Welcome to our third Survey Readiness newsletter. Please review the following tips and tools for a successful accreditation survey. 

First, take a quiz! Can you match the correct officer with the correct incident? 

Incident

Who are you going to call if:

1. You have a concern about a staff member giving protected patient information to an unauthorized person?
2. If you would like to know what to do for patients and staff in case of a tornado?
3. You have concerns with fraud, waste, or abuse? 

CHCS officer

A. Safety officer: Michael Bomberger, ext. 4180

B. Privacy officer: Alycea Lakin, ext. 5029

C. Compliance officer: Lorraine Meyer, ext. 5014

Answers: 1. B; 2. A; 3. C

All CHCS associates are responsible for providing high-quality, uninterrupted patient care and for maintaining the highest degree of patient confidentiality. Below are some highlights of our safety policy; find the policy and all Emergency Operating Procedures in PowerDMS. 

What I need to do:

• Wear my ID badge while at work. (If badge isn't available, wear a name sticker to help patients and staff know who you are.)
• Make sure all patients in the hospital have an ID band and alert bands on their wrist. Check and identify patients prior to giving ANY care or treatment. 
• "See something, say something:" Report incidents or concerns to the correct officer. Examples include the following:
• Building security/safety, parking lot safety issues, vehicle accidents
• Disputes/loud noises, suspicious circumstances/packages, threats to organization/staff
• Fire/safety hazards
• Loss, theft, or vandalism of property
• Adopt a "safety starts with me" attitude: The goal is for all CHCS associates to report and promote workplace safety and health through reporting near misses, following safety guidelines, and keeping staff and patients safe from identified risks. 
• Watch for slips, trips, and falls
• Mark faulty equipment properly
• Review basic office environment safety (see video below)

Medication safety:

Review the five rights

1. Right patient
2. Right time
3. Right medication
4. Right dose
5. Right route

Incident reports

Falls, medication errors, or injuries need to be reported to improve safety for all patients and associates and ensure that we fix broken equipment or items. To submit an incident report, click on the Quality Data Check icon on your desktop computer and click the link to submit a report.  

Emergency codes are used to communicate promptly with associates when an organized response is necessary for a medical emergency, fire, bomb threat, active shooter, missing or abducted child, or an external or internal disaster.

What is my responsibility with emergency codes?

• Associates are responsible for knowing their role in emergency situations.
• It is common for a surveyor to ask any associate “Tell me what you would do in the event to a fire? Or “What is your responsibility in the event of a disaster?”
• Participate in drills to improve and review your responsibility during these times.

What is our response to a Code Red? 

RACE

R: Rescue persons directly threatened by the fire

A: Activate Alarms

C: Contain the fire by closing doors and windows

E: Evacuate the zone or area

How do I use a fire extinguisher? 

PASS

P: Pull the safety pin at the top of the extinguisher

A: Aim the nozzle/hose at the base of the flames; hold the extinguisher vertically

S: Squeeze or press the handle to release the pressurized extinguishing agent

S: Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire

What do patient wristband color codes mean? 

Inclement weather alerts and tornado warnings: What do I do? 

• Close windows and blinds
• Ensure patients have blankets to cover up with
• Move to small interior rooms and hallways; patients in the hospital will be moved to the Severe Weather Shelter located in the PACU/Surgery area
• Stay away from glass-enclosed places or skylights 
• Once sheltered, protect your head with your arms and crouch down 
• Ask your manager/supervisor for any additional directions for your specific area such as helping other departments or assisting other patients 

What if my patient does not speak English?

CHCS uses Propio Laguage services. If you need translation, call 888-804-2044, select a language, and state your name, department name, and the name of the patient or visitor needing the service. If you have a CHCS iPad, choose Propio One. 

According to the CDC, "Studies show that some healthcare providers practice hand hygiene less than half of the times they should. Healthcare providers might need to clean their hands as many as 100 times per 12-hour shift, depending on the number of patients and intensity of care. Know what it could take to keep your patients safe."

Be aware; wash with care! 

Be sure to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wash with soap and water:

• Immediately before touching a patient
• When hands are visibly soiled
• Before performing an aseptic task (e.g., placing an indwelling device) or handling invasive medical devices
• After caring for a person with known or suspected infectious diarrhea
• Before moving from work on a soiled body site to a clean body site on the same patient
• After known or suspected exposure to spores (e.g. B. anthracis, C difficile outbreaks)
• After touching a patient or the patient’s immediate environment
• After contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces
• Immediately after glove removal

Wash your hands -- save a life!