Hospital Employee Health – January 1, 2018
January 1, 2018
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Healthcare Workers Fired for Refusing Flu Shots
A hospital system in Minnesota has fired approximately 50 healthcare workers for refusing flu shots, igniting a battle with a nurses’ union that is filing grievances to restore personnel to their jobs.
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Vaccine May Not Cover H3N2 — Is It Time for Universal Flu Shot?
A potential mismatch between the current flu vaccine and a strain of H3N2 influenza that has caused severe infections in the Southern Hemisphere suggests this may be a harsh season in the United States and underscores the need for new vaccine production methods, public health officials emphasized in a recently published commentary.
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Opioid Fears Recall Beginning of HIV Epidemic
The national opioid epidemic has triggered an irrational fear that is reminding clinicians of the initial reactions to HIV in the 1980s. Part of this is being driven by the new powerful synthetic opioids, such as carfentanil, making their way to the street in a variety of illicit substances.
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Rare or Unreported? HCW Injuries During Emergency Codes
When a “code blue” is called for immediate patient resuscitation, healthcare personnel rush to the bedside to instigate life-saving measures that may be physically demanding and go on for a prolonged time. How often are healthcare workers injured when performing a code, and what are the primary risks?
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NIOSH Issues PPE Conformity Assessment Document
Employee health professionals questioning whether their supplies of personal protective equipment are up to date with current performance standards may want to consult new guidelines issued by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.