As the winter season approaches, influenza activity continues to increase. The CDC urges everyone 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine to prevent the spread of the illness. However, influenza isn’t the only disease that spreads during the winter months. In addition to vaccination, it’s important that businesses, schools, and healthcare facilities continue to promote healthy hygiene habits to help protect employees, students, and patients.

Practicing Proper Hand Hygiene

Cleaning your hands is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect you from the spread of germs. Facilities that do their part to encourage healthy hand hygiene can reduce the spread of illness among staff and visitors.

Hand Washes and Hand Sanitizers

Finding products that don’t dry out hands and leave no sticky residue behind plays an important role in creating a culture of hand hygiene. Symmetry^® products are gentle on your skin because Symmetry understands the importance of providing products that people want to use.

Symmetry hand washes and hand sanitizers reduce common disease-causing bacteria. They are designed for repeated use and are formulated with ingredients like ethyl alcohol, allantoin, aloe, and vitamin E. 

Tools and Resources

Oftentimes a large barrier to reducing the spread of illness is education. Supporting your hand hygiene products with educational tools like posters and signs can help bring awareness to the importance of hand hygiene and educate facility visitors about proper hand hygiene practices.

Symmetry has a variety of tools including Education and Awareness posters and the Symmetry Behavior Modification System (SBMS). SBMS utilizes behavioral science to drive hand hygiene practices in the moment. With colorful dispensers, messaged or mirrored placards, floor decals, and flashing lights, Symmetry draws the eye to a hand hygiene opportunity to encourage the user to participate.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Appropriately 

Cleaning and disinfecting regularly is a year-round task that might need to be revisited during respiratory illness season. Frequently touched objects like doorknobs, light switches, and keyboards should be routinely cleaned and disinfected. Proper disinfection includes making sure your chemicals are diluted correctly so that they can kill the organisms on the label.

Products like Eco^® One-Step Disinfectant/Deodorizer/Cleaner E22 and Eco Neutral Disinfectant E23 combat many common disease-causing organisms, including Influenza A Virus and many other organisms. The Eco Proportioning Program includes proportioning systems that automatically dilute cleaners and disinfectants for any room in your facility. This takes the guess work out of product dilution and ensures your facility is cleaned with products that get the job done.

For more information on how Buckeye products and programs can help you combat the illness in your facility, contact one of our expert representatives.

Established in 1986, International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) celebrates Infection Preventionists and aims to assist in decreasing the spread of infection in healthcare facilities. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Fundamentals of Infection Prevention” with a goal to return to the basics of infection prevention.

The Basics

Understanding the basics of infection prevention begins with hand hygiene. Cleaning hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer can make a huge difference in infection prevention. According to the World Health Organization, “Appropriate hand hygiene prevents up to 50% of avoidable infections acquired during healthcare delivery, including those affecting the health work force.”

Improving Hand Hygiene Compliance 

Infection Preventionists are working every day to break the chain of infection throughout the continuum of care. One of the best ways to reduce healthcare associated infections (HAIs) is to improve hand hygiene compliance rates. How do you improve hand hygiene compliance rates?

Acceptance + Compliance = Lower HAIs

If healthcare workers like the hand hygiene products available to them, they will use those products and, as a result, help prevent HAIs.

Symmetry Hand Hygiene 

Symmetry manufactures products that outperform other hand hygiene lines in overall quality and feel after repeated use. These products are gentle on healthcare workers’ hands, encouraging them to wash and sanitize them frequently.

With Point of Care Tools like lanyards, tray table suction cups, and cart brackets, Symmetry strives to make hand hygiene available throughout the workflow. The Symmetry Hand Hygiene Program also utilizes behavioral science to drive hand hygiene compliance. These unique placards, beacons, and visual lighting cues help draw attention to opportunities for hand hygiene in the moment.

Learn more about the complete program and how Symmetry works with Infection Preventionists to increase hand hygiene compliance and reduce infections in healthcare facilities by contacting your local representative.

