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Healthy employees are key to a healthy facility

Ambulatory Safety Monitor, January 6, 2005

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Given the current shortage of antiviral drugs and vaccines-the most effective measures for preventing winter ailments-your facility must concentrate on education and communication, says <strong>Connie Steed, RN, BSN, CIC, director of infection control for the Greenville (SC) Hospital System. And education and communication won't just keep you healthy; it also will help you comply with accreditation standards that appear in Chapter 5 of the AAAHC's Accreditation Handbook for Ambulatory Healthcare, and the JCAHO's infection control chapter of the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Ambulatory Care.

Make learning fun

Keep education interesting for staff so the information sticks. "We host regular infection control meetings for all staff, hand out fliers, put up posters, and give out crossword puzzles and word searches on infection control measures," says Steed.

"Educating your staff about infection control will be much easier and more effective if you can make it fun for them."

When designing educational materials, Steed recommends the following areas:

1.  Proper hand hygiene. Staff should scrub their hands with soap and warm water for 30 seconds after eating, handling trash, using the restroom, or contact with a patient.

2.  Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette. Staff should cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Wear gloves and a mask when in close contact with infected patients.

3.  Do not go to work when sick. Staff should stay home until their symptoms go away. 

Stress communication in your policies

Infection control relies on good communication. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends your organization develop a written policy that directs staff to notify infection control personnel of the following communicable diseases:

* Infections that require staff work restrictions or exclusions

* Work-related infections and exposures

* Clearance for work after an infectious illness

The CDC also advises that you conduct health inventories of all employees. The inventory should include immunization status, history of conditions, and physical and laboratory exams performed on the individual. Use the health inventory to evaluate whether a previously infected employee is fit to return to work. For more tips from the CDC, visit http://www.cdc.gov.

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