IPC Project Team, Addictions and Mental Health

The Villa Caritas IPC Project team was formed to improve hand hygiene rates and reduce the number of outbreaks at the site. Outbreaks can have profound impacts on patients, and the geriatric population at Villa Caritas is particularly vulnerable to influenza and other conditions that can seriously jeopardize their health. Along with compromising patient safety, these illnesses can delay patient discharges and admissions and prevent family members from visiting their loved ones. With these high stakes in mind, the multi-disciplinary team worked together to develop a comprehensive plan to reach the organizational hand hygiene standard of 90 per cent.

A critical piece of the IPC Project Team’s work included collaborating with leaders, hand hygiene auditors and staff to ensure they understood best practices and had opportunities to provide feedback. By partnering with their colleagues across the site, the team has seen the 90 per cent hand hygiene standard met for four months in a row, up from 65 per cent. Team members across the site have a stronger understanding of precautions and best practices, and the site has seen a decrease in outbreak frequency and length.