St. Paul's Hospital Emergency Department The Continuous Pursuit of Excellence in Patient Care and Academic Emergency Medicine

As part of the Emergency Department’s ongoing commitment to improving Hand Hygiene practices, the ED has agreed to support this pilot project for Hand Hygiene Peer Review. In the last quarter, the ED Hand Hygiene Compliance rate increased from 44% to 58%. Congratulations!

Goal of this project:

To increase staff awareness and understanding of the why when and how of hand hygiene and to decrease hospital acquired infections (VRE, MRSA, CDI etc) as a result.

How do I participate in this project?

Using the pilot PHC – Hand Hygiene Peer Review Tool, you observe a colleague while they practice hand hygiene and provide them with feedback.  Ideally each staff member will have the opportunity to observe and be observed.

There will be 4 binders of blank peer review tool forms for use. There will be staff lists in the binders located in the Acute and Fast Track areas.  Please check off your name when you have been observed and each time you have been the observer. Once the forms are completed, please slide them under the CNL’s office door (room 134) or place them in Kirsten Fuller’s mailbox. 

What is the benefit to me?

Each time you observe a colleague, your name will be entered into a monthly draw for an iTouch – once you have been observed try to observe more than one colleague per shift.

Allows you to be professionally supported and learn from others to improve your practice.

Obtaining peer feedback during this project will help you meet your professional practice standards.

 Where can I learn more?

You can also contact Kirsten Fuller or IPAC for details (IPAC 69357).

An interesting perspective on infection control in the hospital.  Check out this article from Globe & Mail

The Annual Report gives up-to-date details and rates for antibiotic resistant organisms at PHC such as MRSA, VRE and C. difficile, as well as tuberculosis and influenza immunization coverage.

With the implementation of a variety of infection prevention and control strategies, we have been successful in reducing the risk of health care associated infections at PHC, including a 35 % decrease in MRSA and VRE rates at PHC acute care sites.

Vancouver Coastal Health Trauma Program Clinical Practice Guidelines and Protocols 2005

 WARNING! This file is over 4 MB.

The Providence Health Antibiogram (antibiotic susceptibility profile for common pathogens) for 2007.

 (Link)