Kemptville District Hospital Celebrates the Valuable Contributions of its Building Services Department

The Hospital is highlighting the work of this important team with its first annual Building Services Week, September 23-27, 2013

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013 – When we think of hospitals, we often think of the doctors, nurses and other medical staff who keep us well. What we might not be aware of is the dedicated team that works behind the scenes to ensure that the hospital environment is safe and comfortable – the Building Services department. Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) is celebrating this important department with its first annual Building Services Week, September 23 to 27, 2013.

A variety of demonstrations and displays are planned for Building Services Week at KDH, as well as games, quizzes and obstacle courses. “We are hoping to raise awareness of the contribution that our department makes to the rest of the hospital,” said organizer Tracy Welsh-Frappier, a member of the Housekeeping staff. “The idea is to learn about each other’s work and have fun doing it!”

“It’s a great opportunity to share about what we do,” added Building Services Supervisor Sue Tousant, noting that the KDH Building Services department has four divisions: Housekeeping, Laundry, Maintenance and Material Management.

Monday, September 23 has been designated ‘Maintenance Day’ and will include tours of the maintenance areas by the Maintenance division. The Maintenance division is responsible for the operation of all the mechanical systems in the building, such as the heating, air conditioning and humidity systems. In addition, they do regular preventative maintenance and work on construction projects to enhance the hospital.

Also on the schedule for Monday is a fundraising BBQ that is open to the public – proceeds will go to Ovarian Cancer Canada and all food has been generously donated by B&H, Your Community Grocer, Kemptville.

Tuesday is ‘Laundry Day’; laundry technicians will be demonstrating the specifics of sterile hospital laundering techniques. The KDH Laundry division is responsible for providing clean and sterile linens for the entire hospital. This division is also responsible for ordering all laundry and housekeeping supplies.

Wednesday, ‘Housekeeping Day’, will include education about the division’s infection control cleaning practices, such as ‘terminal cleaning’, a very intense form of disinfection so named because it terminates every form of bacteria or germ living in the area. With special, required training, the Housekeeping division keeps the hospital clean and sterile, and is responsible for preventing the spread of contagious diseases.

Thursday is ‘Wellness Day’ sponsored by the Building Services department, and will feature a variety of displays, offering staff the opportunity to chat with a reflexologist and enjoy a moisturizing hand treatment, among other things.

Friday, ‘Material Management Day’, will highlight the importance of ordering supplies for the hospital. The Material Management division ensures that all necessary equipment and supplies are available for all areas of the hospital – from bandages to wheelchairs, to IV solutions and paper for the printers and photocopiers.

Building Services Week at KDH is sure to be an enjoyable and educational week, and maybe even the start of a new trend. Sue Tousant explains: “Most hospitals celebrate various departments throughout the year with dedicated weeks such as Nursing Week, Pharmacy Week, or Housekeeping Week – as far as we know we’re the first to combine all the Building Services divisions into one week.”

About Kemptville District Hospital

Kemptville District Hospital is Accredited with Exemplary Standing, the highest ranking bestowed by Accreditation Canada. Committed to building healthier communities, we are a model of hospital-led integrated health services within the provincial health system. Kemptville District Hospital consistently ranks among the top hospitals in Ontario for both patient and employee satisfaction. We pride ourselves on being a good partner within the system. We operate on two sites and provide primary care management services, acute care hospital services, and advanced orthopaedic care.

For further information contact:

Jenny Read, Communications Lead

Tel: 613-258-6133 Ext. 223

Email: jread@kdh.on.ca