Hospital Employee Health – August 1, 2016
August 1, 2016
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Protect Patients, Harm Workers? Cleaning Agent Raises Concerns
Preliminary results of an ongoing public health investigation indicate that a powerful sporicidal cleaning agent used in some 500 hospitals may be linked to wheezing, watery eyes, and asthma-like symptoms in healthcare workers.
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NIOSH Measures to Protect HCWs Exposed to Cleaning Agents
The NIOSH Respiratory Health Division recommends measures to protect healthcare workers exposed to cleaning products with acetic acid, peroxyacetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide.
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Staffing Woes Endanger Workers and Patients
Inappropriate staffing – either in terms of numbers or a mismatch between the level of caregiver and the acuity of patients — is a chronic issue in healthcare that puts both patients and staff at higher risk.
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Has the Needlestick Problem Been Solved? AOHP Study Answers a Resounding ‘No’
Bloodborne pathogen exposures to healthcare workers were higher than expected and not declining in incidence rates, according to the latest results from the Exposure Study of Occupational Practice.
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Zika Transmitted by Needlestick to Lab Worker
The question of whether Zika virus can be transmitted via needlestick is no longer hypothetical.
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To Stop Needlesticks, Educate, Communicate, and Investigate
The Exposure Study of Occupational Practice authors recommend that employee health professionals consider best practices to prevent needlesticks and other exposures to staff.
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UK: 60% Wear Gloves When Not Warranted
A U.K. study that included interviews with healthcare workers found workers wearing gloves for routine tasks like making a bed. Others had “no particular reason” to be wearing gloves, but nevertheless were doing so.
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GAO Report Takes OSHA to Task on Healthcare Violence
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ineffective enforcement programs for issuing citations and following up warnings for workplace violence in healthcare, the U.S. General Accountability Office reports.