Pretty much since 2017, I have been wishing, hoping, etc. for the ligature resistance pendulum to find itself in something close to a middle ground. The pendulum will always sway a bit, but I’m thinking that the swings will be somewhat less acute than when we started this journey and move from...
If you’ve asked for a time-limited waiver to address a Life Safety Code (LSC) deficiency, be aware that CMS is unlikely to approve extensions, warned Herman McKenzie, MBA, CHS, director of The Joint Commission (TJC) Standards Interpretation Group’s Physical...
Exposed skin and lab work simply don’t mix, which is why open-toed shoes are verboten in the laboratory, says Dan Scungio, MT(ASCP), SLS, a laboratory safety officer for multihospital system Sentara Healthcare in Virginia. However, that isn’t the only consideration when picking...
The clinical director of The Joint Commission’s (TJC) Standards Interpretation Group is warning hospitals that one of the greatest risks for noncompliance under revisions to U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) <797> requirements for compounding sterile medication will be under drugs in the category 3...
When operating on a patient, minimizing infection risks and eliminating harmful distractions are crucial to their safety—which is why excessive door openings can be a real problem, says Brad Truax, MD, a board-certified physician in neurology and internal medicine with over 20...
One of the critical relationships in the life of any healthcare facilities or safety professional is the one with your chief financial officer (CFO), which, if you think about it, is much like marriage—particularly the “for richer or for poorer” part. Not to belabor the obvious, but just about...
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...
What is meant by the phrase “supporting situational awareness”? It’s simple: Healthcare leaders must understand the critical link between situational awareness and clinical decision-making.
Hospitals must report adverse actions taken against the privileges of a physician or dentist to the National Practitioner Data Bank. They may choose to report actions against the privileges of other healthcare providers, but reporting is not required.
