Hospital Employee Health – February 1, 2009
February 1, 2009
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Asleep at the bedside? IOM says feds should issue tough work hour limits
Hospitals need federal oversight to ensure that their medical residents are not working excessive hours that could lead to hazardous levels of fatigue, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) panel has concluded. -
NIOSH: Use proper PPE with chemo agents
The hazards of working with chemotherapeutic agents aren't always obvious. While pharmacists mixing the agents work in a biological safety cabinet, nurses administering medication and housekeepers cleaning a patient's room must use personal protection. Bodily fluids may be especially hazardous because the drugs become concentrated in the urine. -
Henshaw and Howard: Reform of OSHA is likely
Major reform of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration may be delayed by the ailing economy, but it is inevitable as the agency needs to adapt to the workplace realities of the 21st century, according to the former heads of OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). -
HCWs invent a way to prevent injuries
They say necessity is the mother of invention. But for health care providers, the inspiration for new safe patient handling devices has come from pain and discomfort and the desire to protect their colleagues from injury. -
Worker health doesn't stop at the hospital door
One employee comes into your office with back strain due to patient lifting. Another is identified by the wellness program as having uncontrolled high blood pressure. Those two issues may seem completely unrelated. But with its WorkLife Initiative, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is urging employers to integrate workplace safety with personal health promotion. -
'Safety coaches' root out job risks
On the floors of United Hospital in St. Paul, MN, the people in tan pants and a black scrub top stood for safety. Twice a month, they donned the outfits and walked the halls as "safety coaches," observing practices, investigating injuries, and suggesting solutions. -
Go beyond the numbers to boost sharps safety
How do you know if your needlestick prevention program is working? A decrease in injuries is a good barometer but sometimes that could reflect a lack of reporting rather than an improvement in safety. -
It's final: OSHA can issue citations per employee
OSHA issued a final rule in December clarifying that the agency can cite on a per-employee basis if an employer fails to provide personal protective equipment or training.