Creating team synergy in infection prevention

by Hudson Garrett Jr., PhD

In the last edition of this article series, the steps to rapidly deploying the Champion’s Kit Program were discussed in the context of a facility targeting zero healthcare-associated infections using the kit as a guide for cultural transformation and sustainable positive outcomes. In this final edition of the series, we will examine the qualities of a Champion team, and how these can be ingrained in other units within your own organization.

A Path for Success

There are tremendous obvious advantages to creating unit-based champions for infection prevention within one’s own institution. By creating teams of individuals that will spearhead unit-based initiatives designed to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAI), the Facility Champion which in many cases may be the infection preventionist (IP), allows the IP or other Facility Champion to implement best practices for global HAI prevention on a more local level.

One example of the value of these units-based champions is that of a large trauma hospital that was plagued with multi-drug resistant organisms being spread in the intensive care units between patients. Upon further investigation, the IP determined that the microorganisms were being transmitted as a result of lack of hand hygiene compliance from the staff, but also as a result of incomplete and infrequent cleaning and disinfection of the environment. The hand hygiene issue was the first priority, as hand hygiene is clearly the most significant method to reducing infection transmission. The staff actively engaged in a campaign monitored by the unit’s clinical nurse specialist to increase compliance with CDC Hand Hygiene guidance for Healthcare Providers. This portion of the intervention proved successful as hand hygiene compliance rates soared from 35 percent to over 79 percent.

The Champion for the intensive care unit was one of the seasoned charge nurses. Upon conversations between the unit-based Champion, the nursing staff, and the environmental services team (EVS), it became apparent that a breakdown in communication had occurred between the EVS team and the nursing team regarding the responsibility for cleaning and disinfection within the unit. The EVS workers identified that they did not disinfect patient care equipment such as ventilators, monitors, blood pressure cuffs, etc. as they were afraid of damaging the equipment or accidentally hitting buttons on the various pieces of equipment found within the unit. They were concerned it was a patient safety issue.

After the joint meeting between nursing and EVS, the Champion identified the need to clearly delineate responsibility for cleaning and disinfection for both nursing and EVS staff. It was determined as a mutually agreeable solution to assign the nursing staff the responsibility for routine disinfection of all patient care equipment attached to the patient, monitoring the patient, or that was considered complex such as ventilators. The EVS staff would routinely clean and disinfect all other items found within the environment including bedside tables, chairs, wheelchairs, countertops, faucets, bathrooms, TV/call remotes, etc. This proactive communication between the nursing and EVS staff is one simple example of the power of Champions within one unit working together to combat HAIs. Because of the synergy creating between the two groups, the infection rate within the unit has plummeted, and the staff are more actively engaged in the prevention of HAIs.

The concept of a rapid response team in healthcare is not new, but the benefits are extraordinary when the team is used appropriately. Think of the Champion’s Program as an opportunity to have a dedicated rapid response team within every unit of your institution. These individuals serve as a direct extension of the infection prevention and control department, and will further reinforce compliance with established infection control recommendations and highlight best clinical practices which result in improved outcomes.

The Champion’s Kit is adaptable to meet any infection prevention challenge within a healthcare facility, and should be customized to address the specific needs of the institution, and their specific challenges. For more information on the Champion’s Kit, please visit the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Web site at www.apic.org or Professional Disposables International Inc. (PDI) at www.pdipdi.com.

Hudson Garrett Jr., PhD is director of clinical affairs at Professional Disposables International, Inc. To correspond with the author, please e-mail hgarrett@pdipdi.com.