Safety Newsletters

Briefings on Infection Control Healthcare Life Safety Compliance Hospital Safety Center Medical Environment Update OSHA Watch

Your facility's infection control and prevention initiatives are in the spotlight: Scrutiny from The Joint Commission, CDC guidelines, mounting pressure from state government, and heightened public awareness all paly a role. How will you keep up?

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Briefings on Infection Control

Issue 12, December 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• ICPs flung into quick responses when flu vaccine supply falls short

  The surprise announcement in October that the United States would only receive half of its normal...

• The proof is in the pathogens

  As part of a new dress code policy, Greenville (SC) Hospital System banned the wearing of...

• How responses to SARS led to approaches to controlling respiratory infections

  Outbreaks of SARS in 2003 provided dramatic demonstrations of the impact respiratory infections...

• Barrier precautions best used with other IC methods

  Depending on which study you read, there are advantages and disadvantages to using barrier...

• New JCAHO infection control standards

  Editor's note: This article is an excerpt from the new book, Infection Control Compliance Guide...

Issue 11, November 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Assuage healthcare worker worries about influenza immunization effects

  Although the CDC recommends that all healthcare workers annually receive vaccinations against the...

• Repeated surveyor visits, multiple patient tracers in five-day survey

  Six months ago, staff handwashing compliance rates were nothing to clap about at Deaconess Hospital...

• IL authority expanded in public health emergencies

  In a post-9/11 America, hospitals and public health agencies grapple with how best to prepare for...

• Feds pen pandemic preparedness plan

  Recent outbreaks of human diseases caused by avian influenza strains are warning signs that the...

• Organ donor screening process paramount in preventing disease transmission

  Organ procurement organizations (OPO) and hospitals with solid organ transplant programs won't see...

Issue 10, October 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Four ways to comply with JCAHO, AAAHC infection control standards

  Infection control is a huge component of any survey, whether your accreditor is the JCAHO or the...

• Annual fit-testing for tuberculosis

  As of July 2, Uncle Sam requires your hospital to fit-test employees annually for respirators if...

• Standard precautions: New Joint Commission emphasis means policy review time

  With the JCAHO's recent emphasis on IC, now is a good time to revisit your policy and procedures on...

Issue 9, September 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• New patient safety goal forces focus on root-cause analysis

  If you're not familiar with the root- cause analysis (RCA) process al-ready, you need to be before...

• Staff preparation is key to surviving the reworked JCAHO survey

  The JCAHO's 2004 survey process introduced tracer methodology as a way to assess compliance, which...

• Hand-gel container placement leads to hospital flash fire

  A June fire in a Colorado hospital highlighted the importance of the National Fire Protection...

• Take a group approach with the Joint Commission's infection control standards

  Create a committee to comply with the JCAHO's proposed IC standards, which emphasize a...

• The ABCs of an IC construction permit

  While an IC risk assessment (ICRA) process form is important, construction personnel typically do...

Issue 8, August 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• CDC draft isolation precautions take different approach to HAIs

  The CDC's draft isolation precautions guideline takes a more conservative approach than existing...

• JCAHO prepublication standards stress consistency across all settings

  In June, the JCAHO released its 2005 prepublication IC standards for nonhospital settings...

• Pandemic preparedness is more important than ever

  If and when the next major influenza pandemic hits the United States, the impact will be...

• Aging population, lawsuits rank among LTC challenges

  Long-term care (LTC) facilities face several IC challenges in the coming decades, including a...

• Experts seek standards for waterborne pathogens

  Although waterborne pathogens are a major source of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), no...

Issue 7, July 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Revamped JCAHO survey process requires more staff involvement

  The JCAHO’s redesigned survey process, which focuses on the accreditor’s new tracer...

• Use personal approach to increase staff vaccinations

  A little nudge from local health officials led to a major spike in flu vaccinations at Bellevue...

• Use containment protocols to minimize infections

  The infectious containment and environmental monitoring program during construction requires...

Issue 6, June 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• NFPA amends Life Safety Code to allow hand-rub dispenser use

  In late April, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) amended the 2000 and 2003 editions...

• New SARS outbreak in China forces hospitals to reevaluate measures

  After a quiet fall and winter, the deadly SARS virus could be primed for a comeback in China. At...

• Reports rip Ontario's response to SARS outbreaks

  A pair of critical reports issued in late April provided a thorough examination of Ontario's...

• Q&A: APIC seeks more prominent role for ICPs

  Editor's note: In March, Kathy Warye began work as the new executive director of the Association...

Issue 5, May 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• AOA accreditation program revises infection-control standards for 2004

  The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is revamping its IC standards to reflect ongoing efforts...

• CDC panel updates its guidelines on bacterial-pneumonia prevention

  In late March, the CDC revised its guidelines for preventing healthcare-associated pneumonia...

• Respond quickly after finding mold in your facility

  There are no simple solutions available to hospitals for managing mold problems, but the best...

Issue 4, April 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Gel-dispenser debate continues: VA approves use, NFPA considers it

  The movement to improve hand hygiene by installing dispensers for alcohol-based hand rub in...

• Use an all-hazards approach when preparing for disease outbreaks

  With a revolving door of potential infectious disease threats, hospitals should develop plans that...

• Use Canadian pandemic flu plan to boost preparedness

  As global health authorities monitor several bird-influenza outbreaks, the Canadian government...

• Establishing an infection control surveillance process

  The development of an effective IC and prevention plan is essential to your organization, as JCAHO...

Issue 3, March 1, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• OSHA shift to fit-testing standard concerns IC advocacy association

  IC professionals were caught off guard by OSHA's last-minute decision on December 31, 2003, to...

• Take measures to limit pathogen spread during construction jobs

  There are several risk factors and common misconceptions that make health care facilities ideal...

• Surveillance is key to LTC infection control

  IC activities performed in long-term care (LTC) facilities differ from those in hospitals, but both...

Issue 2, February 26, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Infections, liability mean mold is higher priority for hospitals

  Mold presents a difficult and expensive dilemma for hospitals. Not only does it cause structural...

• Explosive start to flu season helps hospitals prepare for SARS return

  Facing the busiest flu season in recent history, health officials and IC professionals find...

• Tracer surveys: Surveyors plan to meet with staff

  Prepare for a strong emphasis on patient safety and the JCAHO's National Patient Safety Goals...

• Customer service is vital component of an ICP's job

  Although staff availability is the first step toward effective customer service, the next step is...

Issue 1, January 5, 2004 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• JCAHO revises IC standards, adds new patient safety goal for 2004

  The JCAHO in mid-November stepped up its efforts to prevent health care-associated infections (HAI...

• Expert: Health system not ready for disease, bioterrorism threats

  A leading expert on infectious diseases and bioterrorism painted a bleak picture of the health care...

• OSHA respiratory standard emphasizes fit testing

  When it comes to IC standards, health care facilities need to concern themselves with more than...

• Prepare for surge capacity during outbreaks

  Given the potential threat of SARS, bioterrorism, pandemic flu, and other large-scale outbreaks...