Ideas That Work: Smart Solution

After our state halted elective procedures last spring, returning to surgery and assuring our patients that the center functioned in the safest possible manner took a lot of planning — and no small amount of innovation from our staff. One key question we kept asking: How do we ensure waiting room chairs are cleaned between each use? The creative and logical solution came to us during one of our daily morning huddles: brain teasers. After patients are screened for COVID-19, they're given a laminated sheet of challenging puzzles. When patients are called back to the pre-op area, they're instructed to leave the sheet on the chair they vacate. When staff see a sheet resting on a chair, they know that chair is ready for cleaning. They wipe down the chair and the sheet, readying both for the next patient.

Korie Enscoe, MSN, RN
Jennifer Hartz, BSN, RN
Georgeann Kacy, BSN, RN
Allegheny Health Network
Pittsburgh, Pa.
[email protected]