New Survey, Enhancements Added to SGNA Infection Prevention Champions Program

The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc. (SGNA) announces that enrollment is open for the winter session of the Infection Prevention Champions program. The SGNA Infection Prevention Champions program presents facilities with an opportunity to systematically assess and analyze current infection prevention practices, and develop a plan for improvement when warranted. In an effort to continue developing the best resources to empower these champions, SGNA announces the addition of a new resource, the Infection Prevention Clinical Effectiveness Survey.
 
The Infection Prevention Survey tool was created in partnership with SE Healthcare Quality Consulting, a company whose core products help physicians and providers succeed in the new healthcare environment by promoting safety and excellence in specialty programs. The survey platform provides an interactive opportunity for a facility to input current practices and receive immediate data comparing against national standards and best practices. The Clinical Effectiveness Survey is a valuable measurement and feedback tool with links to educational materials, and is offered for free to Infection Prevention Champions. This tool can be used by all GI facilities to benchmark practices in order to help focus on providing safe patient care.
 
In addition to the new Clinical Effectiveness Survey, resources provided to participating champions incorporate the revised practice document from SGNA. The Champions program also includes resources in accordance with the Standards of Infection Prevention in Reprocessing of Flexible Gastrointestinal Endoscopes (2016), which recommend nine steps for reprocessing of endoscopes.  This revised practice document also includes a detailed listing of practice areas where further research is needed. With a continued commitment to provide gastroenterology nursing professionals with resources based on current evidence, SGNA evaluates and updates practice documents when new research is published or brought forward.
 
SGNA remains committed to providing our community with critical information based on evidence to assist infection prevention, patient safety, and quality care. The champion collaborates with key individuals at their facility to develop an improvement plan, all with the support and guidance of SGNA. To date, almost 100 champions and facilities have identified areas for improving patient care, streamlined procedures that resulted in cost savings, and ensure all staff has the latest information and training available. Details about this program can be found online at www.sgna.org/InfectionPrevention/.