Vitalacy’s Recommended Clinical Workflow

The Vitalacy Hand Hygiene Solution is designed to monitor the most natural clinical workflow when staff perform patient care. While individual workflows may vary depending on facility policies, room layouts, and clinical responsibilities, the following process represents the recommended workflow for optimal system performance and accurate compliance tracking.

Step 1: Wear the SmartBadge Properly

Staff should wear their SmartBadge:

• On the upper torso 
• With the logo facing outward 
• Staff should attach the SmartBadge to their facility badge holder

For best performance:

• Avoid placing the badge in pockets 
• Avoid covering the badge with clothing or equipment 
• Keep the badge attached to your badge reel as often as possible

Proper badge placement helps ensure accurate communication between the badge, room beacons, and dispenser sensors.

Step 2: Perform Hand Hygiene Before and After Patient Care

The Vitalacy system monitors opportunities for both room entry and room exit. When a staff member visits a patient room, the system is looking for a hand hygiene event on room entry and room exit. When performing patient care, staff are generating two opportunities:

• 1 patient bed visit = 2 hand hygiene opportunities 
  • A room entry opportunity occurs when entering the patient room
  • A room exit opportunity occurs when exiting the patient room 

This structure aligns with standard infection prevention practices that encourage hand hygiene both before and after patient care.

Washes may occur before or after entering a patient room or before or after exiting a patient room. Example of where staff may perform hand washes:

• In the hallway 
• At the nurse station 
• Immediately outside the room 
• Upon entering the room (both sanitizer and soap dispensers)

As long as the hand wash occurs within the facility’s compliance window (typically 60 seconds), the opportunity will be considered compliant. 

Step 3: Room Entry Opportunity

When staff enter a patient room, they are producing a room entry opportunity. This opportunity is triggered when the staff member enters the patient zone. 

The patient zone generally includes:

• The entire patient bed area 
• Areas within arm’s reach of the patient 
• Spaces where bedside care normally occurs 
• Areas around bedside equipment such as IV pumps and monitors 
   

If a staff member can comfortably provide bedside care from their position, they are likely inside the patient zone.

Step 4: Room Exit Opportunity 

When a staff member exits a patient room and walks under a hall beacon, it creates a room exit opportunity. 

Infection prevention guidelines encourage staff to perform hand hygiene after completing patient care activities and before moving to another care area. Staff should perform hand hygiene within the compliance window after exiting the patient zone.

This may occur:

• Inside the room before exiting 
• Immediately outside the room 
• Before entering another patient room 

If hand hygiene occurs within the allowed compliance window, the exit opportunity is considered compliant. 

Additionally, consecutive room visits within the compliance window may not require an additional hand hygiene event, and unique room layouts may slightly affect patient zone boundaries and opportunity tracking.

Setting the Right Expectations

Because clinical workflows and room layouts vary across departments, 100% compliance should not be expected. Instead, facilities should focus on establishing realistic baselines and continuous improvement. Vitalacy allows customization of compliance windows, minimum room visit durations, and patient zone configurations to better align with operational workflows. 

Please reach out to help@vitalacy.com for any questions!