It's interesting that as we get older we revert back to
our childish ways. By that I mean as
young children we had to be taught how to share, how to play nicely with one
another and how if we work together two heads is better than one. By definition, collaboration is the action
of working with someone to produce or create something. It can also mean to give help to an enemy and
as my brother and I found out as young teens during the period where we really
thought of each other as enemies, if we collaborated we could get up to no good
without getting caught by our parents!
Collaboration was the key to our ability to not get caught when doing
"things" that would otherwise get us into deep trouble. Collaboration
was our key to success at being very, very good at being bad.
In the work force, companies are often organized in
silos, this may help from a budgeting or reporting perspective and is generally
based on areas of expertise. However,
silos like islands can breed the "it's mine" mentality and we forget
about sharing or working collaboratively together towards what is best not just
for our department or person but for the company as a whole. We revert back to our tendencies as children
where we didn't want to share. It would
appear after reading the paper published by Zoutman et al in AJIC titled
"Working relationships of infection prevention and control programs and environmental services and associations with antibiotic-resistant organisms in Canadian acute care hospitals" that collaboration is the key to reducing
HAIs.
silos, this may help from a budgeting or reporting perspective and is generally
based on areas of expertise. However,
silos like islands can breed the "it's mine" mentality and we forget
about sharing or working collaboratively together towards what is best not just
for our department or person but for the company as a whole. We revert back to our tendencies as children
where we didn't want to share. It would
appear after reading the paper published by Zoutman et al in AJIC titled
"Working relationships of infection prevention and control programs and environmental services and associations with antibiotic-resistant organisms in Canadian acute care hospitals" that collaboration is the key to reducing
HAIs.
Zoutman et al conducted a survey of Infection Prevention
and Control (IPAC) professionals at Canadian hospitals to assess the working
relationship between IPAC and Environmental Services (EVS). The survey assessed cleaning collaborations,
staff training, hospital cleanliness and nosocomial MRSA, VRE and C. diff
infection. Based on the survey
responses, 40% of the respondents did not feel the level of cleanliness in
their hospitals was at the level it should or could be. One third of the facilities surveyed felt
that their EVS staff were not adequately trained even though IPAC provided
training and education. Of particular
interest is that the same type of survey conducted where EVS managers responded
believed that the level of cooperation and collaboration between IPAC and EVS
was extensive and excellent which certainly highlights the fact that there is
always two sides to every story!
and Control (IPAC) professionals at Canadian hospitals to assess the working
relationship between IPAC and Environmental Services (EVS). The survey assessed cleaning collaborations,
staff training, hospital cleanliness and nosocomial MRSA, VRE and C. diff
infection. Based on the survey
responses, 40% of the respondents did not feel the level of cleanliness in
their hospitals was at the level it should or could be. One third of the facilities surveyed felt
that their EVS staff were not adequately trained even though IPAC provided
training and education. Of particular
interest is that the same type of survey conducted where EVS managers responded
believed that the level of cooperation and collaboration between IPAC and EVS
was extensive and excellent which certainly highlights the fact that there is
always two sides to every story!
That said, for most of you, I hope their conclusions are
not that foreign. A good working
relationship that promotes and cooperation and collaboration between IPAC and
EVS was associated with lower HAI rates. Of concern, at least to me, was that
one-fifth of the respondents were from hospitals where IPAC and EVS did not
collaborate on cleaning protocols. Having spent considerable time in the field working with both IPAC and
EVS the reality is this is true. Far too
many times I have been in a meeting with EVS who did not want to involve IPAC
as IPAC's decisions would cost them money they did not have. Other times IPAC wanted to control the
decision process for what disinfectant products were to be used.
not that foreign. A good working
relationship that promotes and cooperation and collaboration between IPAC and
EVS was associated with lower HAI rates. Of concern, at least to me, was that
one-fifth of the respondents were from hospitals where IPAC and EVS did not
collaborate on cleaning protocols. Having spent considerable time in the field working with both IPAC and
EVS the reality is this is true. Far too
many times I have been in a meeting with EVS who did not want to involve IPAC
as IPAC's decisions would cost them money they did not have. Other times IPAC wanted to control the
decision process for what disinfectant products were to be used.
We know from numerous published studies that cleaning
reduces the environmental burden of pathogens.
If we remove these pathogens from surfaces, we can limit transmission to
our patients. Cleaning saves lives and
the health and well being of our patients should be the first consideration in
any decision we make. EVS are experts in
cleaning and the use of chemicals. IPAC are experts in understanding how HAIs
are transmitted and implementation of protocols that will limit the spread of
disease. The truth of the matter is that
a facility cannot have an effective Environmental Hygiene or Infection
Prevention program without the cooperation and collaboration of IPAC and
EVS. It's time to break down the silos
between EVS and IPAC because in the end it should always be about what is best
for our patients.
reduces the environmental burden of pathogens.
If we remove these pathogens from surfaces, we can limit transmission to
our patients. Cleaning saves lives and
the health and well being of our patients should be the first consideration in
any decision we make. EVS are experts in
cleaning and the use of chemicals. IPAC are experts in understanding how HAIs
are transmitted and implementation of protocols that will limit the spread of
disease. The truth of the matter is that
a facility cannot have an effective Environmental Hygiene or Infection
Prevention program without the cooperation and collaboration of IPAC and
EVS. It's time to break down the silos
between EVS and IPAC because in the end it should always be about what is best
for our patients.
Bugging Off!
Nicole
