It is of the highest importance that managers keep their healthcare professionals safe; they are at the frontlines of patient care and risk injury and exposure to viruses and infectious diseases. Here are some steps that you can take, as their leaders, to keep them safe:
1️⃣ Proper training and education.
It all starts with the right training and education. This can include training on how to properly use and dispose of personal protective equipment (PPE), how to safely handle hazardous materials, and how to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
2️⃣ Adequate staffing levels.
When there are not enough people on staff to handle the work, healthcare workers may be forced to work longer hours and take on additional responsibilities, making them exhausted, burn out, and prone to mistakes. In order to prevent this, it is important for hospitals and clinics to ensure that they have enough staff to meet the needs of their patient, use effective scheduling and, if possible, hire more people.
3️⃣ Safe work environments.
Have a safe and well-maintained work environment. Make sure that all equipment is in optimal working order and that the environment is clean and organized. Regular inspections and sanitation of equipment will help both healthcare workers and patients alike.
4️⃣ Employee support programs.
In addition to physical safety measures, it is also important to support the mental and emotional well-being of healthcare workers. This can include offering employee assistance programs, such as counseling services and stress management resources. These types of programs can help healthcare workers cope with the emotional demands of their job and reduce the risk of burnout.
5️⃣ Advocate for worker safety.
Your healthcare institution can also advocate for better safety regulations and standards. By speaking out and raising awareness about the importance of healthcare worker safety, organizations and individuals can help to bring about positive change and improve the safety of all healthcare workers.
Safety also begins with the healthcare workers, if their mental health and physical well-being are not in amazing shape, they tend to create an environment that may not be safe for themselves or their colleagues. Communication is also key in knowing what gaps need to be filled by management and what changes have to be made. These and more are tackled through our Healthcare Now program; it’s the solution to the issues that your healthcare staff is facing on a daily basis. Through our program, better and positive changes to your healthcare culture can be achieved. Let’s discuss what changes you need. Please email us at info@davidcouperconsulting.com.