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O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | M A R C H 2 0 1 6
Proper hand hygiene is the foundation of an effective infection prevention program, but in
the daily hustle of the surgical schedule, the critical importance of its meticulous details are occa-
sionally taken for granted. Here's some compliance-boosting advice.
— Compiled by David Bernard
• Someone might be watching. Forget the
observers with clipboards. Enlist a rotating "spy
team" of administrative and staff volunteers to
watch hand hygiene practices, or lack of them,
among a designated number of employees per
day from their usual vantage points in pre-op,
the OR, PACU or the corridors in between. After a
few monthly reports and a few teachable
moments, the known possibility of secret moni-
tors will likely boost your confidence in compli-
ance.
• Credit where credit is due. Enforcing
hand hygiene rules among your staff is
important, but so is praising their achieve-
ments. When the reports are good and com-
pliance rates are rising, let them know.
Some administrators hang congratulatory
posters in the staff lounge and outside their
offices to celebrate the improvement and
thank staffers for their efforts.
4 Ways to Boost Your Hand Hygiene Efforts
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