229285 Using certification as a performance improvement strategy to measure, achieve, recognize and sustain injection safe care delivery

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Mary Schwartz, EdD, MSN, RN , Initiatives Inc., Boston, MA
Audrey Anderson , Initiatives Inc., Boston, MA
Injection safe care is a high risk care process for MOH health facility patients and staff. Our objective was to design and field-test an MOH Injection Safety (IS) Certification process to reduce accidental injuries and occupational exposure to blood-borne disease among Guyana MOH hospital and health center patients and workers. The methodology included an approved set of national injection safety performance standards and a standardized measurement and scoring process. The system was tested in five MOH sites over a seven-month period; the initial phase included orientation, self assessment and action planning. Supportive facility and multi-facility meetings encouraged problem solving and best practice sharing. In the final phase, facility staff notified MOH that they met certification criteria. Trained external assessment surveyors then sought verifiable evidence to corroborate the certification or detail gaps to address. All five sites met certification standards, which resulted in such changes as full pre-exposure vaccinations, injections administered based on standards, no stock outs, recording and addressing NSI. MOH created a national scale-up plan. IS Certification is a data-driven quality improvement strategy aimed at measuring, achieving, recognizing, and sustaining high performing patient and worker safety practices. The certification process teaches facility staff to self assess, develop and manage action plans for improvement, self regulate and be accountable for their own health care practices. The Injection Safety Certification process, as field tested, is practical and operationally manageable, engages staff to buy-in, maximizes the use of available external assessor resources, continues to improve injection safe care, and is sustainable long-term.

Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Occupational health and safety
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
To design and field test a Ministry of Health Injection Safety Certification process to reduce accidental injuries and occupational exposure to blood-borne disease among Guyana MOH hospital and health center patients and workers

Keywords: Health Care Workers, Occupational Exposure

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: 20 years experience with heathcare accreditation and certification as consultant and senior leader for academic medical center external regulatory compliance and performance improvement 20 years consultation and academic medical center work experience with healthcare accreditation and certification methodologies-recent work experience with Jordanian MOH primanry health care accreditation preparation, Guyana MOH worker safety certificatio,Zambian HIV?AIDS NZP+ district chapter management certification
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.