In healthcare settings, we only think of licensed professionals who provide care or treatment to patients. However, we must remember the importance of ancillary staff. The ancillary staff’s work supports the hospital’s main function and consists of nonlicensed personnel such as housekeepers, dietary aides, and patient care assistants. These individuals are vital in enhancing patient experience and positive patient outcomes.
Environmental Services
Housekeepers play a crucial role in cleaning and disinfecting everyday spaces utilized by staff and patients. I encourage other healthcare professionals to express gratitude toward them. Be team players in keeping personal workspaces and patient rooms free of clutter and trash. Cleanliness is essential to good health, and everyone can do their part to make each other’s job easier.
Food & Nutrition
Dietary aides are crucial in helping patients recover by delivering the nutrition they need. If you have ever listened to a Dietitian explain the importance of nutrition, you would know that protein is essential to maintaining a healthy musculoskeletal system. Without protein, patients would be unable to perform daily activities safely, which is one of the main reasons elderly patients end up in assisted living. Communicate well with dietary aides to get the patients what they need and a few requests.
Nursing Assistants
Patient care assistants play a crucial role in healthcare by helping prevent complications during hospital stays. They ensure patients receive regular oral care, are repositioned or mobilized as needed, and maintain hygiene. Patient care assistants help keep patients safe and healthy. They may not always be licensed as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), but they are very effective with on-the-job training. Providing basic hygiene care prevents hospital-acquired infections like pneumonia, pressure injuries, central line infections, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
“These roles are an extension of amazing nurses. They serve as the nurse’s eyes and hands, as the nurses serve as the eyes and hands of the physicians. By working together, we can create a safer atmosphere for the patients.”
As a bedside nurse, patients occasionally told me I wore many hats. I was willing to take on various tasks. From removing overflowing trash to handing out food trays to assisting with bed baths, it was for the benefit of the patient. Fulfilling any need was my responsibility. I never said, “This is not my job.” Every patient on my unit was my responsibility, as they were someone’s loved one or, at the very least, a human deserving of care—a child of God.
In Conclusion
It is essential to view all staff in a positive light and encourage them to continue contributing to delivering high-quality patient care. This post is not limited to the roles mentioned in this article but to anyone who assists with the functions of the hospital to provide high-quality care to its community. Empowering those who work alongside the nurses will allow nurses to concentrate on the other complex needs for safe patient care and promote better patient outcomes.
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