There are six safety behaviors that align with New Jersey STRONG’s name and mission:
S – Speak Up for Safety
T – Think Critically
R – Reliably Communicate
O – On Task
N – No Harm
G – Got Your Back
The sixth and final safety behavior – Got Your Back – helps us catch errors that we are all at risk of making by emphasizing our obligation to look out for each other.
Think of this as “I’ll look out for you and you look out for me.”
What should we do? Look out for one another to catch each other’s mistakes while building a greater sense of accountability for our actions.
Why should we do this?
- To point out and catch errors before they reach our patients.
- To hold each other accountable for sticking to policy and procedure.
How can we work towards achieving this goal?
There are two error-prevention tools for this safety behavior:
- Cross check
- Coach
Cross check means that we look out for one another and are not afraid to ask questions if we think someone has made an error. The most important part of these steps is to be willing to be checked, which establishes a more collegial environment where we are not so sensitive to input or criticism.
The concept of Got Your Back is that two heads are better than one. Picture yourself at your favorite amusement park:
- You hop on your favorite ride and buckle up.
- A worker checks your seatbelt or harness.
- Another worker comes around to double check you are fastened (great cross checking).
- Another worker takes a scan of the area and puts a thumbs up to another staff member signaling the area is safe.
- That worker then scans the area again to double check (great cross checking).
Don’t forget to say “Thanks for the crosscheck!”
Coach: Do not forget to coach each other!
Think five-to-one feedback: Encourage safe and productive behaviors five times as often as you correct an unsafe and unproductive behavior.
This is simply a guideline, not an exact formula. Encourage and recognize when others are doing the right thing like following policy or taking an extra moment to focus on the task at hand. This recognition will create a safe space or relationship that will make correcting an unproductive or unsafe behavior an easier conversation.
Cooper University Health Care is One Team. One Purpose. This is all about helping others do the right thing and expecting that they will help you to do the right thing, too. We do it to help each other perform at our individual best but also to help the team to reach higher levels of performance.