Safety - July 2014
N.H. facilities drug-test law to begin
Most must adopt a written testing and diversion policy in August
7/31/2014
Fire alarm system Q&A
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answers a question about fire alarm systems in a business occupancy
7/31/2014
UV cuts resistant organisms by 20 percent: study says
New York hospital added ultraviolet environmental disinfection (UVD) to its cleaning regimen of patient rooms
7/30/2014
Design choices may reduce fall risk for elderly
Improving the design of walking environments may reduce risk of falling, according to an article on the Environments for Aging website
7/30/2014
Joint Commission online learning module addresses long-term care infections
Online educational tool focuses on how to apply high-reliability principles
7/29/2014
California hospital implements new security procedure
Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock has a new check-in and visitor-badge procedure
7/28/2014
Brigham and Women's Hospital project honored for safety in construction practices
IFMA Boston Excellence Award for Best Practices in Sustainability given to Brigham and Women's Hospital and EH&E
7/28/2014
Hospital engineering should integrate infection prevention in design
Many hospitals within the GCC region lack the availability of negative pressure rooms and HEPA filters to deal with the surge of airborne respiratory infection
7/25/2014
Legionella bacteria found again at UPMC Presbyterian
Infection control workers found the bacteria in sinks in three patient rooms
7/24/2014
Support kit helps prevent healthcare injuries
Kit contains tools and tips for implementing and sustaining a facility-wide healthcare injuries prevention program
7/24/2014
Tennessee hospital creates culture of safety
Vanderbilt University Medical Center boosted hand washing, cut infections
7/24/2014
Technology used for hospital bed safety
High-tech system uses digital lines to draw a safety zone around patients to provide continual monitoring
7/24/2014
Evacuation map Q&A
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answeres a question about evacuation route maps
7/24/2014
Experts join to offer guidance on hand hygiene
Strategies include updated evidence, reviews and recommendations
7/21/2014
Ensuring patient safety during construction
Interim life safety measures often are needed during a renovation project or new construction
7/21/2014
Rising obesity rate spurs hospitals to adapt equipment
Facility, supply changes made to ensure safety and prevent embarrassment
7/18/2014
Probe of Greenville deadly infections focuses on water
Federal officials are focusing on water as the potential source of the bacteria that infected 15 patients at Greenville Memorial Hospital and may have contributed to three deaths
7/17/2014
Maryland fails to inspect many facilities for developmentally disabled, assisted living
In 2012, Maryland's Office of Health Care Quality failed to inspect more that half of the state's assisted living facilities and almost three-quarters of facilities for the developmentally disabled
7/17/2014
During natural disasters, hospital resilience is key
American Meteorological Society suggests having medical centers look at their structural designs and consider relocating critical components to higher ground
7/17/2014
Study: Hospital wards overheat because windows don't open
Most hospital wards are prone to overheating because health and safety fears have triggered restrictions on opening windows
7/16/2014
Fire extinguisher cabinet Q&A
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answeres a question about fire extinguisher cabinet labeling
7/16/2014
White paper offers tips to create a culture of safety
Free publication says an effective hospital safety program starts at the top
7/16/2014
Virginia Hospital ready for disaster
Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital has Stabilization Treat in Place (STIP) tent
7/15/2014
Facility readiness vital in weather disasters
Healthcare facilities should be ready to recover and move forward after a violent weather event
7/14/2014
Disasters bring hospitals valuable lessons along with damage
Health Facilities Management survey asks 911 health executives about trends in emergency management
7/14/2014
Long-term care facility evacuation relies on planning and common sense
In an emergency situation, experience, equipment and level heads are needed, according to an article on the Long-Term Living website
7/11/2014
New OSHA resource focuses on reducing nursing home worker injuries
New brochure addresses the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders among nursing home and residential care workers
7/10/2014
Southwest Florida hospitals increase hand-hygiene compliance
Turnaround credited to training, surveillance and hand-sanitizer stations in needed areas
7/9/2014
Hospitals see increase in violent crime
Majority of incidents involve violence directed at employees by clients or patients
7/8/2014
Hospital evacuation best practices
Avoiding evacuation drills and the lack of vulnerability identification are errors in hospital readiness.
7/8/2014
Saginaw-area hospitals focus on stopping HAIs
Hand-washing, isolation and proper cleaning of rooms are tactics used to prevent the spread of infection
7/8/2014
Missouri hospital participates in national earthquake drill
Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall examined its emergency response capacity and reporting mechanisms
7/7/2014
Low hand-hygiene compliance found during anesthesia administration
Researchers used video to map patterns of hand contact with anesthesia work environment surfaces
7/7/2014
Florida health system investing $1 million on infection-resistant garments
Baptist Health is buying garments for staff and patients that are designed to repel fluids and minimize transmission of hospital-borne infections
7/2/2014
UV disinfection reduces multidrug-resistant organisms at NY hospital
The rates during UV environmental disinfection are the lowest incidence rates for the past 10 years and were sustained for 22 months
7/2/2014
UK hospitals flagged for poor cleanliness and infection control
Hospitals in Northern England marked down for handling of C diff cases
7/2/2014
Hospital's security a coordinated effort
Security focus at Froedtert Hospital starts with hospital leadership
7/1/2014