Northern teams embrace safety navigator role
The safety navigator program is a key reason the Lakeview Pioneer Lodge in Wakaw has been able to keep a lid on COVID-19 this past year, says Michael Lummerding, the facility’s administrator/CEO.
“Since February, we’ve had one outbreak, limited to rhinovirus, and a small COVID outbreak, limited to two staff,” said Lummerding.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) affiliate implemented the program in April when two staff members were recruited to the role.
Safety navigators perform facility safety walks where they observe staffs’ hand hygiene practices, donning and doffing of personal protective equipment, compliance with masking and social distancing, and ensure pre-screening practices at the home’s entry meets infection prevention and control standards. If the safety navigators see something isn’t quite right, they gently coach staff on the correct methods in the moment. Observations are discussed and tracked at the daily huddle and at visibility walls. Understanding and correcting the root cause is an essential part of the work.
The safety navigators are a “watchful second eye” that promote outbreak mitigation and management, said Lummerding.
“The program creates awareness for both staff and residents, engaging them in daily learning. It’s a reminder system that keeps everyone on track,” he said. “Some of the benefits include reduced outbreaks, reduced infections, reduced staff sick time and overall healthier residents.
“In the past several months,” continued Lummerding, “it’s safe to say our residents have experienced fewer colds, fewer gastric issues and fewer viruses in general compared to a normal year which, I believe is directly related to having safety navigators on board.”
Wakaw’s two safety navigators are part of a larger initiative implemented this year which has seen 78 staff members in northern Saskatchewan adopt this role.
Penni Caron and Garrett Neil have been instrumental in introducing the program to the area which is supported by the Integrated Health Incident Command Centre – North (IHICC – North). Caron is SHA’s director of Clinical Integration for Continuing Care and Outbreak Management Team lead for Integrated Northern Health. Neil is the director of Quality and Safety – North.
Neil learned about the program in early 2021 from Regina, where it was already in place.
At the time, he said the North had wanted to build on its outbreak management program and he and his team saw how incorporating the safety navigator initiative would embed safety practices at the facility level.
“We were finding that deficiencies could be identified but who really had the availability and capacity to go and try to implement fixes or do coaching with staff? That was largely the main trigger,” said Neil.
Caron and Neil recognize that by recruiting internally they have been able to embed quality and safety behaviors and practices into daily practices.
“We really started to advocate for the program with our leadership to help them understand how it would benefit them,” said Caron.
Safety navigator training includes completion of provincial training modules and a competency assessment. Quality and Safety also provides resources and ongoing support.
Forty-two acute care, long-term care and primary care sites in 28 northern communities now have at least one safety navigator in place. The goal, said Caron, is to have at least one in every acute care and long-term care site in the North. “We are continuing to work towards that,” she said.
Neil said he can’t believe the program has taken root so quickly.
“I would love to recognize the willingness and collaboration of the teams that have supported this effort. . . We’ve really come together and I think we will be able to maintain our program into the future because of that.”
