Centennial College - Canada

Healthcare Environmental Services Skills

Healthcare Environmental Services Skills; HESS; "HESS for the Mess"; is a micro-credential college certificate of achievement program, designed to educate for the development of skills for the prevention and control of infections on all surfaces in a Healthcare setting. In healthcare environments, there is an increased need for infection control measures, and heightened outbreak, isolation cleaning levels to keep people safe.

Healthcare environmental services skills require knowledge of infection prevention, evidence-based cleaning, and disinfection practice, handling multiple waste streams, floor care, linen handling and distribution, and consistency in performance. Possessing the knowledge and understanding of how and why the environment plays a role in disease transmission can and will impact the overall safety of patients/resident, visitors, and their colleagues.

Earning a HESS certification will give students the specialized training to develop the skills required to efficiently perform frontline healthcare environmental services roles and responsibilities. Job designations may include Environmental Services Representative, Attendant, Associate, Environmental Aide, Environmental Partner, Cleaner, and/or Support Services aide within the Environmental Services Department in a Healthcare setting.

Courses include Healthcare Cleaning and Linen Lab, Infection Control, Occupational Health and Safety, Introduction to Healthcare Environmental Services, and Practical Field Placement.

The students can expect to dedicate approximately 5 hours per week per course to finish within the scheduled 8 weeks. You can register for one course at a time or all courses at once, concluding with an arranged field placement in a healthcare setting. All HESM courses, including placement, would take a total of 9 weeks to complete the HESS program.

Students will receive a Centennial College "Digital Badge" upon completion of one course and a College Certificate of Achievement for completing all courses within the HESS program. A Digital Badge can be uploaded onto an electronic resume, job search sites, and/or professional networks to highlight specific accomplishments and qualifications received.

Please Note:

Healthcare Environmental Services Skills (HESS), micro-credential is approved for Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) eligibility by MCU. The OSAP provides both loans and grants to help pay for the costs of your post-secondary studies. For more information on how to apply, please visit https://www.centennialcollege.ca/financial-aid/osap-information

The program is also eligible for Second Career funding for laid-off workers. Employers may also be eligible for funding through the Canada-Ontario Jobs Grant to HESS train new and existing employees.