Ideas That Work: Reward Staff With Hand Hygiene Trinkets

A little recognition and positive reinforcement go a long way. At UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs, Colo., dedicated auditors reward staff who follow the facility’s hand hygiene protocols with a small bottle of hand sanitizer attached to a carabiner. “Whenever I can, I’ll stop staff and say, ‘Thank you for performing good hand hygiene, here’s your prize,’” says Lauren Bryan, RN, infection prevention program manager at UCHealth Yampa Valley. The carabiners and facility-branded bottles of hand sanitizer, which cost less than a dollar each and attach easily to most things, are a way to recognize a job well done while also reinforcing the importance of hand hygiene. They also serve as a subtle reminder that someone is always watching to make sure they remain compliant with the facility’s protocols, says Ms. Bryan.