Renovation in hospitals: Training construction crews to work in health care facilities

Background: Health care facilities require frequent renovations to maintain or enhance their service, and to meet the dynamic demands of their patients. Construction activities in active health care facilities are a significant contributor to various challenges that range from infection to death. It is therefore essential to minimize the adverse impacts of construction activities on health care units as well as their adjacent sites. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to study current training modules to prepare construction crews to work in health care environments. The survey was disseminated among professionals of the top 15 health care contractors. A total of 129 individuals participated, and their responses were analyzed using descriptive and categorical statistics. Results: This study investigates current training practices regarding (1) the level of training, (2) the frequency of training, and (3) the impact that the sensitivity of the project has on the training. To effectively prepare construction crews, special training must be provided to them. Conclusions: There are uncertainties about the sufficiency and impact of the existing training. Existing trainings are tailored for upper management positions, and the amount/frequency of training for construction crews are substantially low. Findings of this study contribute to characterizing the activities and conditions pertaining to training of construction crews.