With so much about the current pandemic still unknown, healthcare leaders are finding themselves in a seemingly impossible balancing act between dealing with the elements of the unknown surrounding the novel virus while practicing crisis leadership. One key crisis leadership skill is great transparency. And, during a crisis, transparent leadership can at times be much easier said than done. As healthcare leaders, we know how difficult it can be to keep our teams up to date on the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 within our healthcare organizations, especially when it seems to change on an almost hourly basis.
However, when time and resources are hard to come by, even the most basic tools such as information boards can make a huge difference. Fundamental information helps staff know that you are there for them. While information boards are nothing new to nursing, they are a simple way to keep staff informed on a high level. And, with hospitals moving at such a fast pace and numbers changing by the hour, COVID-19 specific information boards are a great way to easily disseminate key information pertaining to the hospital.
What would a COVID-19 Information Board look like?
The tool below is designed to provide staff with a quick snapshot of any basic information they should be aware of surrounding COVID-19, such as the census as well as any shortages of resources and supplies. While ideally this would be used on digital message boards, the information board below can also be listed on white boards at employee entrances to improve visibility. Both can be updated as metrics continue to change throughout the day.
How does it work?
Line 1
COVID-19 in City/County
– Number of positive COVID patients in city/county
Line 2
Rolling 14-day Average in City/County
– Given in total numbers and percent change
Line 3
COVID-19 Positive Patients
– Number of confirmed COVID-19 positive patients in the hospital
Line 4
Availability of PPE supplies
– Green = Sufficient PPE for all daily hospital operations
– Yellow = Likely sufficient assuming inventory orders arrive on time
– Red = Low inventory, working to source additional supplies and may ask for conservation as appropriate
Line 5
House Wide Bed Capacity:
– Green = Beds available and no shortages anticipated
– Yellow = Anticipated bed shortages in the following departments: list departments
– Red = Bed shortages in the following departments: list departments
Lines 6 & 7
ED & ICU Bed Capacity:
– Green = Bed availability
– Yellow = Anticipated shortages
– Red = Current bed shortages
Lines 8-9
External resources being brought in to meet census forecasts
Lines 10
Actual shortages of any supplies or medicine
Line 11
Administrator on call
The purpose of this tool is to provide healthcare leaders across one’s organization with a simple yet effective resource for those healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
