Within hospitals and long-term care homes, a “walk through” with a team that has
representation from administration, support staff (environmental management and risk
management) and clinical staff can be an effective way of identifying needed equipment,
eliminating hazards and identifying potential renovations required. Staff working in their own
setting often develop a blindness or a familiarity with the physical environment which prevents
their awareness of potential hazards. Consider having staff not familiar with the environment
and who work outside the area participate in the walk through. Also, including clients and
families in the walk throughs will provide a valuable perspective that only they can provide.
These types of collaborative rounds provide a range of perspectives and ideas to improve
client safety.112 Appendix J provides a sample checklist that can be modified to meet the
needs of different practice settings.
June