CDC Urges Pregnant Women to Get Vaccinated
The lack of vaccination puts the health of both the mother and child at risk, the CDC said, as women with influenza are twice as likely to be hospitalized if they are pregnant and nearly 70% of whooping cough deaths came from babies less than two months old.
Infection Control is Front and Center at Annual Joint Commission Session
Infection control dominated the day’s presentations, which also looked at expectations for sterile compounding, Legionella control, using personal protective equipment, medication management, lowering maternal death rates, and, of course, ligature risk and suicide prevention.
PA Hospital Investigates Waterborne Bacteria as Cause of Three Infant Deaths
Geisinger is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the outbreak and ensure that the bacteria has been eliminated.
Top 10 Medical Technology Hazards for 2020 Announced
Surgical staples, point-of-care ultrasound, and infection risks from sterile processing top ECRI’s list of medical technology hazards for 2020.
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters Tied to Severe Allergic Reactions
Researchers from Alberta Health Services and the University of Calgary began the study after reports emerged of serious adverse events following PICC insertions, including hypersensitivity and anaphylaxis reactions.
What Keeps Black Women Nurses Out of Leadership Roles?
According to the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity’s 2015 benchmarking study, Diversity and Disparities: A Benchmarking Study of U.S. Hospitals in 2015, “minorities comprise only 14% of hospital board members, 11% of executive leadership positions, and 19% of first- and mid-level managers.”
Two New Protocols for Respirator Fit Testing from OSHA
The new protocols are variations of an existing OSHA-approved method, the ambient aerosol condensation nuclei counter (CNC) quantitative fit testing protocol, often referred to as the “PortaCount® protocol.”
Screen Patients for Social Determinants of Health With This 4-Part Tool
Social needs such as housing and food security can have a crucial effect on patient health. By making direct investments in initiatives designed to address social determinants of health and working with community partners, healthcare organizations can help patients achieve positive health outcomes in ways beyond the traditional provision of medical services.
Study: Most Healthcare Workers Ignore Policy, Work While Ill
Researchers conducted active surveillance at a 120-bed long-term care facility from December 2015 to April 2016 looking for respiratory viral infections among residents and healthcare providers.
USP Delays Revised Chapters; USP <800> to be ‘Informational’ Only
USP <800> will still take effect on December 1. The Healthcare Quality and Safety team at USP explained that it would only be “informational and not compendially applicable.”