protocols," says Ms.
Thompson. "The
assigned observer kept
statistics about hand
hygiene compliance
and reported to the
staff where our goal
was and what improve-
ments we had to make.
Education, implemen-
tation and acclimation
proved to be very
important."
5. Count on your
colleagues
Above all, don't try to
prepare for an accredi-
tation survey on your
own. "Our quality con-
trol nurse and clinical managers were integral to the process," says Ms.
Thompson. "We'd go over the preparation's progress on a weekly basis
and, if there was anything that needed to be done, they would take care
of it."
Staff need to be current on all policies and procedures, but so do
you. Don't focus too much of your attention on one area of needed
improvement at the expense of other subjects that need to be cov-
ered.
Ms. Thompson wishes she had spent more time going over the partic-
ulars of her facility's malignant hyperthermia carts and response proto-
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 4 7
• DRUG MONITORING Be ready to discuss the policies you have in place for
medication storage, usage and security.
