Hospital Employee Health – September 1, 2021
September 1, 2021
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Time for Change: Violence Is Not Part of the Job in Healthcare
Although the pandemic is being bitterly fought in some areas, the efficacy of the vaccines foretells an eventual ending and aftermath that could include many changes to the healthcare system. Will the routine acceptance of violence in healthcare — most of it inflicted by patients and visitors on staff — finally be called to account? -
The Joint Commission’s New Violence Prevention Requirements
The Joint Commission has issued new hospital violence prevention requirements that call for an annual workplace risk assessment, formation of a safety committee, an incident reporting system, and staff education. The requirements will take effect in January 2022. -
Clinicians at Johns Hopkins Create Artful Collaboration
Among many other things, music is a way to process pain. In a similar vein, poetry has been seen as healing and therapeutic for ages. Music and poetry together can speak to the human spirit, even when it is beaten down by a relentless pandemic. At Johns Hopkins Hospital, two colleagues created a collaboration that forged the two arts into a message of resilience and hope. -
Delta Variant a Game-Changer for COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
With the delta variant now causing 80% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, vaccine mandates for healthcare workers have become a foregone conclusion. At a recent press conference, the CDC recommended the vaccinated return to wearing masks indoors because of the variant. -
COVID-19 No Worse Than Flu? Tell It to the 600,000 Dead
Many might recall that early in the outbreak, pandemic denialists — who continue to this day — frequently said COVID-19 was no worse than seasonal influenza. More than 600,000 Americans would beg to differ, if they could speak. As part of an argument for healthcare workers to take the vaccine, a physician noted in a recently published paper the mortality rate for influenza is estimated to be 1 in 1,000, whereas for SARS-CoV-2 is closer to 1 in 100 to 250. -
OSHA Extends Comment Period, but Does Not Delay Emergency Temporary Standard
After receiving numerous comments requesting the action, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration extended the comment period for its COVID-19 healthcare emergency temporary standard to Aug. 20.