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If a patient comes to your ED with a pre-existing infection that goes unnoticed, the insurer likely will to refuse to pay for treatment because it will presume wrongly that the condition was acquired in the hospital.
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(Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part series on prevention of hospital-acquired infections in the ED. This month, we give strategies to improve compliance with hand hygiene, tips for cleaning the equipment you use and tell you how to determine if your patient has arrived at the ED with an infection. Last month, we covered avoiding infections when invasive procedures are performed, reducing the risk of infection with peripheral IV insertion, using alternatives to invasive procedures, giving central-line education to ED nurses, and decreasing the use of central lines and urinary catheters.)
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If your patient tells you he's had asthma since he was a teenager, don't assume that he must already know how to self-manage his condition.
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Expect more regulation. Like a sleeping giant that awakens with a roar, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is moving forward with new initiatives, including the first steps toward a possible airborne infectious diseases standard and renewing proposed recordkeeping rules on musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) injuries.
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How widespread are chemical hazards in health care? The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) seeks to find out and is proposing an online survey, which would be targeted to members of professional organizations such as the American Nurses Association.
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Every occupational health program requires resources, ranging from tens of thousands of dollars for a fitness center to a few hours spent on educating employees. How do you decide whether these are best invested in a diabetes lunch-and-learn, a weight loss competition, or otherwise?
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Lack of interest by either mid-level or senior leaders in the safety and health program. Employees who don't really believe that safety and health are of major importance to the company. Lack of participation of the engineering department in the maintenance of equipment. Failure to perform health and safety audits.