To Hoard or Not to Hoard, That Is the Question!
A Construction and Repair Work Infection Prevention Risk-Assessment Efficiency Initiative
Kaye Bellis1, Rosie Kehoe1, Megan Gritt1, Lisa Dominguez1, Pauline Bass11Alfred Health, Prahran, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Background
Requests for Infection Prevention (IP) review and risk assessment of planned and emergency construction work of varying scale in an aging healthcare facility is a significant burden on IP. Project-manager risk-assessment is open to errors, and waiting for IP review may result in delays.
A significant increase in the number of requests for IP review, during a phase of high staff turnover in Capital Projects, prompted a timely review to identify quality improvement and efficiency opportunities through integration of infection risk assessment, mitigation, hoarding and permit provision
Method
•Guideline review by IP and stakeholders;
•Review and redevelopment of project manager training materials;
•Pre and post-education knowledge survey;
•Project manager education, training and mentoring phase.
•Development and implementation of an electronic tool aligned with updated guidelines to replace paper-based risk-assessment and permit system.
Results
The education and data collection components will commence following onboarding of a new Capital Projects staff cohort – June 2023.
Our aim is to increase knowledge and awareness of IP concerns, to minimise errors from lack of understanding and to encourage local ownership which to date has been enthusiastically received.
Conclusion
While it is difficult to accurately calculate efficiency gains, the introduction of the electronic tool will give the project managers a degree of autonomy over minor works while providing assurances to IP that works are being flagged and risk assessed without excess delay, with less margin for error, and with the additional benefit that data is captured in real time.
Biography
Rosie Kehoe has years of experience as a clinical nurse including ICU and has worked in IP since 2001.
Her passion and knowledge has opened many doors including advising in the HOTEL quarantine space during COVID and undertaking a PPS at an O/S hospital.
Kaye Bellis has been working in IP since 1999 across many tertiary facilities. She has covered many portfolios during this time, including HH, education, renovation and construction and surveillance .
Both are senior CNC and enjoy mentoring junior staff and undertaking new challenges, as is common in the world of IP.