Clean Hands for Health
from the Assistant Dean of Design, Jonathan Aitken
In January 2011, our 3rd year core Communication Design class began this project working with the The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. They had been experiencing some challenges in achieving full handwashing compliance among various concerned groups. In a policy guide they state:
“Hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and infections. The Vancouver Coastal Health Board of Directors expects every healthcare professional to clean their hands before and after touching any patient or touching any object that comes in contact with the patient.”
Their current compliance from visitors was reasonably high, but somewhat lower from hospital staff. They asked us to consider the problem generally, and suggest solutions that would include reconsidering the presentation of handwashing stations at the front entrances of the hospitals that would encourage staff and the public to perform hand hygiene. The goal was 100% compliance.
Using a variety of techniques our students considered the problem. Starting with traditional research, they quickly found the relevant data associated with the problem. From there, they applied co-creation techniques to meetings with health-care workers in a class workshop. The outcomes varied considerably as each student group took a slightly different approach. They included interactive touch screens, motion sensors triggering videos and diagrams, wall graphics and print material. The project was very highly received by the client and has generated further work.
Here is a process book from one of the student design teams:
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