Ms Donna Taylor1
1Bayside Regional Care Group – Leongatha Memorial Hospital, Leongatha, Australia
Biography:
Donna Taylor is an experienced Infection Prevention and Control Consultant and former Victorian Hand Hygiene Jurisdiction Coordinator. With expertise across acute care, aged care, and community health, she is passionate about patient safety, staff education, quality improvement, and evidence-based infection prevention.
Abstract:
Maintaining competency in practical infection prevention and control (IPC) skills is essential for reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and ensuring patient and staff safety. Prior to this initiative, compliance with mandatory annual IPC competency assessments was low, contributing to inconsistent practices in hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE) use, and aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT).
To improve compliance and reinforce practical IPC skills, monthly multidisciplinary competency sessions were introduced. Assessment stations focused on PPE donning and doffing, hand hygiene, aseptic technique, and basic life support. Staff competency was assessed by the IPC Coordinator and Clinical Nurse Educators, with immediate education and feedback provided. Opportunistic assessments were also conducted during peripheral intravenous catheter insertions and wound dressing procedures.
The assessments identified significant competency gaps, particularly in PPE donning and doffing sequences, appropriate PPE selection, prevention of self-contamination during doffing, transmission-based precautions, environmental cleaning requirements, waste management, and appropriate glove use. Hand hygiene assessments highlighted ongoing uncertainty regarding indications for soap and water compared with alcohol-based hand rub. Staff feedback was extremely positive, with participants reporting that the practical, rotating assessment stations were engaging and relevant to everyday practice.
Regular practical competency assessments combined with immediate feedback improved staff engagement and identified important knowledge and practice gaps. Key lessons learned were that practical assessment is more effective than online education alone, immediate feedback reinforces correct practices, and multidisciplinary participation strengthens IPC awareness. Ongoing competency programs may support improved compliance and safer healthcare delivery.