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Issue 11, November 1, 2017

• Make room for mental health in the aftermath of an emergency

  "Psychological first aid" should be part of your emergency response planning, and it...

• Restraint and seclusion problems require quick mitigation

  Twice this year, CMS placed a Missouri hospital in immediate jeopardy of losing its Medicare...

Issue 10, September 28, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Hand hygiene lessons should extend to stethoscopes

  There were special contact precautions imposed on those caring for the patient in room 12. Doctors...

• Don't wait for NFPA's forthcoming active shooter standard to act

  A new standard under development by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) aims to define...

• Refresh your approach to hazardous drugs as USP deadline approaches

  While a number of guidelines and recommendations in the past have set expectations already for...

• Back in time: Confronting outdated lab habits

  In my time as a lab safety officer, I have seen the results of working diligently to improve the...

Issue 9, August 31, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Improper vaccine storage can cost you

  Southern Ocean Pediatrics and Family Medicine in Manahawkin, New Jersey, cut a check this month for...

• Bouffant vs. skull caps: Debate over surgeon headwear rages on

  If you thought the debate over what surgeons and their staff should be required to wear on their...

• Mulling the occupational safety of peracetic acid in high-level disinfectants

  Prior to the current millennium, glutaraldehyde was the preferred high-level disinfectant (HLD) in...

• What's great for moviegoeers is bad for lab safety

  Seeing the movie for the first time used to be like turning the pages of a book you’ve never...

• 17I Updates: September updates cover hazard communication

  The latest manual updates cover information on OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard in Tab 7...

Issue 8, July 28, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Read your labels: A friendly but stern reminder from infection control specialists

  All healthcare settings need to be cleaned regularly. That’s true whether you’re...

• Keeping service animals out of healthcare settings is rarely legal

  When anyone brings an animal into a healthcare setting, it is reasonable to wonder whether the...

• By the numbers: Lab injury and exposure data

  How do your laboratory data compare to national numbers? It’s a good idea to use the...

• How to hire workers with arrest and criminal records safely, fairly, and legally

  Healthcare settings are often sensitive environments. Beyond keeping facilities safe and clean for...

Issue 7, June 29, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Tips for maintaining a clean clinic

  How clean is your medical clinic? You’d like to think that you or your cleaning service is...

• NIOSH offers bloodborne pathogen tracking tools

  NIOSH has released two new modules to track sharps incidents and blood/body fluid exposure among...

• Be a part of safe laboratory design

  Make sure that if any construction project involves the laboratory, lab leadership and lab safety...

Issue 6, May 25, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Ensuring access to medical diagnostic equipment for patients with disabilities

  The U.S. Access Board devised and released a set of technical standards for medical diagnostic...

• June: An entire month of safety

  The National Safety Council (NSC), an Illinois-based safety advocacy group that promotes safety...

• Can't touch this: The art of teaching about the dangers of contaminated lab surfaces

  In the realm of laboratory safety, we’ve come a long way regarding our understanding of...

• 17F Updates: June updates cover bonus forms

  We’ve updated the rest of the customizable forms provided with the OSHA medical manual and...

Issue 5, April 28, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Worker Wellness: Fatigue and burnout

  They say your home isn’t safe without a strong foundation. Likewise, your car isn’t...

• Environmental cleaning in outpatient settings: Has your team mastered the basics?

  Healthcare delivery has shifted in recent decades away from inpatient hospital care to a number of...

• Column: As easy as A-B-C, and swallowing the safety pill

  When it comes to safety in the laboratory, there are several rules, regulations, and guidelines to...

Issue 4, March 30, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Worker wellness: Infection control

  It’s no secret that there are many things lurking in your clinic that can hurt your...

• Trump’s deregulation push could spell relief

  Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump issued a so-called “one in, two...

• The hidden dangers of decommissioning

  Jack worked in the hospital maintenance department, and when he saw the old lab refrigerator...

Issue 2, February 27, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Worker wellness: Chemical hazards an everyday danger in healthcare

  Healthcare workers are exposed to numerous hazards in the process of doing their jobs every single...

• New drug diversion prevention tactics suggested for healthcare facilities

  A major pharmacy safety advocate group has issued what is being called the first nationwide...

• FDA glove ban is in effect for healthcare clinics

  If yours is one of the many healthcare facilities in the U.S. that still use medical examination...

• Q&A: Proper PPE in healthcare

  Infection control experts Marjorie Quint-Bouzid, MPA, RN, NEA-BC, vice president of nursing at...

• Laying the foundation for a successful lab safety training program

  The following is an excerpt from the 2015 HCPro book, Lab Safety Training Made Simple, Second...

• Do you care about you?

  Healthcare workers spend their lives caring for their patients, but it’s time to take a look...

Issue 1, January 31, 2017 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Ten resolutions to make your medical facility and workers safer in 2017

  Follow our tips and advice to step up your safety and worker wellness game in the New Year

• A year of lab safety in review

  To get your lab in tip-top shape for the upcoming year, have a look back at the last year’s...

• 2016 MEU Index

  The MEU index for 2016.