Thank you to all the Infection Preventionists who are doing their part to keep healthcare facilities safe for everyone.

Is there a driving force behind the decisions we make? Can behavioral science improve hand hygiene practices? Behavioral science focuses on the way humans interact with the world and the cognitive processes that drive those action. For manufacturers, understanding these decision-making processes can help with product design and in-store placement. A famous example of this can be seen in the check-out lanes of your local grocery store. Various candy, gum, and chip companies have realized that by placing their products near check-out lanes, directly in the sight of children increases sales dramatically.

For the Symmetry^® Hand Hygiene Program, behavioral science has provided a way to influence healthy hand hygiene practices. Working with Dr. Adam Alter, a Behavioral Scientist, Symmetry has developed the Symmetry Behavior Modification System (SBMS), a set of unique, cost-effective tools, based on six key tenets, designed to inspire hand hygiene compliance.

Each SBMS tool is inspired by six key tenets, benevolence, responsibility, accountability, variation, emotion, and direction. Colored dispensers can provide variation, drawing attention to hand hygiene opportunities. Symmetry’s messaged and mirrored placards can inspire benevolence, responsibly, accountability, and emotion, triggering the desire to wash or sanitize hands. Symmetry also provides floor decals to guide users towards hand sanitizers and hand washes.

Some other SBMS tools include features like motion detection and video displays. The Symmetry Visual Lighting Cue (VLC) can help dramatically increase hand hygiene compliance. The VLC flashes an amber or red light to draw attention to the dispenser, reminding people to practice hand hygiene. Similarly, the Symmetry Behavioral Beacon uses emoticon light projections to trigger a response. The Behavioral Beacon has the ability to project thumbs up, smiley face, and heart emoticons.

The new Symmetry MOTIV placard is a digital behavioral driver that uses motion and sound to trigger a response to take action. With one GB of memory and a ten-hour run time, MOTIV uses imagery and variation to keep messaging fresh all day long.

Symmetry’s numerous tools give all facilities the options they need to increase healthy hand hygiene practices among guests and staff. Contact your Symmetry representative to discover which SBMS tools are right for your facility.

Preventing the spread of the flu begins with the flu shot. This year getting the flu shot means more than protecting yourself and others from the flu. It can reduce the strain on healthcare systems as they continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC recommends getting your flu shot before the end of October, but the vaccine is usually available for most of the flu season.

In addition to getting the flu shot, implementing a hand hygiene program can keep germs from spreading in your facility. Washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. The Symmetry^® Hand Hygiene Program offers a complete line of hand hygiene products that are gentle on your hands while reducing common disease-causing bacteria.

Symmetry also offers tools to help encourage people in your facility to practice proper hand hygiene. These tools are key to reducing the spread of diseases like the flu and COVID-19. The Symmetry Behavior Modification System (SBMS) uses behavioral science to drive immediate hand hygiene practices with eye-catching customizable placards and signs. Symmetry also offers educational signs, posters, and videos to demonstrate the importance of hand hygiene.

Facilities can also fight the flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory infections with Buckeye’s disinfectants. Disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces is key in preventing the spread of germs. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved several Buckeye products for use against COVID-19. These products include Buckeye Terminator™, Eco^® One-Step Disinfectant-Deodorizer-Cleaner E22, Sanicare Disinfecting Wipes, and Sanicare TBX^™.

For more information about Buckeye programs and how to prevent the spread of the flu in your facility, contact your local Buckeye representative.

What steps can you take to increase hand hygiene compliance, reduce the spread of germs, and enhance the safety of the patient population?

The Symmetry^® Hand Hygiene Program provides the tools to help stop the reduce of HAIs (Healthcare Associated Infections), including employee-preferred hand hygiene products, Behavior Modification tools, and Point of Care tools.

Symmetry products clean and are less likely to contribute to dry hands. They don't leave a sticky residue and reduce common disease-causing bacteria. When surveyed, 97% of healthcare workers prefer Symmetry products over their previous hand hygiene products. They are gentle on hands, leave them feeling soft and refreshed, and rinse easily making it easy to apply gloves.

