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Smallpox preparedness needs to take a broader focus, with a registry of health care workers and others who have been previously vaccinated, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) panel has advised.1
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Been there; done that; got stuck. Sometimes the most convincing argument for using safer needles comes from someone who didnt.
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Figuring out how to save money is a lot easier than actually doing it. That is the lesson that Delynn Lamott, RN, MS, COHN-S, learned when she went to work for a small community hospital in Michigan.
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Drug screening rarely comes out positive in new hires, but the screening itself may dissuade drug users from applying for jobs. The University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina in Greenville, NC, was able to make the process more cost-effective by implementing random drug screening.
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The risk of acquiring HIV infection from occupational exposures may be even lower than the three in 1,000 rate that is commonly cited.
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Holding admitted patients waiting for an available bed not only hinders your ability to provide quality care, frustrates staff, and hurts your bottom line, but it also is the single biggest factor resulting in overcrowded EDs, according to a just-released report from the Washington, DC-based General Accounting Office.
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Is your ED in compliance with federal regulations for care of non-English-speaking patients and their families? You are required to provide language assistance to patients in your ED, and penalties for failure to comply are severe, including exclusion from participation in Medicare and Medicaid and possible criminal charges.
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A sharp decrease in hours on diversion. Decreased length of stay. Greater staff satisfaction. These three items are on every ED managers wish list, but they are real-life examples of changes made as a result of one EDs participation in the GE Medical Systems Six Sigma process.
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A sickle cell patient is in excruciating pain. A man who comes to your ED frequently always complains of different illnesses to obtain narcotic analgesics. These two patients have completely different needs, but youll need strategies to improve care for both. To improve management of chronic pain patients, follow these steps proven to work.
