NELP Report: OSHA Enforcement Has Steadily Declined Under Trump
A new National Employment Law Project report that showed that the number of OSHA inspectors continues to steadily fall under the Trump Administration, thus leading to a decline in OSHA enforcement overall.
Post-Colonoscopy Infection Rates Much Higher Than Previously Believed
The study’s researchers examined medical insurance data from 2014 to look at infection rates after colonoscopy and osophagogastroduodenoscopies procedures done at selected outpatient facilities in six states.
Sending Sepsis Patients Home May Not Harm Them
Peltan and his research team studied 8,239 adult ED sepsis patients at two tertiary hospitals and two community hospitals in Utah. The researchers found that 1,607 of the patients—19.5% of the total—were discharged rather than admitted to the hospital.
Joint Commission Issues Guidance on Identifying Human Trafficking Victims
When human trafficking cases are identified, a victim-centered response is recommended, according to The Joint Commission. Victims may not be ready to seek assistance, and an adult victim can’t be forced to report human trafficking. But if the victim is under 18 years old, the provider has a legal obligation to contact Child Protective Services.
APIC Survey Sheds Light on IP Workforce
The results of the APIC MegaSurvey were released during a session at last week’s 45th annual APIC Conference in Minneapolis. Conducted in 2015, the survey was completed by 4,078 active APIC members, or about 31% of the organization’s membership.
Study: Critical Access Hospitals Face Infection Control Challenges
Public health officials reviewed infection prevention and control (IPC) practices at 36 Nebraska CAHs using the CDC’s IPC Assessment Tool. They found the largest gaps existed in the areas of injection safety, central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention, and catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention, but problems were discovered in all IPC areas.
CMS Delays Hospital Star Ratings Update, Again
No date was given for when CMS anticipates activating the ratings updates. Typically, the updates are issued every July and December. However, CMS has a history of delaying the updates, most recently in May.
SF Hospital Discovers Second Body in Hallway
The second body was found in a hallway last Monday, June 4, at 6 a.m., according to NBC Bay Area, which reported that the woman was in her 40s and being held on an involuntary 72-hour psychiatric evaluation hold. The report said the woman was being treated on a bed in a hallway, but it was unclear whether staff had checked on her between 2 and 6 a.m.
AACN Issues Practice Alert on Reducing Alarm Fatigue
To help address this issue, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses released a Practice Alert at the end of May that outlines the evidence-based practices to reduce false or nonactionable clinical alarms and prevent alarm fatigue, with specific guidelines for both bedside caregivers and nurse leaders.
Study: Provider Preference Could Improve Use of Antibiotics
The study reports responses to a 20-question survey from 211 inpatient providers at Vanderbilt University Hospital in various specialties. The survey covered demographic questions, preferred feedback methods, barriers, and comparison metrics, and a hypothetical patient hospitalization scenario assigning provider responsibility for antibiotic use.