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A Massachusetts appeals court has overturned a ruling by Norfolk probate judge Christina L. Harms who ordered that a 32-year-old mentally ill woman, known as "Mary Moe," have an abortion against her will even if it meant she had to be coaxed, bribed, or even enticed into a hospital. Additionally, Harms ordered that the Moe be sterilized.
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According to the results of a study1 in Psychiatry Research, spirituality and religiousness might contribute to improved quality of life (QOL) in patients who have been diagnosed with residual schizophrenia.
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Recently ripped from the headlines is the heartbreaking story of a 3-year-old girl in dire need of a kidney transplant. Additionally, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called Wolf-Hirschhorn, which is characterized by a distinctive facial appearance, delayed growth and development, diminished intellectual disability, and epileptic-like seizures.
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Despite the progress toward safe patient handling, about eight in 10 nurses still suffer from frequent musculoskeletal pain and six in 10 worry about having a disabling musculoskeletal injury, according to a 2011 online survey by the American Nurses Association in Silver Spring, MD.
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Hospitals have been put on alert to recognize fatigue among health care workers as a risk to patient safety. But for now, hospitals won't face any regulatory consequences for failing to address it.
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The housekeeper had always done a thorough job cleaning patient rooms, but lately her work was haphazard. When a supervisor pointed out things she'd missed, she said, "Oh, I must have forgotten." Forgotten? How could you forget how to do a job you'd done every day for 30 years?
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A federal advisory panel gave a boost to policies that require health care workers to receive the flu vaccine but stopped short of endorsing the strongest mandates. If health care employers can't achieve an influenza vaccination goal of 90% "in an efficient and timely manner," then they should "strongly consider an employer requirement," a subgroup of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) said.
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A new Washington state rule requires employers to minimize or eliminate exposure to hazardous drugs. The hazardous drugs control program must include:
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In a recent Sentinel Event Alert, the Joint Commission accrediting organization offered suggestions for health care employers to "mitigate the risks of fatigue that result from extended work hours and, therefore, protect patients from preventable adverse outcomes."
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Washington became the first state to issue a rule to protect health care workers who handle hazardous drugs a move that proponents hope will prompt other states to take similar action.
