1 / 15

Beating the Bugs: The Development of an Infection Control Link Nurse Program

Beating the Bugs: The Development of an Infection Control Link Nurse Program. Jodie Burr Infection Control Coordinator Women’s and Children’s Hospital South Australia. What are ICLN/Ms.

elina
Download Presentation

Beating the Bugs: The Development of an Infection Control Link Nurse Program

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Beating the Bugs:The Development of an Infection Control Link Nurse Program Jodie Burr Infection Control Coordinator Women’s and Children’s Hospital South Australia

  2. What are ICLN/Ms • ICLN/Ms are nurses/midwives that have dedicated time for infection control activities within their own clinical area • They assist Infection Control Practitioners rather than are responsible for infection control programs

  3. Examples of Duties • Educating ward/unit staff • Ensuring compliance with infection control guidelines • Assisting with outbreaks or disease exposures • Developing patient & staff information brochures • Promoting infection control initiatives

  4. Background • External auditors conducted a review of infection control practices in SA Metropolitan Public Hospitals in 2002 • Recommendations from review included expansion of existing ICLN Program to other metropolitan public hospitals

  5. Background • The SA Department of Health (Metropolitan Health Division) provided funding for 15 FTE ICLNs • Training provided by the Infection Control Service (DoH)

  6. WCH ICLN/M Program • Funding provided for 2.2FTE • 12 part time positions created • Range 0.1 – 0.4 FTE • Paediatric Medicine Division • Paediatric Surgical Division • Women’s & Babies Division • Anaesthetics & Theatres Division • Medical Imaging Division

  7. Challenges • Initial commencement of Program • No guidelines on how to proceed • Employment / Contracts • Rostering • Funding • Initial training / orientation

  8. Challenges • Support & direction for new roles • Diversity of areas • Physical • Access to a dedicated room, desk, computer, printer, stationary • No other SA Hospitals to benchmark with due to specialization of WCH

  9. Challenges • Time to support & assist individual ICLN/Ms • Impact on an already demanding work load • Regular times to meet • Some ICLN/Ms more forthright in needs

  10. Challenges • Identifying communication methods • Email / internal mail • Rosters • Networked computers • Intranet

  11. Challenges • Ensuring continual ICLN/M motivation • Succession planning • Dedicated time and space • Educational opportunities • Recognition for work

  12. Challenges • Promoting the WCH ICLN/Ms throughout the hospital: • Hospital wide newsletter • Area specific newsletters • Morning teas • Display boards

  13. Outcomes • Increase in communication between Clinical Units & Infection Control Unit • Increase in staff & patient awareness of infection control principles • Development of links with other hospitals • Improvement in rates of infection and compliance with infection control practices

  14. Outcomes-ICLN/Ms • Increase in leadership skills • Increase in confidence • Increase in knowledge and skills • Presenting at state-wide conferences/seminars • Graduate certificate in infection control • Membership (+ Executive Committee) Infection Control Association of SA

  15. Future leadership challenges • Extending the ICLN/M program • Intravenous Line Link Nurse • Immunization Link Nurse • Promotion of the WCH as a leader in infection control • ¼ promotional events • Conferences

More Related