In addition to providing the best products for clinicians, Symmetry knows that one of the best ways to encourage hand hygiene compliance is through the use of other tools such as the Symmetry Behavior Modification System (SBMS). Symmetry Behavior Modification tools include colored dispensers, Behavioral Driver Placards, and signs with messages designed to maximize hand hygiene practices.

Symmetry also offers Visual Lighting Cues (VLCs) for dispensers. The American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) published a study that measured hand hygiene compliance using visual lighting cues. The study concluded that a flashing light affixed to hand hygiene dispensers drew attention to the dispenser, and approximately doubled hand hygiene compliance.

For healthcare facilities looking to improve hand hygiene compliance to reduce the spread of germs, utilizing Symmetry’s Behavior Modification tools can draw attention to opportunities for hand hygiene, but Behavior Modification tools are not the only way to improve hand hygiene practices. Symmetry also offers Point of Care tools for moments when healthcare workers are in contact with patients and at the highest risk of spreading germs.

Point of Care tools are specifically designed so that healthcare workers have access to hand sanitizer during the 5 moments for hand hygiene. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines these moments as before patient contact, before aseptic task, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, and after contact with patient surroundings.

Symmetry’s Point of Care tools include 50 ml patient tray table/ W.O.W. clips, 550 ml suction cup, 50 ml lanyard, 50 ml suction cup, and 550 ml anesthesia cart bracket. For nurses and other healthcare workers coming in contact with patients, these tools make hand hygiene products immediately available and convenient.

A complete hand hygiene program provides all the tools necessary to reduce the spread of germs and bacteria in healthcare facilities. Tools that can spread awareness and simplify the hand hygiene process for workers can assist in creating a cleaner environment for patients, visitors, and staff members.

For more information on the kinds of tools Symmetry can provide to healthcare facilities, contact your local Buckeye representative.

“Many HAIs (healthcare-associated infections) are transmitted by healthcare personnel, and hand hygiene is a primary means to reduce these infections.” – Health Research & Education Trust, affiliate of the American Hospital Association

Hand hygiene noncompliance is a major contributor to the spread of HAIs. It’s also one of the easiest practices to improve. Symmetry’s goal is to provide products that healthcare workers want to use. With reliable dispensers and better products, healthcare workers are more likely to follow hand hygiene compliance policies.

Symmetry products are less likely to contribute to dry hands or leave sticky residue behind. Through clinical evaluation, Symmetry consistently proves to be the preferred choice of healthcare workers. Because Symmetry provides products that healthcare workers prefer, workers are more likely to clean their hands and help reduce the spread of germs.

To keep hand hygiene on the minds of staff, visitors, and patients, Symmetry offers the Symmetry Behavior Modification System (SBMS). SBMS utilizes behavioral science to drive hand hygiene compliance. With unique tools based on the six key tenets of benevolence, accountability, responsibility, variation, emotion, and direction, SBMS inspires immediate hand hygiene practices.

Symmetry also uses point of care tools to focus on the five moments for hand hygiene. The five moments for hand hygiene approach defines key moments when healthcare workers should perform hand hygiene. Symmetry’s point of care tools include suction cups, lanyards, and cart brackets to give healthcare workers easy access to hand hygiene opportunities while working directly with patients. 

The tools of the Symmetry® Hand Hygiene Program make it easier for healthcare workers to access Symmetry products. They keep hand hygiene on the minds of people throughout healthcare facilities and help convey the importance of hand hygiene. Contact your local Buckeye representative for more information on how Symmetry can help healthcare facilities fight HAIs.

As the importance of hand hygiene has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic, establishing a complete hand hygiene program in your facility can help provide peace of mind and reduce the spread of germs. The Symmetry Behavior Modification System (SBMS) is part of what makes the Symmetry^® Hand Hygiene Program unique. While other hand hygiene lines simply provide products, Symmetry works to develop a complete program that inspires better hand hygiene practices. Behavioral science has been key to developing tools any facility can use to encourage users to keep their hands clean.

