By Shae Brennan

When you think of a hospital, an Environmental Services (EVS) worker is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, they are just as important as your doctor or a nurse. They are not just ‘housekeepers’ or ‘janitors.’ The hospital wouldn’t be able to function properly without their expertise.

Box Butte General Hospital EVS Lead Katie Rodriguez, T-CHEST says, “EVS is essential to breaking the chain of infection and maintaining infection control. Our peers wouldn’t be able to do their jobs without us.” Rodriguez and fellow EVS Lead Kindrea Abbott, T-CHEST attended a training course to obtain their Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician Trainer (T-CHEST) credentialing. This certification allows Rodriguez and Abbott to train fellow coworkers on best practices in their field and receive the CHEST certification. They are the only two trainers in the state of Nebraska.

“There’s a lot of education that comes into play when it comes to infection control. Our patients wouldn’t leave here without infections if it wasn’t for us,” says Rodriguez. This certification shows patients, visitors, and peers they’ve had extensive training and are the greatest in their field. Abbott added, “Our hospital is out there now. I want to thank everyone who helped us attend, and were in our corner. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without their support and motivation.” Rodriguez agreed and said, “I appreciate the opportunities this [course] allows for us and our staff. It makes me feel confident we’re on the right path and up to speed.”

Rodriguez and Abbott plan to train their coworkers and get the whole BBGH EVS staff CHEST certified. So if you see a hospital employee wearing a blue shirt and pushing a yellow cart, thank them for their hard work and dedication. You may not realize it, but they could be the reason you went home without an infection.

Box Butte General Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.