Quality Improvement Project

Improving Sanitary Practices

at a Hospital Kitchen

By: Kacy Shaffer,

Dietetic Intern
Executive
Proper sanitary practices
are important for
preventing foodborne
Summary illnesses.
These practices are not
being consistently
followed.
An intervention to
improve these practices
was created.
Literature
Healthy People goals for
reducing foodborne
pathogens were not met.

Review Safe handling

recommendation: clean,
separate, cook, chill.
Major challenge to food
safety: getting staff to
practice what they are
taught.
(Schilling, 2009; U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, 2017).
 The Cleaning and sanitizing
solution lists created for

Intervention staff to complete, then

initial.
Cleaning list includes
cleaning and sanitizing work
station thoroughly.
Sanitizing solution list
includes chaning the solution
every two hours.
Manager will check, then
initial before staff leaves.
Materials & Discussed expectations with
staff at huddle each morning.

Methods
Clean and sanitize food contact
surfaces.
Change sanitizing solution every
two hours.
Clean and sanitize area before
leaving.
One set of daily cleaning
sheets for each position.
One set of sanitizer solution
logs for each station.
A manager will check each
before employees leave.
 Desired Overall goal: Improve
sanitary practices for
Outcomes food contact surfaces.
Objective: After the
lists are created, staff
will complete and
initial them 90% of
the time.
 Tray Line Employees: Clean and sanitize work station,
wiping shelves and counters and sweeping underneath them.
Example of a Date:
Position Employee initial Manager initial
Cleaning List T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
This would be in a chart on a T7
T8
sheet of paper for employees and
T9
managers to sign after each shift. T10
T11
T12
 Sanitizing Solution Log: Change every two hours, then initial.
Month:

Example of a Day 6am 8am 10am 12pm 2pm 4pm 6pm 8pm

Sanitizer 1

Solution Log 3

5
This would be in a chart on a
sheet of paper for employees and 6

managers to sign after each shift. 7

10

11

12
Results

Sheets not implemented.
Discussions at meetings and
huddles did result in change.
Work stations cleaned more
thoroughly and consistently.
Sanitizer buckets being
changed for some staff.
Overall benefit: decreasing
risk of foodborne illness.
 Discussion & Importance of getting all
managers and staff on
Recommendations board for intervention.
Educate staff on the
importance of sanitation
and link to foodborne
illness.
Continue to discuss at
huddles and report on
progress.
 References

Hussain, M. A. & Dawson, C. O. (2013). Economic impact of food safety outbreaks on food businesses.
Foods, 2, 585 589.
Schilling, B. (2009). The little things still matter. Retrieved from
http://www.foodservicedirector.com/managing-your-business/ensuring-food-safety/articles/little
-things-still-matter
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2017). Food safety. Retrieved from
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/food-safety