Further Evaluation of the Performance Diagnostic Checklist-Safety (PDC-Safety)

Cruz et al. (2019) tested the Performance Diagnostic Checklist-Safety (PDC-Safety) in a disability clinic. Three staff who support adults with intellectual disability took part.

First the team ran the checklist. It pointed to prompting, not more stuff, as the fix. They gave each worker a quick verbal cue before bathroom visits. One worker also got short feedback later. Hand-washing was watched each shift.

Prompting lifted hand-washing to the clinic’s goal for two of the three staff. The third worker still missed most chances even with the cue.

Adding a wall hand-sanitizer without any cue did nothing for anyone. The checklist had called that move "not indicated," and the data proved it right.

Hays et al. (2021) ran the sister tool, PDC-HS, in a hospital. They also saw big gains after feedback and goals, not extra training. Together the two papers show the PDC method works in very different care settings.

Odom et al. (1986) used brief staff training to cut chemical fumes in a plastics plant. Like Cruz, they saw fast safety gains once workers practiced a few key moves. Both studies say: teach the move, watch the risk fall.

Junaid et al. (2021) and others used self-management for healthy steps or energy saving. Those papers targeted the worker’s own habit, while Cruz targeted client safety. Same science, new purpose.

You can swap long trainings for a one-minute prompt and still protect the people you serve. Run the free PDC-Safety, do what it flags, and skip the shiny add-ons. If the checklist says "prompt," just prompt—your data will likely match these gains.