Patient Safety | 02.28.23
Preventing Hospital-Acquired Infections Is Everybody's Job, Not Just Nurses
by HealthLeaders Media
Awareness is the key to a successful infection prevention (IP) program, says Carol Vance, the multi-site prevention director for Advocate Children’s Hospital in Chicago. The 381-bed facility is one of the largest network providers of pediatric services in Illinois. She notes that hand hygiene is one of the most important infection control precautions for hospitals, "but I think it's also important to look at things that are not what you hear all the time. There's another component from an executive level that's important, and it’s how those measures are applied and making sure that processes are created with minimal barriers.” She adds that an important component is the communication both ways to ensure that if there is some sort of barrier to hand hygiene, then that is heard by leadership and “is actively worked on with the front line to gather to minimize those barriers or challenges.” She urges each hospital to have the knowledge of infection preventionists, who can translate what the latest guidance is coming out.
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