The words used to describe a required task — like doing a timeout prior to surgery, for example — have a direct impact on whether staff members comply with that task, according to LifeWings' CEO Steve Harden.
In the military, the words "shall" and "must" are used to describe required tasks. However, those words are not ideal for the healthcare setting.
Instead, Mr. Harden suggests using "mandatory" to describe a required task. "When 'mandatory' is used, 98 percent of staff understand that this means they must to the behavior or task," according to a LifeWings news release. "When the word 'required' is used, only 68 percent of staff recognize that they must do the desired behavior or task."
When it comes to boosting staff compliance with patient safety protocols, Mr. Harden offered the following two pieces of advice:
• Put the requirement in writing to speak up and be assertive
• Write the requirement using "mandatory" in the language
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