Introduction As a student that earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology, I have always had an interest in science, research, and health. Because of this general interest in all living things, and how they interact with each other, most of my adult life has been spent working in healthcare settings, trying to figure out where and how to use this knowledge. I took a short break after earning my Bachelors degree before deciding to work towards my Masters degree. During this break, I became increasingly interested in environmental issues, such as the safety of the food I feed my family, climate change, pollution issues, and the spread of diseases. When it came time to choose a field experience location, I chose the Infection Control …show more content…
Quillen VA Medical Center is located in Johnson City, TN. It has been serving the health needs of veterans since 1903, and provides services to over 170,000 veterans living in 41 counties in Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina.¹ Their Mission Statement is “Honor and serve America's Veterans by providing exceptional healthcare that is patient centered and preferred by Veterans.”¹ The vision statement of the QVAMC is “to be the healthcare system of choice where patients choose to receive care and employees are proud to work.”¹ The QVAMC core values are integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and …show more content…
Each department of the hospital must work together to ensure the safety of all patients, visitors, and staff. Environmental Management Services (EMS) and the ICD work together closely, and the ICD must communicate effectively with each area of the hospital to ensure everyone is on the same page with policies, protocols, etc. By attending various departmental meetings such as domiciliary safety and sepsis control, I am now better able to explain the role of different systems in the analysis of public health problems. Everyone and every department is accountable to someone