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As we go through our shifts as nursing home staff members or volunteers, I think it’s important to understand the jobs of those around us. In the past, we’ve covered roles such as the social worker, activities director, and pharmacist. Today we’ll look at the nursing home housekeeper.
During the COVID pandemic, we realized the importance of these behind-the-scenes employees more than ever before. Housekeepers work hard to help keep residents, staff, and visitors safe and healthy.
What is the role of a nursing home housekeeper?
Housekeepers complete specific daily assignments to clean resident rooms, offices, and community areas. Other tasks include larger cleaning projects that need to be done less often—perhaps weekly or monthly. Housekeepers also collaborate with other nursing home team members by serving on committees or working on special projects.
In most situations, nursing home housekeepers don’t need formal education. That’s because they receive on-the-job training. This includes information on the many state and federal regulations they must follow.
Essential characteristics of a housekeeper include:
- good time management
- attention to detail
- good communication skills
- patience
- flexibility
- team player
The pros and cons of the job
Working as a nursing home housekeeper isn’t an easy job. These are a few of the challenges you’ll encounter:
- The work is physically demanding. You’ll be on your feet most of your shift and do a lot of lifting, pushing, bending, etc.
- You need to continue working during outbreaks of resident illness such as COVID, norovirus, or influenza.
- Depending on the situation, you might come in contact with substances such as urine, blood, or stool.
- You’ll work with harsh chemicals.
Despite the challenges, working as a nursing home housekeeper can also be a fulfilling career. Housekeepers almost always tell me that the best part of their job is the relationships they form with the residents. Since they typically enter a resident’s room daily, they get to know the residents very well. And residents often enjoy visiting with a staff member who doesn’t approach them from a medical perspective.
I have a wide variety of nursing home staff members among my blog readers. But I’m not sure if any of you are housekeepers. If so, what would you like to add?
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