---
title: Do you have improvement blindness?
description: Do you have improvement blindness?
---

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## Do you have improvement blindness?

<http://static1.squarespace.com/static/595689fc9de4bbc892200518/t/59568ac85fd63b5f292875e0/1498845398101//img.png.com/static/595689fc9de4bbc892200518/t/59568ac85fd63b5f292875e1/1498843848347/1000w/>

I came across an article at cmmonline.com written by Tobi  
 Colbert “ [*Combating “Improvement Blindness”: Becoming  
 blind to necessary improvements can hurt BSCs*](http://www.cmmonline.com/articles/print/237090-combating-improvement-blindness) ”.   While the article focused on areas that are  
 often overlooked such as fraying carpets, dirt building up in corners or dirty  
 janitor closets within the building service contractors (BSCs) it made me  
 pause.   It made me rethink my approach,  
 or the approach I could take from an education perspective when talking to  
 people about the use of cleaners and disinfectants.

The author noted that people often get “comfortable” in their  
 choices of product.  We know that  
 changing products, changing cleaning procedures, etc. is not easy.  It’s time consuming.  Some staff need more hand holding than others  
 and some staff down right rebel!  It can  
 be easier to stay with a product we’ve been using for a long time because we  
 feel we get good pricing, we know and like the sales rep and our staff do not  
 complain.  The “blindness” in this case  
 is not being willing to look at new products and technologies that may improve  
 the way of cleaning or decrease the time it takes to get the work done.  That of course is the manager’s  
 blindness. 

Staff can also be blind.   
 I had drinks with a friend this week and we were chatting about a  
 situation she had with a facility.  The  
 manager had not been blind.  The manager  
 investigated and brought a new product in because of its attributes.  The staff on the other hand…..  Well there was a full blown rebellion in the  
 works.  My friend came in to talk with  
 staff again and hear out their concerns.   
 One very vocal person went on and on and on.  Eventually the employee stopped, looked at my  
 friend and said “*you’re not going to help  
 us get rid of this product are you*”.   
 My friend replied “*no, the  
 facility has chosen this product because of the attributes....*”  But before she could go any further the staff  
 member turned on her heel and left.  The  
 employee was blind to considering a new product and blind to the reasons why  
 the new product was chosen even when one of the attributes made the product  
 safer to handle!

Conversely, there can be other forms of “blindness” when it  
 comes to choosing a disinfectant.  This  
 one is, in my mind, far more dangerous.  Unlike the above situation where the manager  
 does not want to investigate or consider alternative products, the opposite  
 situation is one where a manager is willing to try new products – particularly  
 if they are trying to address a problem such as reoccurring outbreaks.  In this case the need or want to address a  
 singular concern often creates tunnel vision where the focus becomes looking  
 for a product effective against “[bug  
 X](http://talkcleantome.blogspot.ca/2014/09/ill-take-kill-claims-for-200.html)” without taking into consideration other key considerations in [choosing  
 a disinfectant](http://disinfectionandsterilization.org/selection-of-the-ideal-disinfectant/) such as [safety](http://talkcleantome.blogspot.ca/2014/10/over-easy-why-safety-profiles-and-ease.html),  
[compatibility](http://talkcleantome.blogspot.ca/search?q=+compatibility),  
[environmental  
 profile](http://talkcleantome.blogspot.ca/search?q=+green), etc.  The problem with this  
 method of product selection is that you will end up with unintended  
 consequences such as ruined surfaces or staff complaints.

[Whether you have “blindness” due to  
 disinterest in looking at new disinfectants or “blindness” towards the impact  
 some disinfectants can have to your facility or staff, the end result is that  
 improvement is important.  Improving our  
 lives and our patient’s or client’s lives is what we should continuously be  
 striving for.  ](https://www.blogger.com/null)

<https://www.blogger.com/null>

*Bugging Off!*

Nicole

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