Relationships among team members are key to successful infection prevention in the long-term-care setting, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Strong staff relationships lead to more excitement and support among the staff participating in the program, while weak or nonexistent relationships mean that staff will not participate in the same way or will only dedicate the minimum time and energy toward completing the program goals.
All staff who participate in resident care – including certified nursing assistants (CNAs), nurses, physicians, environmental services, physical therapists, laundry, etc. – need to be educated on best practices for infection prevention, suggests AHRQ.
AHRQ created the “T.E.A.M.S. Intervention,” which focuses on the importance of having a good safety culture, and which uses TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) training on teamwork and communication:
- Team formation. Form a diverse team that will plan, champion, and implement the program.
- Excellent communication. Encourage and educate the team on communication strategies.
- Assess what’s working. Evaluate current culture, data, and practices; learn and implement; and continually reevaluate.
- Meet monthly. Meet with the team regularly to discuss successes and barriers and to review data trends.
- Sustain efforts. Plan for program sustainability early, and integrate program elements into daily workflow.
Source: “AHRQ Safety Program for Long-Term Care Preventing CAUTI and Other HAIs,” https://www.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/cauti-ltc/modules/final-report.pdf