We encourage you to allow the infection preventionist to determine whether and when your center participates.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed enormous burden on you and your staff, pushing all of you — including and especially the infection preventionist — to your limits. While this program is designed to support the infection preventionist's efforts, it does require extra effort, including supporting the coaches and conducting daily huddles with them.

That said, it may be helpful to consider:

• This is not “yet another program,” but part of an effort already is underway.
• Coaches will offer more eyes and ears to improve infection control practices.
• Adherence data will further your data-driven approach to combat coronavirus.
• The program may mitigate the spread of infection, reducing burden.
• Helping staff acquire coaching skills shows that you are investing in them and their growth.

In the early phase of the program, review the website and materials for all program roles and identify areas where you can offer support, beginning with developing the team of shift coaches.

Help the infection preventionist to recruit coaches across all shifts and units. Who would make a good coach?Think about your strongest players, those who are informal leaders, and those able to influence their peers. Check in with the infection preventionist to see learn how selection is going, discuss choices, and, where appropriate, make suggestions.

Consider, too, whether you can formalize the coaching role as a step in a career ladder process, since becoming a coach expands staff skills and responsibilities.

Champions are one of the most effective strategies to foster and reinforce changes.

Your active participation and support will send the signal that this is important work and keep staff motivated. It will also show the infection preventionist that this program isn't his/hers alone to manage.

What are specific ways in which you can demonstrate your support?

1. Promote the program during meetings and other communications.
2. Highlight why participation is important to your center.
3. Recognize the coaches publicly.
4. Give coaches shirts, buttons, or pins that distinguish them.
5. Incentivize the program with fun prizes.
6. Participate in some of the daily huddles.
7. Put “rounding” appointments on your calendar to check in with people about the program.

Rounding is a powerful way to demonstrate your commitment. When rounding, use the 80/20 rule: 20%, you ask questions; 80%: staff talk and share. Listen for progress, challenges, and successes. Afterwards, jot down any actions you will take as a result of what you heard and close the loop to communicate those actions back to staff.

Finally, if you "see something, say something!" — just like the coaches. Modeling the culture you want to see is an important component of this program.

Check in with the infection preventionist regularly to learn how the program's going. What are the coaches observing? What do the adherence data show?

Your role involves helping to remove any roadblocks, whether that's by brainstorming and implementing solutions or by allocating additional resources.

When all is said and done: your role is to listen, encourage, and support.