Linen Service Technician

General Summary (SHIFT) 6:00am - 12:00pm (rotating weekends)

Under general supervision, receives and cleans linens from laundry service and issues clothing and linen items in accordance with departmental procedures. Fulfillment of the job duties requires the employee to have access to medication storage areas.

II. Principal Responsibilities and Tasks The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.

1. Sorts, checks and stocks clean linen and clothing (scrubs and hospital gowns) delivered by outside laundering service, daily, to assure that all items are not stained, torn or unusable and to maintain the best available quality.

A. Unloads newly cleaned linens carts from vendors’ trucks then transported to the linen department to be weighed and stored.

B. Unloads linens from laundry carts, sorts according to type and size. Stocks linens on department storage shelves or delivery carts, as appropriate. Loads designated department or hospital floor linen carts for delivery to designated area.

C. Inspects cleaned linen and clothing for damage from laundering or wear to determine need for repair or replacement. Notifies supervisor of linens needing replacement and gives linens needing repair to the seamstress. Checks linens and clothing to ensure that they are sorted and folded according to color, size, usability and departmental standards.

D. Prepares the scrub carts to load the scrub machines throughout the hospital.

2. Delivers linens and clothing to assigned hospital floors and other designated areas, daily, stocking linen closets with required amounts of various types of linens.

A. Logs on record sheet, daily, the amounts and types of linens delivered to each area for usage tracking purposes to avoid overstocking.

B. Inventories stock regularly and reports unusual discrepancies in usage and supply needs to the supervisor.

C. Loads the scrub machines with clean scrubs.

3. Prepares soiled laundry for shipping to external laundering service, daily.

A. Monitors laundry chute, lifts and loads soiled linen bags weighing 25 to 50 lbs into carts and transported to the soiled linen holding area, as necessary.

B. Removes full soiled linen carts from areas that have soiled utility rooms on the unit and transport the carts to the soiled holding area

C. Empties the soiled scrub machines throughout the hospital

D. Covers carts filled with soiled laundry bags with a plastic bag, using appropriate Universal Precautions to avoid contact with infectious bacteria and wheels cart to dock for pick up by vendor.

1. Keeps linen room neat and orderly. Cleans delivery carts and assists with other cleaning duties in the laundry/linen department, as required.

2. Observes established departmental policies, procedures and practices related to work procedures, safety, environmental and infection control.

Education and Experience

1. Completion of an eighth grade level of education is required.

IV. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

1. Demonstrated ability to understand and follow oral and written instruction. Basic understanding and ability to converse effectively using the English language to communicate with nursing and other allied health personnel in the process of delivering linens, reading work schedules and answering requests for linen.

2. Ability to perform simple mathematical operations, using addition and subtraction, to record increases and decreases in linen stock levels.

3. Ability to operate washing and drying machines, stamping machine for stamping UMMS labels in clothing and Pallet Jacket for unloading new linens from the vendors’ trucks.

4. Ability to input data into a menu-driven computerized tracking system to monitor the number of surgical scrubs utilized in the operating room and linens for patient care areas.

5. Ability to lift stacks of linen of approximately 30 lbs, ability to stand and walk the majority of the time. While in the process of performing all aspects of the job; ability to push/pull heavy laundry carts approximately weighing 100 to 500 lbs while in the process of delivering laundry to various areas of the hospital. Lifting and loading soiled linen bags weighing approximately 25 to 50 lbs.

6. Effective verbal communication skills are necessary in practicing good guest relations skills being helpful and courteous to other staff members, patients and guests, responding accurately and appropriately to questions and concerns.

IV. Working Conditions

1. Weekend, shift work, holiday, on-call, and overtime may be required.

2. Requires constant walking or standing, lifting stacks of linen of approximately 30 lbs., pushing/pulling of heavy laundry carts weighing approximately 100 to 500 lbs in the process of delivering laundry to various areas of the hospital are also regular requirements of the position. Lifting and loading of soiled linen bags weighing approximately 25 to 50 lbs.

3. There is a potential for regular exposure to contaminated linen requiring observance of “Universal Precautions” by wearing protective clothing, gloves and goggles.