Housekeeping Aid

Housekeeping Aid

The Housekeeping Aid executes a full range of housekeeping activities in patient and non-patient care areas. The position may be assigned to any tour and may be required to work in various designated areas during any tour of duty. Typically, the position works independently with general supervision, or works with a team and is responsible for the full-range of cleaning duties in an assigned area throughout the medical facility.

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Performs floor maintenance, wall washing.
• Cleans doors, doorframes, baseboard corners and edges, and stairwells.
• Sweep, dust mop, damp and wet mop, scrub, strip, refinish, buff, vacuum and extract carpets and runners, spot cleaning areas, and high and low dusting.
• Utilize pressure washers and heavy industrial powered and battery operated equipment to perform the above task.
• Adjusts, cleans, and performs minor maintenance on this equipment and changes attachments for their proper use in achieving the best results.
• Empties trash and wastebaskets, replaces liners.
• Transports general refuse, regulated medical waste and recycling to central collection areas.
• Cleans rest rooms, bathrooms, and shower rooms, ensuring that they are cleaned and meet acceptable standards (cleans, disinfects, and deodorizes lavatories, showers, bathtubs, urinals, and toilet bowls; cleans mirrors, sinks, and water fountains; washes and polishes light and toilet fixtures).
• Replenishes supplies of paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and soap in all areas where dispensers are located.
• Moves and arranges furniture, patient wardrobes, beds, etc. in the assigned area to accomplish cleaning tasks.
• Provides bed-making services in patient care areas and OD rooms; cleans mattresses, springs, and bed frames; and cleans bedside stands, over bed lights, blood pressure cuffs, bed tables, etc. in patient rooms;
• Removes bags of soiled textiles from patient rooms and transports to the designated soiled room in each ward area;
• Loads and unloads clean textiles from bulk carts. Restocks clean textile closets, cabinets, shelves, carts, and participates in inventory management activities.
• Defrosts and cleans patient care refrigerators and ice machines in nourishment kitchen areas; cleans stainless steel on storage instrument cabinets and counters, elevators in lobbies, wards, diet-kitchens and nurse utility rooms; and cleans ashtrays, smoke stands, sand urns in designated smoke areas and water fountains;
• Provides interim cleaning of windows and window ledges from the inside, cleans glass door and other glass surfaces; and replaces curtains and cleans blinds.
• Cleans and/or replaces needle boxes.
• Periodically cleans specific non-critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) in inpatient and clinical areas of the medical center.
• Additionally, the position may work with and provide guidance to a Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) worker, and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Physical requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.