Lessons from the Trenches!
Fiona NemetzSystem Director EVS, Safety and Security Northside HealthcareAtlanta, GA
Session Objectives• Review the challenges with the applications of guidelines
and clinical recommendations across the continuum of care.
• Discuss the importance of interprofessional collaboration on a comprehensive infection prevention and control program to address the clinical environment of care.
• Review the use of performance metrics and data to drive standardization, improvements in clinical practice, and healthcare quality outcomes.
Collaborating to Apply the Guidelines
What type of disinfection products are you using where? Do staff understand the dwell times? Was it approved by Infection Prevention?
Does The EVS department have separate competencies for the various environments?
How is EVS and IP partnering to validate cleaning efficacy?
Training of Front Line Professionals
Comprehensive Training
Onboarding
Cleaning process-chemicals, micro-fiber
& understanding isolation
Customer service-patient
communication
Standards of behavior-importance of
communication with leadership
Role play-validation of training
Scripting cards
Tools to get the job done
Schedules/Assignments-Equity
Staff assignment sheet
Effective Solutions-importance of efficiency and sanitary delivery
Hand Hygiene-Importance & Monitoring?
Breaking the chain of transmission-Importance of high touch surfaces and Micro-Fiber
Infection Prevention partnership-key for success for EVS professionals
Significance of overbed table
Cleaning Considerations
What type of patients?
Does it require terminal cleaning? Does EVS know isolation status?
Do the EVS professionals have the tools to get the job done?
Cleaning Validation and efficacy
Alternative Technologies
Ultraviolet Light Machines
Importance of collaboration with Infection Prevention
Does EVS management sit on Infection Prevention Committee? Make sure you have a seat at the right table!
Is management conducting daily rounds on nursing units? Minimum #of inspections and measurement. How often are EVS & IP rounding?
Data collection-leveraging for sucess
EVS Leadership with ownership and partnership drives success!
Cleaning
Accountability
Leadership Collaboration
• Discharge• Daily• Staff assignment sheets
• Inspections• Validation technology
• Infection Prevention Collaboration
• EVS leadership needs to be included in project planning for expansions and renovations
Challenges with cleaning operating rooms
Departmental communication amongst leaders
Leadership-key to great EVS outcomes
ownership Staff engagement communication
passion advocacy
Environment product selections to embrace reduced transmission potential
Hard Surface Flooring VS Carpet
Vinyl Upholstery VS Fabric
Formica/Corian VS Wood
Patient surveys
Cleanable & Maintainable
Legionella Plan
10/10/2017 27
Lots of Heavy Lifting to prevent ongoing transmission
Committed Leadership from EVS & IP
Questions?