Comments heard in elevators troubling
"I worked 16 hours yesterday, went home, had some beer and before I knew it, I was back here. I don't think I can make it all night."
"That's it, I'm getting out of here. I'm going some place where I can make big bucks."
"He must have been on drugs last night. He couldn't even read a chart."
Do you think those comments were heard in the local mall elevator? Think again. They were made in the elevators of five Pennsylvania hospitals. A recent study published in The American Journal of Medicine shows that inappropriate comments were made in the Pennsylvania hospital elevators in about 14% of 259 one-way elevator rides. The comments were made by doctors, nurses, and other clinical and nonclinical employees.
The study concludes that comments like these not only breach confidentiality, but also raise questions about the quality of patient care. To obtain a copy of the issue of The American Journal of Medicine in which the study appeared, fax a written request to R. Pyatt at The American Journal of Medicine, 105 Raider Blvd., Belle Mead, NJ 08502. Telephone: (908) 874-8550. Fax: (908) 874-8419. *
Oregon's 'right-to-die' law held unconstitutional
A federal court has ruled that Oregon's Measure 16, which allowed terminally ill patients to obtain a prescription from a physician for a fatal dosage of medicine, is unconstitutional.1 The measure also would have insulated the prescribing physician from liability if he or she complied with the law's procedures. The court's ruling effectively bars Oregon from recognizing the law or any exceptions created by it.
Reference
1. Lee v. Oregon, 891 F. Supp. 1429 (D. Ore. 1995). *
Video trains supervisors on workplace violence
A new videotape program that trains supervisors on how to effectively and safely manage potentially violent behavior in an employee has been produced by Peerless Video of San Francisco. "The Call to Action: Managing Violence in the Workplace" video includes information specifically designed for health care facilities.
It approaches the subject of workplace violence using a multidepartmental team approach. For a free preview of the video or for more information, contact Peerless Video, 3438 Eighteenth St., San Francisco, CA 94110. Telephone: (800) 470-TAPE. *
Home health services questionnaire available
The home care environment poses many unique risks that are not encountered in the controlled setting of a hospital. Common concerns like workers' compensation and training can be complex when applied in the home health environment.
To help address some of those concerns, ECRI recently issued a questionnaire of more than 110 concerns that is designed to help risk managers formulate policies for home health care services. To purchase a copy of the questionnaire, contact ECRI, Circulation Department, 5200 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. Telephone: (610) 825-6000, ext. 888. Fax: (610) 834-1275. *
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