Posted • Last updated
Closed
Commitment: Long-term
Connection method: Virtual
Open to Fraser – Vancouver Coastal
Last updated
Volunteer Opportunity:
Preventing or reducing infections across the health care delivery continuum is an essential aspect of providing high-quality care. The Fraser Health Infection Prevention and Control Program is seeking two patient partners with experience with healthcare system in the community and/or hospital to help their team focus improvement efforts where they matter most!
Lead Organization/Department
Fraser Health – Infection Prevention Control Department
Aim
• To better understand the impact of infection control practices on the experiences of patients, families and caregivers across Fraser Health.
• To use patient partners’ unique perspectives and insights to inform infection control practices and effective infection control efforts.
Level of Engagement
This opportunity is at the level of consult on the spectrum of engagement (www.iap2.org). The promise to you is that the health care partner will listen to and acknowledge your ideas and concerns and provide feedback on how your input affected the decision.
Eligibility:
Open to volunteers from across Fraser Health communities who:
• Have hospital experience and/or community care experience.
• Are comfortable sharing their experience with senior leaders.
If you have a strong interest in this work but have not yet completed a PVN orientation and Patient Partner Commitment, are unsure if your experience is a good fit, please contact Jami Brown directly. There will be an informal conversation about the opportunity. The goal is to find the best fit for all involved.
Logistics
• Number: 2
• Date/Time: Meetings will be determined based on what works for all involved.
• Commitment: Once a month for a maximum of one hour for the first six months, then every other month after that. One year, with the opportunity for renewal. Ad hoc reading of materials between meetings to a maximum of one hour.
• Location: Webinar, via Zoom.
Reimbursement
No out-of-pocket expenses are anticipated for this engagement opportunity. If travel costs are required for any in person meetings, they will be reimbursed according to the Fraser Health travel policy. If you meet the eligibility criteria, but have concerns about your ability to participate, please contact Jami Brown (jbrown@bcpsqc.ca) to see if support options are available. We are always seeking to better understand and reduce barriers to participation.
Background
The Fraser Health Infection Prevention and Control Program is dedicated to preventing health care-associated infections. Some of the ways that they do this is by:
• Developing and implementing evidence-based best practices including outbreak management activities.
• Collecting and analyzing data to inform quality improvement initiatives.
• Delivering education on a variety of infection prevention and control topics.
• Providing ongoing expertise and input into all aspects of healthcare including prevention of infection of current and any future facility constructions.
They are looking to include the patient perspective in their work. They believe that having a greater understanding of the patient experience and identifying priorities for patients and their caregivers will prevent infections and strengthen their practices.
Some examples of the projects they are currently working on includes:
• Reviewing and revising the regional standards and practices for cleaning in the health care environment.
• Targeting patient safety initiatives to minimize health care-associated infections.
• Optimizing hand hygiene practices and education.
• Understanding the impact outbreaks and health care associated infections have on the patient experience and brainstorming ideas to improve management.
• Applying a quality improvement lens to infection prevention control practices.
Patient partners will participate with senior leadership by attending regular meetings to learn more about the Infection Prevention Control department, share their perspective and ensure the needs of patients and caregivers are met.
