cover story
Learning From the Pandemic , Improving Readiness for the Future is the Next Step for IP & C
By Kelly M . Pyrek
As the country emerges cautiously from the COVID-19 pandemic , healthcare facilities are assessing the damage , endeavoring to apply wisdom from lessons learned , and bolstering readiness for the next crisis .
The 2021 Environmental Scan from the American Hospital Association indicated that the top concerns for healthcare leadership , based on surveys of hospital and health system leaders in May 2020 , included loss of revenue , overall financial stability , supply chain risk , staff getting sick , and furloughing staff ( Source : “ Evolving U . S . Healthcare Needs and Attitudes During COVID-19 ,” Sage Growth Partners , June 30 , 2020 ). From the nurse leadership perspective , top challenges during the pandemic as of July 2020 were communicating and implementing changing policies ; surge staffing , training and reallocation ; emotional health and well-being of staff ; and access to personal protective equipment ( PPE ) and other supplies ( Source : “ Nursing Leadership COVID-19 Survey Key Findings ,” American Organization for Nursing Leadership and Joslin Marketing , Aug . 4 , 2020 ).
“ Preparedness is essential when we reflect upon the past year and look ahead
When faced with crisis , the standards of safety and quality continue to underpin strategies to provide optimal patient outcomes .”
— Katie Boston-Leary , PhD , MBA , MHA ,
RN , NEA-BC to future threats ,” says Katie Boston-Leary , PhD , MBA , MHA , RN , NEA-BC , director of nursing programs in the Department of Nursing Practice & Work Environment at the American Nurses Association ( ANA ). “ When faced with crisis , the standards of safety and quality continue to underpin strategies to provide optimal patient outcomes . The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us , through the breakdown in our supply of PPE , that the health and safety of healthcare staff and patients alike are threatened and compromised when appropriate preparedness measures are lacking . We also learned that lack of preparedness resulting in the diversion of infection prevention and control supplies such as PPE in the form of gowns and gloves for patients on contact precautions creates vulnerabilities and associated risk of increase in HAI . Even during times of patient surge , whether due to natural disaster , endemic , or a global pandemic , the tools and resources for the implementation of infection control measures at every level of care must remain a key consideration in preparedness planning and healthcare provision . The pandemic has highlighted the role appropriate staffing plays in quality and safety and how an overburdened workforce results in breakdowns in care measures . Additionally , we ’ ve learned the importance of the purview and value of the role of infection preventionists in the development and evaluation of care planning for health systems beyond crisis response , and the need for the ongoing integration of infection control education for all staff to improve outcomes .”
Moving into the recovery phase in mid-2021 , there are evolving hospital operations and priorities . The AHA ’ s 2021 Environmental Scan notes that the top changes made due to the crisis in hospital and health system operations include limiting visitors to essential personnel only , greater adoption of virtual service , and better enforcement of safety precautions ( Source : “ Evolving U . S . Healthcare Needs and Attitudes During COVID-19 ,” Sage Growth Partners , June 30 , 2020 ). Top priorities , according to healthcare leadership , are patient safety , finance , and human capital / workforce management .
Seventy-one percent of healthcare leadership surveyed said they believe changes brought about by COVID-19 will be an opportunity for growth , and 90 percent of healthcare leaders agree that the COVID-19 crisis will fundamentally change the way they do business over the next five years . The AHA ’ s 2021 Environmental Scan indicates the following ways in which the pandemic may have changed healthcare permanently :
• Technology , including acceleration of telemedicine and digital health options , plus innovations relating to drones and robotics
• Expansion of health reimbursement arrangements for employees
• New strategies for elective surgeries
• Growth of home-health aides
• A focus on racial disparities
• A push for government to negotiate drug prices
• Development of local supply chain sources / increase of U . S . drug manufacturing
• A new era of healthcare preparedness
• Increased scope of practice for non-physicians
• New payment models and a shift away from fee for service
At the heart of the pandemic and leading the way through it and beyond are infection preventionists ( IPs ), who dug in and showed remarkable grit along with their colleagues on the frontlines of patient care . Imperative to moving forward is a comprehensive risk assessment to take stock of lingering threats and identifying opportunities for improvement at the institutional level , according