The multi-tasker’s handwash Handsinks are plentiful in healthcare facilities. They seem like they are everywhere until you need one and you: don’t want to leave the patient’s bedside. want to complete a conversation at the nurse’s station. are pushing a wheelchair and don’t want to leave the patient’s side. are on a patio without a […]
Assessing the CDC HAI Death Rate
Budgets vs. Leadership Handwashing For Life Healthcare remains reeling as it looks closer at the CDC summaries of the annual fatalities caused by infections acquired in healthcare facilities. When answers are identified, there will likely be investment required. Early adopters of best practice solutions may reap benefits by strengthening their brand values. Leadership in healthcare […]
Deadly Math
Driving better hand hygiene Illinois, at about 4% of the US population, is expecting to close out the year with traffic deaths around a heartbreaking 975. Now, add the 99,000 acute care annual HAI fatalities with the 380,000 in long-term care, both CDC numbers, and multiply by 4%. That is 19,160 estimated HAI deaths in […]
Cleanliness Beyond the Senses
A light meter that changes caregiver behavior It is rare that a piece of equipment can have such an impact on human behavior. A sophisticated light meter from Hygiena reads surface cleanliness in seconds, providing the staff with a nearly instant acknowledgement of their professional level in surface cleaning. In healthcare, most of the high-touch […]
Kitchens and Provider Brand Values
Hand hygiene as a new differentiator St. Cloud, Minnesota, named appropriately after a 6th century French monk known for his healing (St. Clodoald), was the site of a meeting of nursing home culinary directors. We were armed for teaching but we learned even more. DOCS, Directors of Culinary Services, take their role very seriously in […]
New Handwash Compliance Monitoring Unveiled
Nursing home administrators react Nursing home administrators were introduced to new technology to take handwash monitoring well beyond the limitations of observation. It all happened as part of the INHAA agenda in Springfield, Illinois. Handwashing For Life demonstrated a system called SmartLink™ by GOJO Industries as part of their presentation on practices to lower nursing […]
Rub In but Rub Out the 70% Alcohol Myths
Hand sanitizers are often selected by label kill-claims and alcohol level. Those numbers conceal compelling, decision-making scientific facts, verified by some of our leading universities. First, there is the common misstatement claiming that alcohol hand sanitizers are ineffective on norovirus, one of the leading causes of outbreaks and deaths in nursing homes. A properly formulated […]
Foodservice for the At-Risk
Placing Barriers in the Pathogen Pathways Three meals per day for the most vulnerable demands knowledge, process and caregiver commitment. In acute care, vulnerabilities are obvious as they are in long-term care, with the population dominated by the over 65 age group. Norovirus is a potent enemy of those already at risk due to their […]
Handwashing: The Behavior Change Reality
Intention is miles from a good habit Our current work on electronic handwash monitoring is accentuating the path of caregiver learning from awareness on to forming new unconscious behaviors. Too often, training is seen as the singular factor in changing handwash behaviors. We train, stop and expect results. There are 7 steps and we stop […]
The Rub ’n Run Caregiver
High marks for speed but low on care The often mind numbing rush of caregivers in hospitals and long-term care has eclipsed common sense when using hand sanitizers. Caregivers have adapted to the pressures to use so often by using too little too fast. There is now a new Hand-Sanitizer Training Gel that personalizes and […]
