--- title: The War is ON!!! description: The War is ON!!! --- - **[SEARCH](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/search-0)** ** - **[CONTACT US](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/contact-us)** - **SDS** - [**Companion Animal**](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/companion-animal-msds) - [**Farm Animal**](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/farm-animal-msds) ## Something Powerful # Resources     ## The War is ON!!! The well trained and well equipped Housekeeper is on the frontlines in the war against healthcare acquired infections.  Honest, hardworking and often overlooked (or looked down upon), she struggles to make ends meet. She shows up every day ready to work, regardless of the pressures at home; getting kids ready for school or worrying about her husband’s job security. As she clocks in and gets to her assigned floor or patient care area, she wonders how Mrs. Simmons in 8707 is doing. Her daughter and husband looked worried yesterday when she was in cleaning Mrs. Simmons room. That’s the toughest part of the job she thinks to herself; seeing people hurting and at times, hopeless.  That’s why she makes a promise to all of “her” patients and their loved ones every morning.  Armed with her cleaning products, hospital approved disinfectant and microfiber wipers and mops, she promises every patient and their loved ones “Not on my watch!  MRSA, VRE and C. diff won’t get past me!  I’m on guard, that I promise you!” She doesn’t fight alone, but sometimes that’s the way it feels. Do you even know her name? Have you bothered to join her in the trenches? Have you told her that you are a “band of brothers (or sisters)”? At times she sees the doctors, residents, or nurses move around the room touching surfaces without gloves on; or worse, with gloves soiled with who knows what? Even though she is seen as nothing more than a “buck private”, she reminds those with higher rank: “Wash your hands like your mother told you when you were a little one on her knee!” As she enters each room, she’s aware of the enemy presence. Sometimes it is visible in the blood spattered wall above the trash can. Most of the time though, they are invisible; but she knows they are on every high touch surface. Carefully and meticulously, the housekeeper does her hygiene cleaning, taking careful aim at the antibiotic resistant organisms where they hide in plain sight. She is confident in her training, the weapons in her arsenal (cleaners and disinfectants) and that her unwavering dedication will win the war. Will she win or not? Will you join her in the battle? Often her position is overlooked in its necessity. She needs to be the most dedicated link of the chain and is the most critical component of the war. In contrast she is typically underappreciated for her work, despite its importance. So why do we forego the opportunities to give thanks to the selfless individual with these crucial and necessary tasks? It needs to be clearly recognized that your life or the life of a loved one depends solely on her performance. The thing is patients aren’t statistics or collateral damage in the battle; they are mothers, fathers, and grandparents alike, they are the children of somebody or the best friend of another. Because she is one of the “good guys”, I’m pulling for her to win the war of HAI’s. How about you? J. Darrel Hicks, BA, REH, CHESP Author of “Infection Prevention for Dummies” Go to: www.darrelhicks.com to order your FREE copy of “Infection Prevention for Dummies” (just pay S&H) or to see other blogs and articles. Darrel Hicks is the author of Wiley Publishing's "Infection Control For Dummies", and is nationally recognized as one of the top experts in infection control. Darrel is also the immediate Past President of the IEHA and is an active member in ASHES where he holds the designation of CHESP. Darrel started his career in the management of housekeeping services in 1981. He has worked in hospitals ranging in size from 20-500 beds, and knows what it takes to plan, set goals and provide guidance and consultation to the management team and department(s) staff. He has managed as many as 13 departments and 170 F.T.E.’s at one time in a 3-hospital system. In that healthcare system Darrel had to pioneer and discover ways to save money by cross training staff, job sharing, controlling overtime and putting a system of controls in place. ## Search All Resources ## Browse by Category - MSDS/SDS - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/companion-animal-msds) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/farm-animal-msds) - [Protocols & Procedures](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2012/04/war-is-on.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/protocols-and-procedures-companion-animal) - • Farm Animal → [CDN](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/farm-animal-canada) | [USA](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/protocols-and-procedures-farm-animal) - [Technical Bulletins](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2012/04/war-is-on.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/techncial-bulletins-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/technical-bulletins-farm-animal) - [Pathogen Fact Sheets](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/pathogen-fact-sheets) - [Industry Guidelines](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/industry-guidelines) - [Industry Publications](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2012/04/war-is-on.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/industry-publications-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/industry-publications-farm-animal) - [Product Use Information](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2012/04/war-is-on.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/product-use-information-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/product-use-information-farm-animal) - [Reference Sheets](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2012/04/war-is-on.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/reference-sheets-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/reference-sheets-farm-animal) - [AHP® Abstracts & Research Posters](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2012/04/war-is-on.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-abstracts-research-posters-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-abstracts-research-posters-farm-animal) - [AHP® Peer Reviewed Articles](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2012/04/war-is-on.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-peer-reviewed-articles-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-peer-reviewed-articles-farm-animal) - [AHP® vs Competitive Chemistries ](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-vs-competitive-chemistries) - [ AHP® Compatibility ](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/ahp-compatibility) - [ Testimonials ](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/testimonials) - [ Videos ](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/videos) - [ Fear Free](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/fear-free-and-ahp) - [ Blog](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/blog)       [![BottomLogoGrey-VAH](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ViroxAnimalHealth/Logos/BottomLogoGrey-VAH.jpg?width=100&name=BottomLogoGrey-VAH.jpg "BottomLogoGrey-VAH")](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/) [CONTACT US](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/contact-us)  |  [PRIVACY POLICY](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/privacy-policy)  |  [TERMS OF USE](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/terms-of-use) [** ** (open in a new window)](https://www.youtube.com/user/ViroxAHP) [** ** (open in a new window)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/virox-animal-health) [** ** (open in a new window)](https://twitter.com/AHPbiosecurity) [** ** (open in a new window)](https://www.facebook.com/ViroxAnimalHealth/)   © 2003-2022 VIROX TECHNOLOGIES INC [Virox® Animal Health is a division of Virox® Technologies Inc.](http://www.virox.com/) Website by [BOLD](http://www.boldinternet.com/) AHP® and Design and Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide® and Design are trademarks of Diversey, Inc.