Healthcare with Purpose | ASHE Certified Healthcare Physical Environment Worker Certification

Professional certifications demonstrate a commitment to superior professionalism, upholding industry standards, and continued learning. These merits can help boost professional credibility and prestige within a network, current clients, and when pursuing new business opportunities or bidding on projects. Our commitment to continuous improvement is the bedrock of UMC’s culture. We recognize that creating a just culture that prioritizes ‘humble inquiry’ and emotional safety is everyday work. This is how UMC avoids making the same mistake twice and fosters alignment with best practices in the physical environment.

Shortly after joining the UMC team, I asked senior leaders to take the ASHE-offered Certified Healthcare Physical Environment Worker (CHCPEW) exam as it is a straightforward way to help UMC stand out as an industry leader in healthcare construction.

Healthcare facilities are notably different than other jobsites. They are highly regulated, operate around the clock, and offer a place of care for vulnerable patients. Hospitals are also required to have their own “qualifications” for vendors (contractors and subcontractors) working in their facilities. Every single person working in one of these facilities—from contractors to nursing staff to engineering and facilities staff—should understand the complexity of the environment. The CHCPEW is a new way to show that you have a rich understanding of the nuances of these environments and prove competencies at the facility level.

The exam covers basic topics that workers need to know about working in healthcare and how it is different than working in other industries. The 10 main topics include:

1. Construction in healthcare facilities
2. Construction risk assessments
3. Infection control and prevention
4. Infection Control Risk Assessments (ICRA)
5. Non-infectious environmental risks
6. Construction practices in healthcare facilities
7. Life safety and fire safety
8. Interim/Alternative life safety measures
9. Utility system shutdowns
10. Project closeout and transition to occupancy

Here are four benefits to earning the CHCPEW certification our team considered when issuing the opportunity to get certified to our entire company.

Grow Knowledge and Skills

By acquiring new and updated industry information and techniques, you can hone current work habits that may be causing inefficiencies or quality issues with output while increasing competencies. ASHE recommends requiring general contractors and project leads to hold one of the Certified Healthcare Construction (CHC) certifications, including the CHCPEW when working on healthcare projects. They suggest having at least one CHCPEW-certified person working on every healthcare construction project.

Establish Qualifications

ASHE certifications, including the CHCPEW, are unique because they are focused on patient safety and are the only certifications of their kind backed by the American Hospital Association. Getting ASHE certified means that workers understand the healthcare physical environment.

Boost Efficiency and Efficacy

The advanced training, information, and knowledge you gain from specialized coursework can provide you with up-to-date tools and technical strategies that will serve to guide and direct you in the execution of your projects, allowing you to manage all aspects of your work more effectively.

Competitive Advantage

Certifications can differentiate you and your company from others, showing a demonstrated commitment to understanding and excelling in complex environments. This can give an advantage, which is particularly important in today’s competitive market by staying on top of trends and learning how to understand the complex healthcare physical environment