July is traditionally the start of the academic year in health care. Each academic year finds many team members in new roles. By emphasizing the fundamentals of impeccable hand hygiene and using our Jersey STRONG tool Cross Check and Coach with 5:1 Feedback, we create a culture that supports those in new roles while maintaining an environment of care that places the safety of our patients, family, and staff at the center of everything we do.
Hand hygiene education is included in the education and on-boarding of all new hires, as well as in the annual education for all team members. Efforts made by Cooper to help support the success of our teams with hand hygiene improve patient outcomes and reduces health care acquired infections.
If you are new to a role, we ask that you pay special attention to the fundamentals of your new work and especially to the fundamentals of hand hygiene and patient safety.
If you have been a member of the Cooper team for some time, we call on you to support those new to their roles. One way to show support and help establish good habits for those new to a role is to reinforce good behaviors. One of the best ways to reinforce these expected behaviors is to call out good practice. You can do this by simply thanking colleagues for completing proper hand hygiene. This positive feedback is an important component of our Jersey STRONG tool of coaching with 5:1 Feedback.
When anyone observes behaviors that do not comply with our policies or procedures, it is the duty of that team member to offer a cross check. Cross checks help keep patients and staff safe by pointing out unsafe conditions or behaviors before harm can occur.
To learn more about hand hygiene education, please use these links:
To learn more about our Jersey STRONG tool Coach and Cross-Check, please use these links: