The need to specify a target behaviour

Now that we have selected a target behaviour, the next stage is to describe it in detail – this is known as specifying the target behaviour.

Compare these two ways of describing hand hygiene behaviour of nurses.

‘Nurses cleaning their hands.’

‘Nurses cleaning their hands in accordance with the specific techniques outlined in the ward protocol before and after examining each patient at the sink in the corner of the ward.’

The second description gives a much richer and more precise picture of the target behaviour to be performed