Sylvia goes to an inpatient unit to meet with a nurse manager about specifications for an interface his unit needs to be designed in the electronic health record (EHR) system. A new hire, Frank, accompanies Sylvia. Sylvia stops outside the unit door to use the alcohol gel to sanitize her hands before entering the unit. Frank remarks that he doesn’t need to sanitize his hands because he feels just fine—he does not feel sick. Sylvia asks him to use the gel as a signal to the nursing staff that he and she understand the importance of protecting patients from the risk of infection. Frank complies, though he makes it clear through his facial expression that he is doing so only to humor Sylvia.
After sanitizing his hands, Frank starts to enter the unit. Sylvia stops him and directs him away from the unit entrance, saying, “The nurse is talking with a patient. We’ll wait over here where we can’t hear the conversation, but we’ll be able to see when they’re finished.” When the meeting with the nurse manager ended, Sylvia stopped outside the unit and again sanitized her hands. She made sure that Frank did the same.
Discussion Questions:
How would you explain to Frank the need for hand sanitizing and the importance of protecting patient privacy and how these measures can help him be successful in his professional role?
What are your thoughts on the importance of taking responsibility for protecting patients from infection as Sylvia did?