Badge Tracking

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 6, 2019

I just want talking Purell dispensers — "Hey you! Forgetting something?" Seriously, I think tracking systems would help increase hand hygiene rates and decrease the number of infections. It's not that difficult, yet.... it is for some. ?

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · Apr 6, 2019

I think they are a waste of time and money and I think hand sanitizing is being used as an excuse to more closely monitor nurses.

When you get dinged for going into an empty room for two seconds searching for an IV pump...I'm sorry, that is stupid.

When you get dinged for going into a patient's room for a split second to ask a quick question or to respond to a nurse's call to run out and get something...that is stupid.

Our infection rates were incredible before they implemented this wasteful system and oh yeah...and implemented it in this order:

Hourly Staff

Residents...six months later

Hospitalists and other physicians/APRNs were exempt along with members of administration, that also go into patient rooms.

If it was about infection control, they would have rolled it out to everyone.

The system has been in place for just over a year in our hospital and has not impacted the infection rates at all...that's because they were already extremely low.

**CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN** · Apr 6, 2019

We don't have that system, but I wish there was a better system for when the dispensers don't work!

JKL33 · Apr 6, 2019

And High-tech badges track hand-washing by hospital medical staff to prevent infections

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Hand hygiene rates during the pilot have largely been in line with what was estimated through occasional observations.

? How nice to float around there all day! These things don't work so well when you're flying past catching the sanitizer with your outstretched hand...or any of the situations Jory mentioned.

That data tho. ??

TriciaJ, RN · Apr 7, 2019

On 4/6/2019 at 4:43 PM, Jory said:
Hospitalists and other physicians/APRNs were exempt along with members of administration, that also go into patient rooms.
If it was about infection control, they would have rolled it out to everyone.
The system has been in place for just over a year in our hospital and has not impacted the infection rates at all...that's because they were already extremely low.

The other reason it's not impacted the infection rates is because those who were spreading the infections still are.

CozyCatRN · Apr 7, 2019

Sometimes I choose to wash my hands in the patient's actual room because they feel gross from hand sanitizer buildup; sometimes I quickly dispense the hand foam and rub it in while I'm walking in my patient's room so that I can actually have a face to face convo with them instead of rubbing hand foam in for the designated time that these readers think it should talk to rub hand foam in; sometimes I have handfuls of meds and set them on the patient's counter before coming back to the dispenser. In all of these instances the reader would register me as noncompliant.

Also, providers don't have to wear them at my hospital. What is the rationale for this?

ETA: I've also caught a few providers and therapists foaming out instead of washing with soap and water after being in a C-diff room. Why does this not matter?

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2019

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If so, whatare your thoughts/experience with using these systems and how can we make them better?

Flush ‘em down the toilet. ? I haven’t had the pleasure of using them, but that is my suggestion on how to make them better. My goodness... is there really nothing better for a hospital to spend their limited funds on??

FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2019

Every now and then I think about going back to the hospital so I can work 3 12s and make a little more money. Then I learn of some fresh hell like this and thank my lucky stars I got out of that nightmare.

I won't go back as an RN and be a patsy. Maybe as an NP.

Mass respect for all the bedside nurses who somehow manage to take care of their patients in this kind of environment.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Apr 7, 2019

10 hours ago, Here.I.Stand said:
Flush ‘em down the toilet. ? I haven’t had the pleasure of using them, but that is my suggestion on how to make them better. My goodness... is there really nothing better for a hospital to spend their limited funds on??

I had to laugh, because that's exactly what we did. "OOPS! I dropped it in the toilet." Happened over and over, so management concluded that it was cheaper to stop replacing the trackers.

RainMom · Apr 8, 2019

My facility is trialing it on the inpatient floors. Since I work those depts prn I was given a badge. One thing I noticed is that it didn't seem to register (no blinking light) when you pump as you walk by; you have to stand directly in front of it & pause. I took the badge off after that shift. Hoping this is another "great idea" that will go by the wayside.

LilPeanut, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 8, 2019

I think actually more research needs to be done now into the microbiome on our hands. We wash off all the "good bacteria" and are more likely to get colonized with "bad bacteria" with all the washing I would think.

I just wonder if this is one of those things where it is the classic blunder where some is good, but a lot is not great and there might be a better way that we're missing.