AAHID: From the Floor Up: Aligning Design, Cleaning, and Nursing Practice for Safer Healthcare Environments | PDC Summit 2027 | New Orleans

This session will explore the critical relationship between material selection, cleaning practices, and clinical outcomes, with a focused deep-dive on flooring performance in healthcare environments. Building on established research and industry practices, this interdisciplinary team of industry experts will examine how durability, cleanability, and product specification must align with real-world operational demands.

A key component of this discussion will elevate the nursing perspective as essential to the planning and design process. Nurses are not simply end users of the environment—they are continuous operators whose workflows, safety, and physical demands are directly impacted by flooring performance. Their day-to-day interaction with flooring surfaces uniquely positions them to identify early signs of failure, safety risks, and operational inefficiencies.

The session will also address the gap between prescribed cleaning protocols and actual clinical practice. Flooring and surface materials must withstand high-frequency cleaning, varied disinfectants, and inconsistent application methods. When products are incorrectly specified or degrade over time, the result can include compromised infection prevention, increased safety risks such as slips and trips, and diminished patient perception of cleanliness.

In addition, panelists, through conversations and a case studies, will explore the impact of flooring on staff fatigue, injury risk, and equipment maneuverability. Flooring that does not adequately support the movement of beds, lifts, and mobile equipment can increase physical strain on staff and introduce avoidable safety concerns. Conversely, well-specified flooring can improve staff comfort, reduce fatigue over long shifts, and support safer patient handling and mobility.

To illustrate these concepts, the session will begin with a comparative scenario: a nurse transitioning from a unit with high-glare, unforgiving flooring that contributes to fatigue, safety concerns, and environmental dissatisfaction, to a unit where flooring and interior finishes are intentionally selected to support staff well-being, operational efficiency, and patient recovery. This contrast reinforces the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the inclusion of clinical voices throughout the design and specification process.

Panelists will also share insights on product research, testing standards, and the importance of aligning material selection with environmental services practices, sustainability goals, and long-term performance expectations.

Speakers:

Barbara Dellinger, President , Dellinger Consulting, LLC 
Dr. Lynn Aguilera, Executive Director, Strategic Space Planning and Transition Strategy, Stanford Medicine Children's Health
Meghan McBride, Vice President, Strategic Accounts Canada – Healthcare
Shari Soloman, President, CleanHealth Environmental, LLC 

This is an add-on event for PDC Summit™ 2027. You may register for this event only, or add it to your PDC Summit schedule when you register. Already registered for the conference? Access your confirmation email to add this event to your schedule.