Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service II (Projects aiming to enhance clinical safety and outcomes, clinical governance / risk management)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Staff Engagement and Empowerment (motivating staff / teamwork / work revamp tackling manpower issue / staff wellness / OSH / retention)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Tso S(1)(2), Chung WM(1)(2), Tse WY(1), Sze YFL(1), Wong KFQ(1), Pun CC(1), Chan KM(1)
Affiliation :
(1) B003, Mentally Handicapped Unit, Siu Lam Hospital
(2) Castle Peak Hospital
Introduction :
Healthcare providers are entrusted with responsibility of performing various patient activities and nursing care while maintaining a high level of safety awareness. Failure to ensure safety in these activities can lead to incidents, causing harm to both patients and staff. In response to the growing demands for caring severe mentally handicapped patients, a peer support safety ambassador program has been implemented. This program harnesses the influential power of peer support to enhance safety awareness and competence among frontline staff. It emphasizes the significance of teamwork and peer support, fosters a proactive safety culture and cultivates an overall safety-oriented mindset within the ward.
Objectives :
(1) To minimize the occurrence and the severity of staff injuries, patient injuries and outbreaks of infection diseases.
(2) To enhance frontline staff’s safety awareness and competency through peer support, training and clinical supervision.
(3) To improve clinical safety and cultivate a safe working environment.
(4) To empower frontline staff to take initiatives in ensuring clinical safety and foster a culture of safety within the ward.
(5) To enhance staff’s sense of support from supervisors and peers, reduce turnover rate and improve staff retention.
Methodology :
The development of the program was based on established best practices and guidelines in staff and patient safety. Key steps included selecting experienced and motivated staff as safety ambassadors, providing comprehensive training on safety protocols and communication strategies, and establishing channels for sharing safety information. Safety ambassadors played a vital role in promoting a safety-oriented working atmosphere, demonstrating a positive attitude towards patient and workplace safety, advocating for potential hazards, facilitating communication among staff and acting as partner in safety planning. The program emphasized teamwork and proactive safety behaviors through collaborative activities. Data on program effectiveness were collected through pre- and post-program assessments, including (1) Staff Injury-on-duty rate (2) Number of Patient-related incident (3) Staff Vaccination Rate (4) Number of Infectious Disease Outbreak (5) Staff Satisfaction Surveys and (6) Turnover Rate in ward.
Result & Outcome :
Between July 2022 and December 2023, ward B003 of Siu Lam Hospital served a total of 43 patients with a team of 4 doctors, 12 nurses and 24 supporting staff. The staff injury-on-duty rate was greatly reduced by 66.7%, with only one patient-related incident occurred in 2023. The Staff influenza vaccination rate showed substantial progress, rising from 47% in 2021 to 80% by the end of 2022 and reaching a commendable 100% in 2023. No infectious disease outbreak was reported during the implementation of the programme. Staff satisfaction was high, with 97% staff acknowledging the programme effectiveness in enhancing patient safety, and 88% agreeing that it improved their skills and competence. Overall, 94% of the staff expressed satisfaction with the programme. Furthermore, the ward experienced a significant reduction in supporting staff turnover, from 25% and 33% in 2021 and 2022, respectively, to 4% in 2023. This positive change can be attributed to the safe and supportive working environment created, where staff feel valued, motived and willing to remain.
