and knowledgeable in essential work-related domains and protocols such as infection prevention, evidence-based cleaning practices, proper waste and linen handling, safety, and effective communication.
Renown has already begun the process of certifying its frontline workforce. Eleven of more than 150 environmental services technicians have already completed the program and taken their exam.
Source: AHE
Happy Hand Hygiene Day! Rethinking Glove Use for Safer, Cleaner, and More Ethical Health Care
May 5th 2025Despite their protective role, gloves are often misused in health care settings—undermining hand hygiene, risking patient safety, and worsening environmental impact. Alexandra Peters, PhD, points out that this misuse deserves urgent attention, especially today, World Hand Hygiene Day.
Show, Tell, Teach: Elevating EVS Training Through Cognitive Science and Performance Coaching
April 25th 2025Training EVS workers for hygiene excellence demands more than manuals—it requires active engagement, motor skills coaching, and teach-back techniques to reduce HAIs and improve patient outcomes.
The Rise of Disposable Products in Health Care Cleaning and Linens
April 25th 2025Health care-associated infections are driving a shift toward disposable microfiber cloths, mop pads, and curtains—offering infection prevention, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency in one-time-use solutions.
Vet IP Roundtable 2: Infection Control and Biosecurity Challenges in Veterinary Care
March 31st 2025Veterinary IPs highlight critical gaps in cleaning protocols, training, and biosecurity, stressing the urgent need for standardized, animal-specific infection prevention practices across diverse care settings.
Invisible, Indispensable: The Vital Role of AHRQ in Infection Prevention
March 25th 2025With health care systems under strain and infection preventionists being laid off nationwide, a little-known federal agency stands as a last line of defense against preventable patient harm. Yet the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is now facing devastating cuts—threatening decades of progress in patient safety.
