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Tip of the week: Tread carefully when pointing out errors

Infection Control Monitor, February 8, 2008

Part of an ICP's job is to educate staff members when you see them breaching an IC protocol. Handling these delicate situations properly can help prevent you from alienating a potential ally.

When confronting an individual about a problem, it's important to pull the person aside, taking care to address him or her in the absence of colleagues or patients, says Barbara A. Smith, RN, an ICP at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. Try to keep the conversation constructive, and try to empathize with the person. Point out that you know he or she might be tired or stressed or crunched for time. And recognize that different people might react to the same situation differently.

To learn more about ways to involve all departments in IC efforts, go to www.hcpro.com/content/203734.cfm. The cost is $10. Briefings on Infection Control subscribers received this story with their subscriptions.

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