According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all persons entering the patient’s room should wear at least gloves, gown (fluid resistant or impermeable), eye protection (goggles or face shield) and a face mask.
Health workers treating patients with suspected or confirmed illness are at higher risk of infection than other groups. During an outbreak a number of important actions will reduce or stop the spread of the virus and protect health workers and others in the healthcare setting.
Research shows that when patients are engaged in their health care, safety and quality can improve measurably. To promote stronger engagement, the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) developed the Guide to Patient and Family Engagement in Hospital Quality and Safety, a tested, evidence-based resource to help hospitals work as partners with patients and families to improve quality and safety.
"Americans deserve better health, particularly given the amount of money we spend on health care"
July 11, 2014
Each year, the U.S. spends nearly $9,000 for the health of every American -- far more than what the governments of other countries spend on the health of their citizens – yet life expectancy and health outcomes are generally worse for Americans than for citizens of other developed nations in North America and Europe.
Nearly two-thirds of emergency room patients who reported drug use in the previous 30 days met the criteria for having a drug problem, according to a study published online Thursday in Annals of Emergency Medicine (“Identifying Patients with Problematic Drug Use in the Emergency Department: Results of a Multi-Site Study”).
From the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR): When we think about low-income workers, we usually think about fast-food cashiers or migrant farmworkers, not construction workers. And it's true that skilled trades employees steadily employed in commercial construction work can command respectable, middle-class wages.
Surprising study finds that most mistakes don’t happen in the laboratory
April 21, 2014
Laboratory testing is indispensable to patient care. Although it accounts for only 2% of U.S. healthcare expenditures, laboratory medicine is critical for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning and is the topic of ECRI Institute’s most recent safety study.
Years ago I worked in talent development for one of the largest faith-based healthcare systems in the United States. I left it to pursue other career goals but it never left me, at least not completely.
Data shows more than 41 million U.S. workers lack access
March 10, 2014
Income level, occupational type and gender all play a part in whether or not a U.S. worker gets paid sick leave, according to a new study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. “Paid sick days bring substantial benefits to employers, workers, families, and communities,” according to by Claudia Williams, Barbara Gault, Ph.D., authors of:Paid Sick Days Access in the United States: Differences by Race/Ethnicity, Occupation, Earnings, and Work Schedule
Initiative says certain tests, treatments are unnecessary - and some even harmful
March 4, 2014
Workers who perform safety-sensitive jobs, like operating motor vehicles, forklifts, cranes, or other heavy equipment, should not be prescribed opioids for treatment of chronic or acute pain.