Over the past few decades, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has put increased focus on hand hygiene campaigns under the slogan “Clean Hands – Save Lives” following the global recognition of hand hygiene being a key factor in reducing surgical site (SSI) and other hospital associated infections (HAIs)...

There are some conversations with clients that can be potentially more difficult than others....

Transparency is a buzzword in human healthcare that emerged nearly two decades ago, when, in 1999, the Institute of Medicine released the controversial report, To Err is Human. This report estimated that 44,000-98,000 people die every year in the United States because of preventable medical errors. The publication concluded that medicine is imperfect, but can be improved when dialogue is initiated about how to reduce errors. Transparency implies full disclosure and open communication, even when the topic makes the provider vulnerable. For example, transparency requires that the provider be truthful about a medical error. This creates an ethical dilemma for the provider, who may feel morally obligated to share, yet fear retribution. Medical mistakes are not the only circumstance in which transparency may be warranted or desired. This webinar will introduce the communication skill of transparency and highlight how its use may be incorporated into clinical practice in a way that builds the veterinary-client relationship.