Hospital Employee Health 2003-01-01

Ready for duty: EHPs are gearing up for smallpox vaccination

The first stage of smallpox vaccination has begun, even before the doses are released or a final plan formulated. Across the country, hospitals are educating health care workers about smallpox and the vaccinia vaccine.

APIC: We helped kill OSHA’s TB rule

Amid a nationwide decline in tuberculosis cases and opposition to new rules on skin testing and respirator fit-testing, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is prepared to withdraw its proposed tuberculosis standard.

Chemo drug exposures put health workers at risk

Health care workers may be at risk for reproductive disorders and cancer due to improper handling of hazardous drugs in hospitals.

Safe and soap-free: CDC endorses alcohol rubs

Stop trying to get health care workers to wash their hands.

CDC’s Hand-Hygiene Performance Indicators

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends indicators to measure improvement in adherence to hand-hygiene guidelines.

If the gloves fit, check them out

Are your gloves the right fit for your hospital? To answer that, you need to consider much more than just whether they contain latex or powder. Does the level of tear resistance match the tasks of the wearer? Is the manufacturer known for quality? Is there a method for monitoring breaks in barrier protection? Did health care workers help choose the gloves they prefer?

A real pain in the neck: Ergonomics in the lab

Theyre peering into microscopes: their forearms resting on the sharp edge of a counter, their shoulders slumped, one hand repeatedly tapping a counter. Theyre popping the tops off tubes and squeezing pipettes, repeating the motions over and over.

Why do HCWs get stuck more than once?

The operating room (OR) presents the greatest risk of multiple needlestick injuries, according to a study at BJC Healthcare in St. Louis.

News Brief: Needle safety expert wins MacArthur ‘genius’ award

Janine Jagger, PhD, MPH, whose research and advocacy brought attention to the preventable hazards posed by needle devices, has received a MacArthur Foundation award, which provides an unrestricted award of $100,000 for five years. Jagger, who is director of the International Health Care Worker Safety Center at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in Charlottesville, says she plans to use the funds to expand the centers work in developing countries.

AHA offers new ergo program with guarantee

AHA Financial Solutions Inc., a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association in Chicago, is offering a new ergonomics consultation program. Diligent, which is associated with the Arjo Corp. ergonomic equipment company, will provide ongoing consultation, employee training, implementation of equipment, and measurement of progress. The Diligent Ergonomic Risk Management Program provides a guarantee of a 60% reduction in transfer-related injuries for three years.

Bioterrorism Watch Supplement

Hospital Employee Health – January 1, 2003

January 1, 2003