Implementing a hand
hygiene program that's rooted in the four E's.
Engage, educate, execute and evaluate is a great way to get your health care
facility on the path to continuous quality improvement.
In this third video of our four part series, we'll cover
another essential facet of an effective program proper execution,
a friendly reminder to clean one's hands is often needed and can be a helpful way
for multidisciplinary teams to work together and protect patients.
Giving feedback in a kind manner can turn a lapse
in hand cleaning into a learning experience.
Feedback can come in many ways, so being comfortable
with giving and receiving feedback is an important skill to develop
to establish both individual and team accountability.
Proper feedback improves performance.
Feedback should be timely.
It can be provided in real time so that it reinforces positive performance
or corrects lapses while they occur.
Aggregated feedback can also be provided
as a daily or weekly performance report.
Feedback should be individualized to a person or a specific unit.
Unit based feedback can help health care personnel consider overall performance
in light of the risk to themselves and their patients.
Individualized feedback may be provided confidentially,
especially if performance improvement is needed.
Feedback should also be non punitive.
The feedback should be respectful and provide guidance
on how best to achieve the desired behavior.
It's also important to know that feedback which comes from a team member
or a supervisor, is more effective than feedback, which comes from someone
that health care personnel do not know or that don't work in the unit.
Let's take a look at this example of a positive interaction between team members.
Hey, Sarah, I noticed you just got enough hand sanitizer to cover your palms.
Make sure to get enough to cover the backs of your hands.
Thumbs and fingertips, too.
You don't want to leave a single germ on your hands alive.
Thanks for the check in.
I didn't even realize we've just been so busy
that sometimes all I think about
is getting to the next patient as fast as I can.
I completely understand.
I've been there myself.
This interaction between peers was private and respectful.
It ensured proper action was taken before entering the patient room.
It provided direction to be more effective when sanitizing the hands.
It was specific to the event being observed, and it was also understanding.
Focus on your own actions
when striving for continuous quality improvement.
It's important to focus on your own actions as well.
Cultivate mindfulness Practice being present by counting one through 15.
As you clean your hands, feel the contact between your hands
as you mechanically wash or rub each area.
In a hectic workday, a 15 second break to take a breath
and check in with yourself can help you focus on the person receiving care.
Connect to the larger picture.
Every time you clean your hands, you are preventing infection,
protecting yourself, and the next patient you encounter.
Commit to giving and receiving feedback.
Understand that when someone approaches you about hand hygiene,
they are acting in everyone's best interest.
It is not personal.
It's protective.
Feedback is a vital component to improving communication
and increasing personal engagement.
Creating a culture of accountability through kind and considerate feedback
begins with leadership and extends to all health care personnel
with the aim of improving patient safety
and preventing infection.
For more information about
hand hygiene, watch the remaining videos in this four part series.
Or visit our website at cdc.gov/handhygiene