Time for Trivia – Adapting Methods of Providing Real Time Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

As we learn more about SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), caregivers are frequently adapting to changing guidance on how to safely care for patients. Given increased staffing shortages, high turnover, and burnout, caregivers require additional support to stay updated on the latest standards. To support caregivers, Infection Preventionists (IP) regularly round to identify gaps and provide education. Rounding often reveals an increased need for education on the latest policies as well as morale. While it initially consisted of audits with immediate feedback, there is a clear need to adapt this practice to effectively engage caregivers real time.

Methods

IP transitioned from audit sheet rounding to a trifold board labeled, “Trivia Time with Infection Prevention!” that incorporated uplifting messages, fun trivia, and COVID-19 education questions with candy as positive reinforcement for participation. Selecting COVID-19 questions was rewarded with an extra piece of candy to increase staff engagement on the topic. Prior to each rounding, IP evaluated COVID-19 questions to ensure that questions targeted any observed gaps in compliance and educated to recently updated standards. Rotating days and times, IP rounded to as many departments as possible, including but not limited to inpatient and outpatient departments, surgical services, environmental services, and nutrition.

Results

The visual transformation from clipboards to a trifold board drew a natural audience and caregivers were more welcoming of IP interrupting their workflow. Paired with rotated rounding, this provided effective education to multiple caregivers at one time throughout the campus. Overall, this strengthened rapport between caregivers and IP, boosted morale, improved caregiver understanding of COVID-19 policy changes, and stimulated further discussions beyond COVID-19 guidelines for additional education.

Conclusions

Changing our method of real time education demonstrates several positive outcomes that support adapting methods of providing education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach may be expanded to support additional educational demands outside of pandemic topics.