In its Respiratory Disease Season Outlook, the CDC expects the 2023-2024 season will look similar to last year. Last year’s hospitalizations were higher than experienced before the COVID-19 pandemic, in which severe disease was caused primarily by the influenza virus and the respiratory...
Anatomic pathology laboratories present safety concerns that can differ from those in the clinical lab. Formaldehyde and other hazardous chemicals are used to preserve tissue specimens; workers can be exposed to large amounts of blood and body fluid during autopsies; and the sharp blades in...
Sometimes disasters mean being on the go while evacuating the hospital. Sometimes staff and patients have to shelter in place. That is why it is important to create easy to store and quick to move disaster kits to provide staff items they may need in an emergency. In the wake of a tornado in May...
Though they can’t be seen, there are hundreds of tiny organisms living in blood and other body fluids that can cause disease in humans. These are called “bloodborne pathogens.” Some of these organisms are harmless and can be handled easily by the body’s immune system, but others can cause severe...
Though they can’t be seen, there are hundreds of tiny organisms living in blood and other body fluids that can cause disease in humans. These are called “bloodborne pathogens.” Some of these organisms are harmless and can be handled easily by the body’s immune system, but others can cause severe...
It comes with the territory of being the safety officer that you are responsible to make sure holiday decorations do not affect the overall safety of your facility. The Life Safety Code®, which CMS and other deeming authorities observe, generally prohibits combustible...
Recruiting, staffing, and retaining nurses who are knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced is an evergreen concern for healthcare organizations. As the demographic makeup of the U.S. nursing population changes, this need becomes even more pronounced.
Most sharps injuries—84%—occur among healthcare workers, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) confirmed in a recently released analysis. Injuries from a needle or other sharp objects can expose workers to bloodborne pathogens (BBP), such as human immunodeficiency...
Sean G. Kaufman, CEO and founding partner of the lab safety company Safer Behaviors, offered Medical Environment Update some suggestions on engagement in a recent interview.