Hospital Employee Health – November 1, 2003
November 1, 2003
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Health care worker illness may be the clue to next SARS outbreak
Health care workers with pneumonia may be the sentinels for a new outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Faced with the dilemma of identifying the first suspected cases of SARS amid a backdrop of widespread, seasonal respiratory illness, public health authorities are urging hospitals to monitor their employees health. -
CDC: Stop the spread of SARS at the doorway
In the past outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), some visitors, patients, and employees were exposed to the virus before anyone was aware that another patient or visitor was infected. -
Continue to search for the epidemiologic link to SARS
If no severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) cases have been identified worldwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta recommends asking some key questions to patients who are hospitalized with radiologic-confirmed pneumonia... -
Anatomy of an illness: Canada learns IC lessons
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic was its patterns of spread. Sometimes, few people became infected, despite exposure. In other cases, dozens of people became ill. -
JCAHO to hospitals: Hand hygiene counts
How well your employees comply with proper hand hygiene may affect not only hospital-based infections, but accreditation ratings as well. -
Voters’ choice: Does ergo save workers or kill jobs?
Once again, a controversial ergonomics rule has come under fire. But this time, voters in Washington state will be the ones to decide whether to keep the rule or repeal it. -
Beyond slogans: How to build a culture of safety
In employee health, safety culture is the Holy Grail. If you have a strong one, employees are more likely to comply with rules and use equipment designed to protect them and their patients. But what is a safety culture? How do you get one? -
Tailor your message to boost flu vaccine
If youre struggling to improve your influenza vaccination rates, consider this: You may need to tailor your message to particular hospital units. -
‘Readiness is more than vaccination’
A year after states began drafting smallpox vaccination plans, preparedness is moving into a new phase with a new challenge: How do you sustain those efforts? -
JCAHO slates national infection control conference
With hospital administrators a key target audience, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has slated a national infection control conference that will emphasize the importance of adequately funding an increasingly important program. -
Spotlight special projects during JCAHO inspections
Don t be shy about emphasizing your success stories when an accreditation surveyor begins making the rounds. -
JCAHO addresses PPR liability concerns
The Joint Commission has created two options designed to address legal disclosure concerns related to its Periodic Performance Review (PPR). The PPR is an integral component of the Joint Commissions new accreditation process that debuts in 2004. -
Joint Commission seeking core measure test sites
The Joint Commission is seeking volunteer hospitals with intensive care units (ICU) that would like to be considered for participation in a pilot test of six proposed ICU core measures. -
2004 Patient Safety Goals include hospital infections
Dont forget, new Patient Safety Goals including reducing nosocomial infections go into effect as of Jan 1, 2004. -
Bioterrorism Watch Supplement