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STOP STICKS CAMPAIGN

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Evaluation: Measuring Campaign Impact

Overview

Evaluating the impact of your safety blitz is invaluable for measuring success and learning how to improve future safety activities. The materials provided here will enable you to easily measure the impact of your safety blitz. Use the pre- and post-tests and the observation survey forms to evaluate how staff in general, and specifically in targeted departments such as the operating room (OR), are impacted by the STOP STICKS campaign.

generic sharps injury data display

Pre- and post-test evaluation instructions

1: Choose the evaluation instrument

One set of pre- and post-tests are intended specifically for OR staff, while the other may be used with facility staff in general. The test you choose will depend on the scope of your safety campaign and the intended audience. You may want to add or subtract questions to the pre- and post-tests depending on issues of current importance nationally or in your facility.

2: Select an evaluation coordinator

Designate an individual to be responsible for distributing and collecting the pre- and post-test survey forms. This person should be listed on the forms as the contact person with a phone number and other contact information.

3: Collect data

Distribute the surveys to employees at staff meetings. Explain the participation information included on the first page to alleviate possible employee concerns about being singled out for responses. This will ensure that you collect high-quality data. You may decide to have employees complete the surveys during the meeting and collect them in the same meeting, or have them returned to the contact person listed on the form, depending on time demands.

4: Organize data

Survey results can be entered into Microsoft Excel or any basic data sheet program. Comparing before and after attitudes and behavior will allow you to demonstrate change due to the impact of the sharps safety campaign activities. For more in-depth evaluations of campaign impact, you may want to consult with a data-analysis expert.

5: Share data

Share results of the pre- and post-test surveys with staff following the completion of the sharps safety campaign and all evaluation activities.

Operating room (OR) observation form instructions

The OR observation form can be used to find out how safely OR staff are working in regard to bloodborne pathogen exposure prevention.

1: Select a designated observer or small group of observers

Select an individual or small group to act as OR observers. Individuals assigned this task must be able to reliably observe specific OR safety behaviors.

The individuals selected as observers may include:

  • Volunteers (if staffing is adequate for employees to be diverted from other duties)
  • Circulating nurses
  • Scrub techs
  • Nurse managers
  • Students or interns who have been trained by OR staff to effectively complete observations

2: Identify a random set of surgery cases (approximately 10 or more) for 30-minute observation

Observation sessions are standardized to 30 minutes each to make them comparable across cases and to enable for post-blitz evaluation comparisons.

3: Train observers to conduct observational evaluations using the Behavioral Observation Form

Observers use the form to tally each instance of the behavior observed. At the conclusion of the observation session, the percent-safe score for each behavior is calculated using the formula provided.

For those conducting the observational evaluations:

  • Observers should not reveal to those they are observing exactly which behaviors they are evaluating.
  • If asked by staff what they are recording, observers may give general responses such as "overall safety" or "a time study."

4: Have surgical staff complete a Behavioral Consent Form prior to the observation period

The observer should complete this step to assure those they are observing that all information observed will remain confidential and no personnel will be identified. Check with your facility's institutional review board for guidance on maintaining these documents.

5: Collect data

Observe several surgery cases both before and after the STOP STICKS campaign. The number of cases you decide to observe will depend on available personnel to collect the observation data, but observing more cases will provide a better indicator of bloodborne pathogen exposure prevention in the OR.

6: Organize data

Enter observation results into Microsoft Excel or any basic data sheet program. This will enable before and after comparisons over time to demonstrate change due to the impact of the STOP STICKS campaign. For more in-depth evaluations of campaign impact, you may want to consult with a data-analysis expert.

7: Share data

Share results of the observations with staff following the completion of the sharps safety blitz and all evaluation activities.

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  • Page last reviewed: June 26, 2013
  • Page last updated: June 24, 2011
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