Kirsten Collett, Hayley Blair
Background
Clean and safe environment is defined within the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard.
A site wide external consultancy company audit highlighted a gradual decline in overall cleaning compliance.
Methods
To understand the root cause of the identified issues the Infection Prevention Coordinator and Support Services Manager collaborated to initiate a quality activity plan that reviewed current cleaning practices.
The Managers attended a vendor in-service which combined with a review of current guidelines for best practice uncovered significant issues contributing to poor cleaning compliance.
By increasing engagement and communication between managers and the domestic team, valuable feedback identified significant knowledge gaps, barriers to daily activities and varying attitudes.
A review of processes around rostering and hospital activity highlighted limitations in workload and existing department staffing.
Results
The implementation of an evidence based, risk assessed cleaning program applied hospital wide.
Including:
- New cleaning processes and schedules in line with the best practice.
- Increased professional development for domestic staff.
- Shift times and duties that reflect identified needs.
- New, compatible equipment for required procedures.
- Challenging and changing behaviours through empowerment and shared learning.
- Continued collaboration and engagement between clinical and non-clinical staff.
Audit results indicate significant improvement in environmental cleaning and this was highlighted at recent hospital accreditation.
Conclusion
Environmental cleaning significantly improved when appropriate professional development and tools were provided to the Domestic staff. Staff feel empowered and engaged as valued members of the infection control team.
Biography
Kirsten Collett is the Infection Prevention Coordinator at Healthscope’s Peninsula Private Hospital. Kirsten began her career in Infection Control in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic and completed her ACIPC Foundations of Infection Prevention and Control Course in 2021.
Hayley Blair has been a chief for more than 20years before becoming the Food and Domestic Services manager at Peninsula Private Hospital in 2017. In 2022 Hayley’s role grew further to include Maintenance Service and she now enjoys the tittle of Support Services Manager.
Through their work together Kirsten and Hayley have found a shared passion for clean and safe environment.