Many major manufacturers employ people with PhDs in Behavioral Science to identify and capitalize on various stimuli that influence our behavior and, ultimately, lead us to purchasing their products. Behavioral science is behind the strategic placement of candy in checkout lanes at stores. Children can easily spot and grab candy while waiting for their parents to checkout. Once a candy bar is in a child’s hands, the likelihood that it will be purchased goes up significantly.

Symmetry worked with Dr. Adam Alter to discover ways behavioral science could be used to promote better hand hygiene. Dr. Alter has a PhD in Behavioral Science and is the New York Times best-selling author of Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces that Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave. Together, Symmetry and Dr. Alter created the Symmetry Behavior Modification System.

Unlike negative motivators, SBMS is based on six key tenets that offer a positive approach designed to inspire. Symmetry’s six tenets are benevolence, responsibility, accountability, variation, emotion, and direction. Each tenet offers a unique way to drive compliance.

Symmetry’s Behavior Modification tools include variety in dispensers. Symmetry dispensers come in various colors and can even be customized with your facility’s logo and colors. Dispensers can also be fitted with Visual Lighting Cues (VLCS). VLCS flash periodically to draw attention to dispensers and encourage an immediate hand hygiene event.

In addition to attention-drawing dispensers, Symmetry provides Behavior Modification placards. These cards sit atop dispensers and are customized with inspiring messages like, “Support Healthy Hands. It Only Takes 20 Seconds.” They are designed to be placed on dispensers throughout a facility to provide variation. The more variation in dispensers, the more likely it is that a user will notice an opportunity to sanitize or wash hands.

Finally, Symmetry provides floor decals in the shape of Happy Feet Biscuit Paws (a reference to the Symmetry Hand Hygiene Program’s mascot Biscuit, the Paw Washing Dog), or custom options. Floor decals can be used to guide users towards dispensers and drive hand hygiene practices.

These added features can mean the difference between an effective hand hygiene program and an average hand hygiene program. The impact of COVID-19 has driven a need for hand hygiene products, but providing high quality products is just part of improving hand hygiene practices in any facility. Symmetry takes their program one step further by providing behavior modification tools to encourage users to take advantage of the high-quality hand hygiene products they have available to them. To find out how Symmetry can customize their Behavior Modification System to fit your facility, contact your local Buckeye representative.

Studies in behavioral science have shown that using colors, mirrors, floor decals, and other stimuli can influence human behavior. In grocery stores, manufacturers pay retailers to merchandise their products in strategic locations to increase the likelihood that those products will be purchased. Candy bars are strategically placed at the eye level of children to increase the likelihood of purchase. Some manufacturers will provide stores with floor decals that lead to their products.

Many manufacturers employ people with PhDs in Behavioral Science to identify the best way to stimulate a potential customer into making a purchase. The Symmetry Hand Hygiene Program worked with Behavioral Scientist, Dr. Adam Alter, to find out how to increase hand hygiene practices with behavioral science.

Together, Dr. Alter and Symmetry came up with several behavior modification tools based on the six key tenets of benevolence, accountability, responsibility, variation, emotion, and direction. These include dispenser colors, placards, visual lighting cues, and floor decals that can be used in a variety of facilities. The Symmetry placards include messages or mirrors to encourage an immediate response. They are placed directly above a dispenser and can be rotated periodically. Symmetry dispensers can also be fitted with visual lighting cues. These flashing lights are designed to draw attention to dispensers. Floor decals offered by Symmetry can subtly direct individuals to dispensers.

All of these tools are designed to increase proper hand hygiene practices in your facility. They serve as reminders but are not intended to be used for all dispensers. The best way to implement Symmetry behavior modification system is to rotate the tools throughout the facility. This creates variation, changes sight-lines, and continues to capture attention.

