CHESP Certification: Overview and FAQ
If you have experience in environmental services, the Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional (CHESP) certification could be the next step in your career. Administered by the American Hospital Association Certification Center, this credential validates your skills, can distinguish you in the job market, and could even lead to new opportunities.
Whether you’re aiming to advance in your current role or explore new opportunities within healthcare environmental services, becoming certified in this area can provide the expertise you’re seeking. Learn more about the benefits of this credential, who it’s for, and how to earn it.
What Is CHESP Certification?
The Certified Healthcare Environmental Service Professional credential is for those in leadership roles within medical environmental services (EVS) teams. This credential tests an individual’s expertise in the following areas:
- Sanitation operations
- Regulatory compliance
- Construction and design
- Waste and textile management operations
- Regulatory compliance
- Administration
- Finance
Who should pursue certification as an environmental services professional? Roles that may be appropriate for this credential include the following examples:
- Environmental services managers
- Waste management managers
- Textile management supervisors
- Director of environmental services
- Housekeeping or janitorial supervisor
- Facility operations managers
Why Become a Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional?
Earning this credential sets you apart as a leader in healthcare environmental services. This nationally recognized certification shows that you have a strong grasp of the technical and administrative aspects of maintaining a safe, clean, and compliant healthcare environment.
In addition to boosting your credibility, certification can expand your career opportunities, improve your job mobility, and signal to employers that you’re serious about EVS excellence. Certified professionals also bring knowledge in compliance, finance, and operations, making them valuable assets in healthcare systems.
How to Get CHESP Certification: 4 Steps
If you qualify, this credential takes a few months to complete, and the process includes paying a fee and passing an exam. If you already have this credential and need to renew it, skip to step four.
Step 1: Understand the Certification Requirements
You qualify for this credential if you meet one of the following requirements:
- Hold a baccalaureate degree or higher, plus 3 years of healthcare EVS experience, with 2 years spent in a management/supervisory, administrative role.
- Hold an associate degree, plus 4 years of healthcare EVS experience, with 3 years spent in a management/supervisor/administrative role.
- Hold a high school diploma or 5 years of healthcare EVS experience in a management/supervisory/administrative role.
Step 2: Apply and Pay Exam Fees
Visit the AHA Certification Center to create a new account and complete the exam application. To do so, you’ll need to complete the provided forms and submit an exam fee of $275 for members of the Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE), and $425 for nonmembers.
Once you apply, you’ll be able to schedule your certification exam with PSI either remotely or at an approved testing center.
Step 3: Pass the Certification Exam
The certification exam consists of 110 multiple-choice questions, and your score will come from 100 of them. You’ll have two hours to complete the test, and it covers seven content areas that assess recall, application, and analysis. View the content areas below:
- Regulatory compliance
- Planning, design, and construction
- Environmental sanitation
- Waste management
- Textile management
- Financial stewardship
- Administration
Not sure how to prepare for the exam? Check out the following resources:
Step 4: Maintain Your Credential
The credential is valid for three years and expires on the last day of the month. You have two renewal options:
- Complete 45 hours of continuing education within the prior certification period.
- Take and pass the certification exam again.
In addition to completing one of the requirements above, you’ll need to pay a renewal fee of $135 for AHE members, and $225 for nonmembers. Late renewal applications are subject to a $50 late fee.
Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional FAQ
Do I need a specific degree to qualify for CHESP?
No specific degree is required, but eligibility is based on a combination of education and work experience. For example, a candidate with a high school diploma needs more years of experience than someone with a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
How does this credential compare to other environmental services certifications?
CHESP is one of the most widely recognized and respected credentials for environmental services professionals in healthcare. Other certifications in this area include the following:
- Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician (CHEST) is designed for frontline environmental services staff and supervisors. This credential is less focused on the management and supervisory implications of EVS, so it’s a good credential for technicians.
- Certified Healthcare Safety – Environmental Services (CHS-EVS) centers on management strategies to improve safety in healthcare EVS. This is also an international credential for leadership professionals and is offered by the International Board for Certification Services and Management (IBFCSM).
- Advanced Certification for EVS Technicians (ACET) is for environmental service technicians and is designed to improve workplace safety, skills, and competency.
Seeking Career Growth?
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