Editor's Note California health officials, on March 3, announced plans to relax guidance on masking in healthcare and other indoor high-risk settings and to end vaccination requirements for healthcare workers, effective April 3, the March 3 Los Angeles Times reports. Also, starting March 13, those who test positive for COVID-19…

Read More

Takeaways Gun-related violence is an increasing threat in healthcare settings, including perianesthesia departments and ASCs. Small hospitals and ACS are not immune to active shooter events. New requirements from The Joint Commission require planning and preparation for active shooter events. Elizabeth Dalton, BSN, RN, will never forget the day her…

Read More

Editor's Note Workplace violence is a current obstacle nurses and healthcare workers face every day, reports December 29 Becker's Hospital Review.  In response, Healthcare communities have urged Congress to pass legislation to diminish any violent threats or attacks on hospital workers. Statistics on workplace violence against nurses, based on data…

Read More

Takeaways Many OR managers said they were overdue for a survey by The Joint Commission because of the pandemic. The Joint Commission is said to be 3,000 surveys behind. More checklists are being used by surveyors, which are available in The Joint Commission’s Perspectives and EC News newsletters. New in…

Read More

Editor's Note  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new memorandum on November 28 emphasizing the importance of enforcing regulations and expectations to create a safe environment for hospital staff when delivering patient care, the American Hospital Association reported on November 28. According to the memo, the…

Read More

Editor's Note The American Journal of Infection Control published a study on October 13 showing the risks of manually cleaning medical equipment, Healthcare Purchasing News October 14 reports. The study emphasizes the importance of proper procedures and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce risk of contamination. The…

Read More

Editor's Note This national survey study led by researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, and Middlesex Community College, Middletown, Connecticut, finds that nearly half of US adults surveyed reported misrepresentation of and nonadherence to COVID-19 public health measures. Among the survey findings: Of 1,733…

Read More

Editor's Note Burnout in the healthcare workforce is a significant challenge hospitals and healthcare systems face, and a September 27 webinar hosted by US News and World Report tackled the many efforts hospital leaders are undertaking to address it. Among the various reasons cited as contributing to the problem—including rising…

Read More

Editor's Note The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience has finalized its National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being, the October 3 AHAToday reports. The plan, which builds on 6 years of work among 200 participants, including the American Hospital Association (AHA), identifies goals and…

Read More

Editor's Note On Thursday, September 29, the House of Representatives voted 220-205 to pass legislation to impose new fines on insures that do not follow federal mental health pay parity requirements, in order to "hold employer-based health plans more accountable for improper denials of mental health and substance use benefits,"…

Read More