The Symmetry Behavior Modification System is just one added benefit of the Symmetry Hand Hygiene Program. Symmetry offers a complete line of hand hygiene products including hand sanitizers and hand washes. Symmetry dispensers are reliable with large sight windows for checking product levels. The program comes with education and awareness tools and everything your facility needs to improve hand hygiene practices.

Contact your local Buckeye representative to find out more about the Symmetry Hand Hygiene Program and the Behavior Modification System.

Last year the spread of the flu reached epidemic levels across the United States. With flu season upon us, it’s important to remember the best ways to keep the flu at bay. The most effective way to prevent the flu is to get the flu vaccine. The CDC is recommending individuals get vaccinated by the end of October.

There are other important ways to prevent the spread of the flu. Because the flu is spread through contact, the CDC also recommends washing hands often. The CDC provides tips for when and how to wash your hands to help protect the health of those around you here.

In your facility, implementing a complete hand hygiene program can help reduce the spread of germs. The Symmetry^® Hand Hygiene Program has all the tools needed to tackle the flu in any facility. First and foremost, Symmetry products reduce common disease-causing bacteria. All Symmetry products clean your hands without drying them out or leaving behind a sticky residue.

Additionally, encouraging people in your facility to practice proper hand hygiene is one of the most important steps in reducing the spread of the flu and other germs. Symmetry has education and awareness tools like posters, wall charts, and handwashing videos designed to demonstrate and explain the importance of proper hand hygiene.

The Symmetry Hand Hygiene Program also implements behavioral science with the Symmetry Behavior Modification System (SBMS). These tools help drive immediate hand hygiene practices, encouraging people to wash or sanitize their hands with eye-catching placards and signs. Both SBMS and education and awareness tools offered by Symmetry can be customized for any facility. Use your facility logo, colors, or catchphrase to help inspire proper hand hygiene.

The flu can spread fast, but Symmetry hand hygiene products and tools can help keep the well-being of the people in your facility in mind. Contact your local Buckeye representative to find out more about Symmetry and fighting the flu.

In a 1980s strength test, participants stared at a piece of navy blue paper for 15-20 seconds and then had their strength measured. Next, they stared at a piece of pink paper for 15-20 seconds and, again, had their strength measured. No matter which color they stared at first, the results were the same – there was a significant drop in strength after staring at the pink paper.

Studies like this are the reason why the visitor’s locker room at the University of Iowa is painted pink. They are also the reason major manufacturers employ behavioral scientists to identify and capitalize on various stimuli that influence our behavior and, ultimately, lead us to purchasing their products. The Symmetry^® Hand Hygiene Program has partnered with Dr. Adam Alter, who has a PhD in Behavioral Science, to create the Symmetry Behavior Modification System (SBMS).

The goal of SBMS is to provide tools that capture attention in the moment, driving an immediate hand hygiene event to take place. Based on the 6 key tenets of benevolence, accountability, responsibility, variation, emotion, and direction, Symmetry’s behavior modification tools include custom colored dispensers, placards, visual lighting cues, and floor decals.

Beyond dispenser color, Symmetry’s placards are designed with inspiring messages to encourage hand hygiene. Custom dispensers can also be equipped with visual lighting cues (flashing lights) to draw attention and impact behavior. Symmetry’s floor decals provide direction and guide people towards better hand hygiene.

When asked about the impact SBMS has had in her healthcare facility, one infection preventionist said, “I was just washing my hands in the public bathroom that has a sign saying, ‘You can make a difference doing something this simple.’ Such a simple statement says so much and can make such a huge difference in how we protect ourselves and our patients here. We don’t have to preach to people. Just saying it simply can get to the heart of the matter. I’m glad we have those visuals for staff, family, and patients so they can all join in!”

Hand hygiene is one of the most important steps in reducing the spread of germs. The Symmetry Behavior Modification System, coupled with Symmetry’s preferred formulas, maximizes hand hygiene compliance, helping to keep people in your facility healthy.

Contact your local Buckeye representative to learn more about the Symmetry Behavior Modification System and the Symmetry Hand Hygiene Program.