Hospital Employee Health 2004-08-01

Hospital prevention efforts reduce slips and falls by 20%

Your hospital is filled with hazards that employees walk past every day. There may be puddles on the floor when its raining, grease on the kitchen floor, a spill outside the cafeteria.

Lessons learned: Use PAPRs to avoid fit-tests

While much of the country struggles to comply with the new requirement for annual fit-testing of N95 filtering facepiece respirators used to protect against tuberculosis, hospitals in Washington state have some advice: Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) are an important tool in decreasing the burden of fit-testing, employee health and safety professionals say. They have had many years to learn that lesson. Based on a rule of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries in Olympia, they have conducted annual fit-tests since 1995.

NIOSH lower profile spurs reorganization protest

Worried that the future clout of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is in jeopardy, occupational health advocates are pressing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to alter its reorganization plans.

Hospital gets close to zero — in WC claims

Ceiling lifts save backs. That is what Salina (KS) Regional Medical Center concluded, and the investment paid off.

Criteria for Ceiling Lifts

These are the criteria used by Salina (KS) Regional Medical Center when the hospital evaluated ceiling lift systems.

Ergonomics committee struggles to define MSDs

The most basic questions have stumped the National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics (NACE) as it tries to set a national research agenda: Just what is ergonomics? And what is a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD)?

What’s in a name? Define MSDs

What exactly is a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD)? Here are some definitions in use by federal agencies.

Hospital considers rule for mandatory flu vaccination

If you could reduce absenteeism, protect vulnerable patients, and keep employees healthier with one yearly shot, what would you do?

Strategies to Increase HCW Flu Vaccination Rates

Long hours may lead to injuries, poor health

Long hours and overtime are linked to higher injury rates, more frequent illnesses, and even increased mortality, according to a review of 52 published research reports by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

JCAHO Update for Infection Control: ICPs have the answers for JCAHO questions

Be proactive and get ready for an onslaught of questions from critical inquiries to the out-of-the-blue variety if youre preparing for a visit from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, advise two infection control professionals who recently went through the process.

JCAHO Update for Infection Control: Real-world examples of JCAHO questions

The following questions were among those asked during two recent surveys by the Joint Commission.

JCAHO Update for Infection Control: JCAHO adds standard on infectious patients

The Joint Commission is adding a new infection control standard for health care facilities that requires them to prepare for an influx of infectious patients. As part of emergency management activities, institutions must prepare for such an influx or the risk of an influx effective Jan. 1, 2005.

Is your facility ready for next influenza season?

Brace yourself: Flu season is right around the corner. Are you prepared? If an influenza pandemic hits, the entire U.S. population could be at risk. The annual impact of influenza on the United States is staggering: 10% to 20% of the population will get the flu. Some 36,000 people will die, and 114,000 will be hospitalized. Most of those who die will be older than 65, but children 2 and younger will be as likely to be hospitalized as the elderly.

Hospital Employee Health – August 1, 2004

August 1, 2004