(Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Monday, 20 January, 2020): InterHealth Canada – Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital hosted a team building activity across medical centers called ‘The Amazing Race’ during the months of November and December to reinforce various organizational practices (ROP’s) for patient safety.

Teams were required to out-smart and out-race their fellow competitors’ in brain teaser exercises across numerous checkpoints with the ultimate goal of getting to the finish line in the quickest net time. Participants comprised of employees from facilities management and clinical departments.

Each checkpoint required teams to complete a challenge to receive their next clue as a reward. Teams were mandated to present evidence of task completion, similar to the format used in real health care accreditation assessments.

Bonus time credits of 30 minutes were granted for certain tasks and deducted from the end finish time. Other activities for staff included health and wellness screenings and a raffle for health prizes. Below is an outline of the instructions given to participants during the Amazing Race component.

IN ORDER TO COLLECT YOUR FIRST CLUE:- Look at the jar of kettle corns. Guess how many kettle corns are in the jar. Write your guess on your notepad and hand it to the gatekeeper. If your team is off by more than 50 candy corns, she will tell you if your guess is too high or too low. If your guess is not within 50candy corns, you must wait one full minute before guessing again. Once your guess is within 50 candy corns, you will receive your first clue.

CLUE NO. 1- CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON YOUR FIRST CLUE, BUT TO MOVE ON, THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST DO… FIND ME IN THE ROOM WHERE MANAGERS MEET TO COMPLETE YOUR NEXT FEAT. [ANSWER: BOARD ROOM]

ROAD BLOCK – IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR NEXT CLUE YOUR TEAM MUST WORK TOGETHER TO UNSCRAMBLE THE FOLLOWING PHRASES THAT REPRESENT REQUIRED ORGANISATIONAL PRACTICES – ONCE CORRECTLY COMPLETED, YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY. COLLECT YOUR NEXT ENVELOPE TO VIEW CLUE NO.2.

CLUE NO. 2- YOUR NEXT TASK LIES AHEAD, PLEASE DO NOT CEASE, FIND IT WHERE WE REST THE DECEASED. [ANSWER: MORGUE ENTRANCE]

SPEED BUMP- HIGH FIVE!- ALL TEAM MEMBERS MUST GIVE A PSA/PORTER/CLEANER A HIGH FIVE AND TELL THEM JOB WELL DONE! THE RECIPIENT OF THE HIGH FIVE MUST SIGN TO SAY THAT THIS CAME TRUE, THEN MOVE ON TO RETRIEVE THE NEXT CLUE. FIND ME WASHING ALL DAY LONG, CLEAN AND WARM IS WHERE I BELONG. [ANSWER: LAUNDRY DEPARTMENT]

CLUE NO. 3- TO FIND YOUR NEXT CLUE, GO TO WHERE AT 38 WEEKS YOU ARE DUE, SHUUU! DON’T FLUTTER LIKE A BIRD, I’M SITTING WHERE YOU WRITE ON ME BUT LEAVE NO WORDS. [ANSWER: MATERNITY FRONT DESK]

CLUE NO. 4- VISIT THE DEPARTMENT WHERE YOU ENTER WITH ALL THE PARTS YOU’VE GOT. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LEAVE, YOU MAY NOT. [ANSWER: SURGICAL SUITES]

SPEED BUMP- TAKE THREE GROUP PICTURES WITH FIVE DIFFERENT CONSENTING PATIENTS HOLDING “THE WORLD QUALITY DAY”- “TCI HOSPITAL BUILDING QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS ONE PATIENT AT A TIME” SIGN. COLLECT THE NEXT ACTIVITY FROM THE LADIES WHO HELP US REMEMBER WHAT WE SAY… USING HOURS TAKING MINUTES AWAY…[ANSWER: EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OFFICE]

ROAD BLOCK- “THE PITCH” EACH TEAM MEMBER MUST HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH TWO PATIENTS IN THE OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING SCRIPT:- “Good Day Sir/ Madame, We at the TCI Hospital need your help to ensure that every patient in our care is kept safe from any harm. The patient is also a part of the team. As part of the care giving team we need you to always raise concerns, ask questions and speak up if you don’t understand what is being communicated. Please also remember, clean hands makes for safe care. Ask your health care provider to clean their hands before touching you. Together we can ensure safety for all. Thank you.”

YOU ARE ALMOST DONE; THE PATIENT MUST NOW SIGN TO ENSURE THAT THIS TASK WAS WON. COLLECT THE NEXT CLUE WHERE THE HOSPITAL WELCOMES YOU! [ANSWER: MAIN RECEPTION DESK]

CLUE NO. 5- HERE’S WHAT YOU MUST DO- GO TO THE OFFICE WHERE BUGS ARE BANNED AND BE SURE TO SHOW YOUR HAND. [ANSWER: INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL DEPARTMENT]

SPEED BUMP- THIS IS A MUST, CLEAN HANDS WE MUST TRUST! ALL TEAM MEMBERS MUST DEMONSTRATE CORRECT HAND WASHING TECHNIQUES WITHIN A 20-30 SECOND WINDOW.

CLUE NO. 6- QUICK!!! TIME IS WASTING, YOU’RE ALSO DONE, HOWEVER YOU MUST RETURN TO WHERE YOU’VE BEGUN..ALL CLUES IN HAND.

ENDS