A few years back, my niece put a popcorn kernel in her
ear which required a trip to the ER to have it removed. While it may not have been voiced, I know we
were all thinking the same thing “what on earth possessed her to do that?” Last week, while walking down the halls at
SickKids in Toronto, I came across two shadow boxes of “foreign bodies” that
have been removed from either air passages or food passages of children over
the years. I suppose Rachel’s popcorn
kernel would have to go in a new category of “foreign bodies removed from
auditory passages”, but the same question still hangs in the air “what
possesses a child to do that?” The
answer I think is that children often learn by experience or trial and error.
Read and follow instructions. This sounds easy enough. It
isn't. For some people, it's the key to most of their academic or workplace
problems. They read or hear one set of instructions, but their teacher,
supervisor or trainer has given different instructions. Some people deliberately ignore instructions.
They "wing it." They think
they can scrape by, doing any old thing they choose (or in the case of cleaning
do it the way their mother taught them).
They're wrong. It doesn't matter
how good a job you do if you do the wrong job.
You're going to get a bad grade (or get fired).
isn't. For some people, it's the key to most of their academic or workplace
problems. They read or hear one set of instructions, but their teacher,
supervisor or trainer has given different instructions. Some people deliberately ignore instructions.
They "wing it." They think
they can scrape by, doing any old thing they choose (or in the case of cleaning
do it the way their mother taught them).
They're wrong. It doesn't matter
how good a job you do if you do the wrong job.
You're going to get a bad grade (or get fired).
Doing a job well begins with understanding exactly what
the job is. In the case of cleaning and
disinfecting it means reading, understanding, interpreting and following the
instructions found on the product’s label. I challenge you to complete the following
drill to see how well you follow instructions.
the job is. In the case of cleaning and
disinfecting it means reading, understanding, interpreting and following the
instructions found on the product’s label. I challenge you to complete the following
drill to see how well you follow instructions.
Directions: Read the entire exercise before doing
anything else. Do exactly as instructed. Under no circumstances are you to
speak or ask a question.
anything else. Do exactly as instructed. Under no circumstances are you to
speak or ask a question.
Name: _______________________________
1. Read every
instruction before you do anything.
instruction before you do anything.
2. Proceed
carefully and cautiously.
carefully and cautiously.
3. Write your
name in the designated space provided therefore, below the paragraph that
starts with the word "Directions".
name in the designated space provided therefore, below the paragraph that
starts with the word "Directions".
4. Circle the word
"name" in sentence three.
"name" in sentence three.
5. Draw five
small squares in the supper left-hand corner of this page.
small squares in the supper left-hand corner of this page.
6. Put an
"X" in each square.
"X" in each square.
7. Put a circle
around each square.
around each square.
8. Sign your name
in the lower right-hand corner of this page.
in the lower right-hand corner of this page.
9. After your
name, write "yes, yes, yes!"
name, write "yes, yes, yes!"
10. Put a circle
around each word in sentence number 8.
around each word in sentence number 8.
11. Put an X in
the lower left-hand corner of this page.
the lower left-hand corner of this page.
12. Draw a
triangle around the X you put down.
triangle around the X you put down.
13. On the reverse
side of this page, multiply 703 by 1,850.
side of this page, multiply 703 by 1,850.
14. Draw a
rectangle around the word "page" in sentence number 3.
rectangle around the word "page" in sentence number 3.
15. Snap the
fingers of your left hand.
fingers of your left hand.
16. If you think
you have followed these directions, write "I have" in the space
provided below.
you have followed these directions, write "I have" in the space
provided below.
17. Shut your eyes
for just a few seconds.
for just a few seconds.
18. Please ignore
instructions four through seventeen, and follow the instructions in sentence
number three, to complete this drill.
instructions four through seventeen, and follow the instructions in sentence
number three, to complete this drill.
(Modified from the original by Prof. Howard R. Lurie,
Villanova Law School)
Villanova Law School)
Be honest, how many of you actually read the entire list
as directed before starting to answer the questions? For once, I actually did. Generally, I’m that person who would have
started answering the questions as I went to save time.... I like to be
efficient. I mean, why read through a
list when I can just answer as I go!
as directed before starting to answer the questions? For once, I actually did. Generally, I’m that person who would have
started answering the questions as I went to save time.... I like to be
efficient. I mean, why read through a
list when I can just answer as I go!
The same holds true for choosing and using cleaning and
disinfectant agents. We have a
preconceived notion that we know how to use them without truly reading and
understanding (or following) the label.
We mistakenly assume that the because we use cleaning products on a
daily basis we know how to use the products we use at work and we mistakenly
believe that if we create infection control programs based on Health Canada or
CDC Guidelines that those guidelines are written in such as away to ensure the
proper use of cleaning and disinfecting agents.
They’re not.
disinfectant agents. We have a
preconceived notion that we know how to use them without truly reading and
understanding (or following) the label.
We mistakenly assume that the because we use cleaning products on a
daily basis we know how to use the products we use at work and we mistakenly
believe that if we create infection control programs based on Health Canada or
CDC Guidelines that those guidelines are written in such as away to ensure the
proper use of cleaning and disinfecting agents.
They’re not.
disinfecting agents are designed for use on hard, non-porous surfaces. We will NEVER have one single product that
can be used on every single surface. Do
you know what surfaces your product(s) can or cannot be used on? Do you know if they should or can be applied
by spraying or should you avoid spraying and simply wipe the surface with a
damp cloth? Can you let them air dry or
do you need to rinse? Perhaps there are
only specific surfaces that need to be rinsed.
Is the product intended to be use on porous surfaces (more on that next
week). Do you need to reapply to ensure
disinfection contact times are met? Do
you need to clean with a separate detergent before you can disinfect the
surface? Does your housekeeping, nursing
or clinical staff REALLY know and understand how to use the product(s)? It’s all well and good that they can answer
the question of the contact time should an auditor ask them, but knowing the
contact time does not imply that they know how to use the product.
programs include detailed instructions of how to use the products? At the very least, do the policies and
procedures match the instructions on the product labels or have you blindly
created policies based on infection control guidelines without consideration
for how the product is truly meant to be used. This leads to the next question,
who does the training? Many facilities
pair people up with a more experienced member of the staff. This does not necessarily mean the training
is effective. Generally the new person
learns the bad habits of the trainer – not the most optimal way to ensure a
successful Infection Control program.
knowledge has never again stuffed something into her ear, nose or mouth. I on the other hand, while cleaning my floors
on the weekend reverted to the Glug-Glug method of diluting the product I was
using (mixed with hot water I might add) and ended up with streaky floors. Even I, an “expert” in the use of chemicals
don’t always read or follow directions.....
Bugging Off!
Nicole
