Safety Coaching
Safety Is in Our DNA
Safety coaching is all about keeping patients, families, employees and visitors safe. Safety coaches at Cincinnati Children’s include staff from all areas of the medical center who:
- Spread the reliable use of expected safety behaviors to reduce harm to patients, families, employees and visitors
- Help teach and support their colleagues in safe practices
- Encourage open communication about safety at all levels
- Identify and share safety improvement opportunities and build accountability throughout Cincinnati Children’s
A robust safety coach program is believed to be key in reinforcing error prevention behaviors throughout the medical center. Changing behavior is a fundamental step in developing a culture of high reliability. One key outcome of a culture of high reliability is reduction in serious safety events. Serious safety events result when deviation from best practice care causes significant harm to a patient.
All Teach, All Learn
Our Safety Coaching Program, which began at Cincinnati Children's in 2007, encourages all staff to report safety concerns by giving them appropriate tools to do so. Safety coaches develop safety initiatives on their own or in collaboration with colleagues based on the information they gather by completing behavioral observation tools (BOTs). The BOTs provide information about the use of expected safety behaviors and what staff members are doing well and where they need additional coaching.
Safety coaches also attend monthly housewide meetings, continuously coach colleagues, encourage others to coach for safety and help to spur safety improvement initiatives in their areas.
Build Your Own Program
If you would like to start your own safety coach program, contact patientsafety@cchmc.org.
