Infection Control
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Violence Against HCWs Increased During Pandemic
In one of the few studies of its kind, researchers at the Mayo Clinic reported violent incidents against healthcare workers have more than doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
It Is Not the Canary — It Is the Coal Mine
Too often, healthcare workers facing a panoply of mental maladies — burnout, trauma, moral injury — are expected to muster up resilience enough to overcome what is essentially a systems problem. The answer is to fix the coal mine, not build stronger canaries, an expert says. -
Understanding Each COVID-19 Test’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Considering that testing over multiple days is not practical in the ED, clinicians with access to relatively rapid RT-PCR testing probably will opt for the more sensitive test. However, the antigen test offers a good option to urgent care centers or EDs that lack access to a sophisticated lab.
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The Joint Commission Issues Safety Tips for Reprocessing Critical Gear
The guidance includes specific reminders about single-use devices.
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New Research Highlights Effect of COVID-19 on Contraceptive Care
The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions and barriers to contraceptive care in its first year. Reproductive health providers have navigated conflicting and confusing messages about vaccine mandates. -
Racism Reported by Nurses, Physicians
Are nurses and physicians of color at your facility at risk of occupational racism? Employee health professionals should be aware of two recent reports that cited racial incidents, which negatively affected productivity and emotional wellness. -
Tips for Passing an OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Inspection
The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard has been on the books for decades. But exposure control plans — the principal component of compliance — should be viewed as a “living document” that changes over time, a needlestick prevention expert noted. -
Can New Antivirals Against COVID-19 Solve Staff Shortages?
One answer to the healthcare staffing shortages could be a newly developed antiviral that works against SARS-CoV-2 much like influenza antivirals negate the symptoms of flu. -
Supreme Court Upholds Healthcare Vaccine Mandate
Hospitals still struggling to vaccinate all workers received good news on Jan. 13, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the federal government can enforce its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. Justices threw out two lawsuits representing more than 20 states, ruling that mandating COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers is within the limits of federal law. -
An Epidemic of Long COVID May Be the Legacy of Omicron
The loosening of COVID-19 policies and shortening duration of precautions signal the emergence of what some call the “inevitability camp”: those who believe everyone will contract the rapidly spreading omicron variant, thereby generating herd immunity. There is one major problem with this view. It is becoming increasingly apparent that 14% (estimated range 2%-30%) of those infected with omicron will develop long COVID, a prolonged set of neurological and physical maladies that have haunted some people since the pandemic began in 2020.