Teamwork earns Minoru 100% in recent audit

Big efforts resulted in an equally big reward for Minoru Residence staff that went above-and-beyond what was necessary in preparation for the sites most recent reprocessing audit.

Minoru Residence scored a perfect 100% in its May 2016 reprocessing audit. 

All Minoru staff prepared for audit through regular ongoing meetings and education sessions, led by the Clinical Nurse Educator. Minoru’s nursing leadership team and Operational Initiatives Lead made sure that all the required Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for reprocessing were practically followed in each unit, such as pre-cleaning of reusable of medical devices, low and high level disinfection, cleaning sterile supply storage shelves and  bins, and  quality assurance improvement and documentation.

“Minoru is a very large facility and given all the care-related activities that clinical, support staff and leaders undertake daily – this outcome is a great achievement,” said Natalie McCarthy, director, MH&A and Residential Care. “The results demonstrate the commitment of the Minoru team to safety and high quality care – and I know that there were lessons learned from the process that have already resulted in further improvements. It’s a great example of teamwork and dedication to our residents.”

Thank you to all

“Everyone worked really hard in preparation for this audit,” said Nicky Dhugga, Manager, Minoru Residence. “I really want to extend special kudos to the leadership team (Clinical Educator, RCC’s & Operations Initiative Lead) who went above and beyond, and even went so far as to clean the inside of the supply bins.”  There were also individuals on the allied team such as the Dietician and OT Assistant who contributed their time and efforts towards this initiative.

Dhugga also extended thanks to on-site Crothall supervisor who was also outstanding in supporting our efforts. She made additional staff available to clean areas that would be audited, and did it with a “how can I help” attitude just highlights great team work across programs.

Kudos to the frontline staff for their contribution with the up keep and maintenance of the processes and implementing the changes during the entire audit period.

“The 100 per cent speaks to great collaboration and leadership; the staff had a glow of success after the results were announced,” Dhugga added.

Continuous Improvement — It’s what we do

Reprocessing audits occur every three years in non-high risk residential and tertiary care sites.

Reprocessing audits ensure standardized practice for the delivery of safe, quality care to VCH patients, residents, and clients and minimize risk of disease transmission to staff. They encompass basic infection control guidelines of asepsis, one-way work flow, and risk reduction.

Reprocessing audits incorporate the essential principles as set out by the BC Ministry of Health’s Best Practice Guidelines for the Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Devices in Health Authorities, 2011, Canadian Standards Association (CSA), as well as standards from other governing bodies such as Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and Operation Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC).