Dear Colleagues,
Today marks the launch of our new Hand Hygiene Education Program for Patients and Families.
Over the past six years Infection Prevention and Control has greatly reduced our hospital associated infection rates by introducing the hand hygiene program to UHN care teams and staff.
It has become apparent that patients and families play a significant role in effective hand hygiene, so they too can to protect themselves from spreading infection. Staff play an integral role in helping anyone who comes into the hospital understand the importance of hand hygiene.
In the height of flu season, UHN staff, patients and families have an opportunity to become partners in hand hygiene, reminding themselves and others to continually sanitize while in and outside the hospital.
IPAC, Patient Relations and Patient and Family Education have teamed up to create a program to guide staff on how to educate patients and families on the importance of hand hygiene during their visit at UHN.
I am pleased to announce that Toronto Rehab had nominated itself to be the first to begin the patient and family education program, starting in E.W. Bickle Centre for Complex Continuing Care. Bickle care teams will receive a special bag containing a resource toolkit of materials to use as a guide to inform patients and families of key moments when hand hygiene is critical.
A Front Line Ownership "grassroots" approach will assist care teams to share hand hygiene with patients and families. The contents within the bag are available for order and each clinic can order what is necessary for them.
We look forward to great success with this initiative, engaging patients and families in how they can help protect themselves and others during their visit to the hospital.
Bob Bell
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Resource toolkits for staff
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