Employee Environmental Cleaning Education
Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile Toolkit for Long-term Care Facilities

Each employee working in environmental services should be trained during new employee orientation, annually and when observations indicate non-compliance with the facility procedures for maintaining a hygienic environment. Additionally, HCP who provide direct resident care (e.g., nursing personnel, physical therapists, activities coordinator, etc.) should be educated about their responsibilities in cleaning and disinfecting medical equipment and environmental surfaces.

Essential elements of the employee education program include:

1. The rationale for environmental hygiene (e.g., prevent transmission of infectious agents)
2. The development and implementation of current, evidence-based procedures
3. Demonstration with return demonstration of the correct method to clean and disinfect a resident-occupied room, bathroom, and recreational and food service areas
4. Demonstration with return demonstration of the correct method to clean and disinfect a discharge/transfer room
5. A review of the hazards (e.g., material safety data sheets) associated with all products
6. Selection and use of appropriate products for specific surfaces
7. Delineation of responsibilities (e.g., nursing VS: environmental services employees) for cleaning and disinfecting medical equipment (e.g., electronic thermometers and other electronic equipment, monitors, fluid administration pumps, ventilators, etc.)
8. Proper use of PPE
9. Compliance with daily, weekly, and monthly schedules
10. Proper product dilution and contact time
11. Compliance with CAL-OSHA standards

Each employee should periodically be required to verbally and physically demonstrate the proper procedures for environmental hygiene including the selection and application of the appropriate product.