[Grace]

Reflection question: This reading discusses low compliance with IPAC practices by health care providers. Have you always followed IPAC practices in your workplace? What would you recommend at your current or a former workplace to ensure or increase compliance with IPAC practices?

[Sara]

I understand how important it is to keep healthcare settings safe and free from infections. That’s why infection control policies and procedures are put in place to minimize the spread of infections. infection control refers to the policy and procedures implemented to control and minimize the dissemination of infections in hospitals and other healthcare settings with the main purpose of reducing infection rates.
At our workplace, we prioritize maintaining a clean and hygienic environment for everyone’s safety. To ensure this, we have a dedicated IPAC team that regularly inspects the floors for any contamination or dirt, especially after using vital machines or equipment that may pose a higher risk of spreading infections. The team uses effective sanitizing and cleaning methods to eliminate any potential hazards and maintain a healthy and safe workspace. By following these measures, we strive to create a comfortable and secure environment for all employees and visitors.

[Robin]

The IPAC team makes a huge difference! I appreciate the way they ensure policies are being followed and they are a great resource when you are unsure of what percautions should be used.

[Brianne]

I can say I am guilty of not always following IPAC precautions depending on the circumstances. Sometimes, I go into the room for someone on contact precautions to just drop off their medications and won’t touch anything else. In other cases, if I am suctioning someone who needs immediate intervention, I have someone put my PPE on me while I am doing the intervention. Plus I have noticed that they are not testing for certain hospital-acquired infections as they are so prevenlant and they are not treating them actively. To increase following IPAC precautions, when they audit, they should provide some incentives such as chocolate bars, gift cards or bringing in some fun games to do as well. Also, provide the research on why these practices are in place that for the people that like to do research.

[Robin]

Robin
I am new to the hospital and also there as a student when I am not working so I have been dilligent with following IPAC preccautions. We are all touching the same computers and scanners so at the very least I will wear gloves when completing my med pass with patients on cantact percautions. I do see other health care providers entering rooms with percaution signs posted without performing hand hygiene or putting on the required PPE. To me that is concerning. We have patients and staff who are immunocomprimised and I believe it is important to protect them. To increase or ensure compliance I would recommend the unit managers walk around during the shift to perform audits. When I ws employed at the nursing home we were provided with education that required our signature to validate we had read, therefore we were aware, of new percautions and IPAC policies. I feel that if the employees who are not following IPAC percautions had consequences more employees would start using the PPE when required and we would see less hospital aqired infections. While offering rewards in exchange for compliance is a nice gesture from management, it is our job to follow these percautions put onto place to keep our patients and our co-workers safe.

[Sarah]

Having incentives to promote IPAC practices is a good way to help with compliance. Education in the workplace also helps staff remember the importance of IPAC measures and to follow them. Health and safety week is also a good time to put out resources and educational materials for staff.

[Rahmatu]

Great recommendations, Robin! I agree that reading handouts and signing on them is one way that management can crack down on non-compliance with IPAC practices and also improve staff knowledge and awareness. However, in most cases, these handouts are given to staff but are often not read by staff in its entirety and staff may sign off on them. This non-compliance is frequently attributed to not having the time to read voluminous materials while on shift, Also, I have seen situations where these handouts are left at the nurses’ station for staff to read and sign off but the clipboards end up in patients’ environment or even in the dementiability supplies.
My recommendation in these situations is that management, as much as possible, should ensure that these handouts are mandatorily completed online with a knowledge check upon completion, and also with controls that prevent the staff from navigating to another section of the material until each section is completed in its entirety. This practice will help to improve compliance and cause a significant decline in infectious disease transmission.

[Sarah]

In order for the staff in healthcare settings to maximize use of IPAC materials and procedures, an amble supple of PPE equipment should be readily available. Providing PPE and proper signage for diseases that could be at risk for contact should be displayed and all supply’s should be outside doors before entire.
One thing my workplace does is conducts hand hygiene audits and education. This helps keep staff aware of the risk for transmission. Having hand sanitizer in front of room doors and all high touch spaces also helps.

[Rahmatu]

Reflection question: This reading discusses low compliance with IPAC practices by health care providers. Have you always followed IPAC practices in your workplace? What would you recommend at your current or a former workplace to ensure or increase compliance with IPAC practices?

Adhering to IPAC practices help to reduce the transmission of hospital-acquired infections, promote the safety of patients, staff, and visitors to healthcare facilities. In my practice, there are moments where I have missed either one of more of the 4 moments of hand hygiene due to the sudden acuity of the patient’s condition or in an emergency situation (e.g. responding to a fall). Also, in my practice I have notice situations where staff are responding to an emergency situation and may need supplies while in an isolation room but are unable to find other staff members to get the needed supplies (e.g. basins, towels, syringes), and may come out of the room in their donned gowns to quickly grab supplies.
My recommendations to my former place is that management should implement additional supports to ensure unbiased and strict compliance with IPAC protocols. This is necessary because asking a nurse on the unit to complete hand hygiene audits alongside their unit responsibilities may create some bias in the audit reports as the nurse may not complete the audit in real-time. In addition, management must ensure the proper and regular stocking of PPEs at the entrance of every patient environment so that staff will not have the excuse of inaccessibility to PPEs as a reason for the breach of an IPAC protocol.

[Lourdine]

As a healthcare provider, following infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices is essential for patient safety and staff well-being. Here are recommendations based on my knowledge:

1. **Education and Training**: Ensure all healthcare staff receive comprehensive training on IPAC practices during onboarding and regularly after that. Provide updates on guidelines and best practices.

2. **Standardized Policies and Protocols**: Develop and maintain transparent and standardized IPAC policies and protocols aligned with current guidelines from health authorities. Ensure these are easily accessible and regularly updated.

3. **Leadership Commitment**: Leadership should prioritize and visibly support IPAC efforts. This includes allocating resources, promoting a safety culture, and setting expectations for compliance.

4. Use of Checklists and Reminders: Let’s make IPAC practices a part of our daily routine. Implement checklists and visual reminders (e.g., posters) in clinical areas to reinforce IPAC practices, such as hand hygiene, proper use of PPE, and environmental cleaning.
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6. **Staff Engagement and Empowerment**: Engage frontline staff in decision-making and problem-solving related to IPAC. Please encourage them to share feedback and ideas for improving practices.

7. **Continuous Education**: Offer ongoing education sessions, workshops, or online modules focused on IPAC topics. This helps reinforce knowledge and skills among healthcare providers.

8. **Accountability and Recognition**: Establish accountability measures for IPAC compliance and recognize individuals or teams demonstrating outstanding adherence to protocols.

Our strategies are designed to be adaptable to changing circumstances, such as outbreaks or emerging pathogens. We are ready to quickly adjust protocols and communication strategies as needed, ensuring your safety and well-being.

10. **Interprofessional Collaboration**: Foster collaboration between different healthcare disciplines (e.g., nursing, medicine, environmental services) to ensure a holistic approach to IPAC.

By implementing these recommendations, you can significantly contribute to a culture of safety and enhance compliance with IPAC practices in healthcare settings. This not only ensures patient safety but also boosts staff morale and confidence. Regular reinforcement, ongoing education, and supportive leadership are vital elements in achieving and maintaining high infection prevention and control standards.

[Author]

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