Author: Lisa Foster, MSN, APRN, CNP
Title: Assistant Professor of Instruction
Institution: The University of Akron
Knowledge- Demonstrate knowledge of basic scientific methods and processes
Skills- Participate effectively in data collection
Attitudes- Recognize the value of theory in practice
Knowledge- Discuss the actual impact of patient safety initiatives
Skills- Use patient safety resources to focus on safety in care settings
Attitudes- Value relationship between safety campaigns and implementation in local practice settings
The purpose of this teaching strategy is to introduce undergraduate nursing students through guided observation, the rate of evidence-based practice, World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) “Five Moments of Hand Hygiene” is integrated into clinical practice, which increases safety and minimizes the risk of harm to patients including healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). This strategy best complements a first clinical rotation at the sophomore level in acute care or nursing home setting. This will be done mid-term of the semester so that nursing students would have already had a lecture on “Asepsis” including “Five Moments of Hand Hygiene” which is reinforced in the learning resources center with black-light technology the first week of the semester. The students will also have enough time to become familiar with their clinical site’s routine and procedures. Students will be using direct observation, the “gold standard” for hand hygiene evaluation. To prepare for the clinical, the night before, the students will read an article that describes how a team approach results in improved patient outcomes of infection prevention in acute care and nursing home settings and a black light revelation. In pre-conference, students will be given a pre-evaluation to assess baseline knowledge about evidence-based practice, hand hygiene, and the article. Next, students will be shown the PowerPoint presentation, “Building the Bridge from Evidence-Based Practice to Hand Hygiene Compliance”. Using the PowerPoint presentation, the WHO’s “Five Moments of Hand Hygiene” will be reiterated and students will be instructed on how to use the WHO’s validated observation tool to collect data and measure hand hygiene compliance of the assigned nurse for their assigned nurse preceptor. In post-conference, students will be given a post-evaluation to assess their learning. They will also have an opportunity to participate in the peer-review process and deal with the benefits and challenges of giving and receiving peer feedback using the “Five Facets of Supportive Feedback”. A journal will be due that evening in which students can reflect on their learning from other’s mistakes or errors and develop a deeper understanding of the ‘Five Moments of Hand Hygiene” and OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
Journal article, PowerPoint presentation, Observation Form, Five Facets of Supportive Feedback, and the Evaluation tool.
Evaluation of the strategy will be through a pre and post evaluation. At the beginning of clinical in pre-conference, students will be asked to complete a short survey about evidence-based practice, “Five Moments of Hand Hygiene”, the research article they read, and the purpose of peer evaluation to determine the student’s baseline knowledge. At the end of clinical, in post-conference, students will be given the same survey to measure changes in their knowledge. Students will also have a journal due in the evening in which they will reflect upon their observations of hand hygiene. The assignment will be pass/fail.