Ms. Kerrie Taylor1,2
1Hunter New England Health, Maitland, Australia, 2Healthe Care Australia, Maitland, Australia
Biography:
Kerrie works part time in both the public and private sectors, as a Clinical Nurse Consultant for the Hunter New England Health Infection Prevention Service and Infection Control Coordinator for Maitland Private Hospital, Healthe Care Australia. Kerrie has an extensive background in emergency nursing and nursing in rural facilities. Since becoming a ward liaison nurse in 2017 she has developed a passion for infection prevention and control. Kerrie is committed and strives for excellence in all areas of infection prevention and control across both organisations.
Abstract:
Background
Bare Below the Elbows (BBE) improves the effectiveness of hand hygiene by reducing the potential transmission of pathogenic organisms. Following a Short Notice Assessment Accreditation in a private healthcare facility in September 2023, the corporate uniform policy was updated to include BBE for all health care workers who provide direct patient care.
Method
The BBE campaign became an agenda item at our national private healthcare organisation infection control committee meeting. An education project was developed including a fact sheet, BBE compliance poster, education tools, visual agar plate studies, and an audit tool to be used both pre and post intervention to indicate compliance. The timeline for campaign planning was completed by November 2023. The pre-intervention audit took place in December 2023. Education sessions were conducted over January and February 2024. The post-intervention audit took place in March 2024.
Results
The agar plate experiment caught the attention of staff with doctors through to environmental service staff wanting to be involved. All staff were highly engaged throughout the campaign. Fancy nails, watches, bangles and multiple rings were a common sight across the facility. The overall audit results indicated an increase in compliance and staff are now more empowered to hold their peers accountable and continue to influence other staff within the facility. Further results are due in June 2024.
Conclusion
Staff remain engaged and passionate to maintain best practice. Staff continue to proudly show their arms during huddles or in general conversations during daily rounding.