Author Archive for: OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

Weekly poll: IC and safety market

Both the infection prevention and safety markets are expected to grow 4.8% annually, reaching $23.5 billion in 2013, according to a study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., in Cleveland.

Some might see this as a beneficial development, translating into more products, safer options, and better technology to prevent infections and ensure healthcare worker safety.

Others might argue this market growth will drive up prices when healthcare facilities are already struggling financially.

What do you think? How will this market growth affect how you do your job?

Weekly Poll: Sick leave policies

When it comes to protecting employees from seasonal flu and influenza A H1N1 this winter, much of attention has focused on vaccinations and proper PPE, including whether to use N95s or surgical masks.

However adjusting sick leave policies to allow employees to stay home if they experience flu symptoms is quickly becoming a major part of healthcare pandemic plans. Federal guidance released this month urges employers to make appropriate adjustments in their employee policies to allow sick healthcare workers to feel comfortable staying home. The CDC also says workers should be sent home if they develop flu symptoms.

On the other hand, a recent survey by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) found that 65% of hospitals do not have guaranteed adequate sick leave.

Has your facility addressed this issue? Take our poll and let us know in the comments section below.

Weekly Poll: Safe injection practices

With significant attention surrounding safe injection practices and the millions of flu shots that will be administered over the next few months, patients have a heightened awareness of safety measures during these injections.

Has a patient ever called you out during an injection, either because they were concerned for their own safety or because they recognized a worker’s safety issue? If you’ve had some unusual encounters, share your experience in the comments section below.

Weekly Poll: Required flu shots

Last week we blogged about a developing regulation in New York State that would require healthcare workers to receive the seasonal flu vaccine, and potentially the H1N1 vaccine if it comes out.

As you might imagine, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) is not pleased with this regulation. They’ve added their testimony and some talking points about the issue, but it seems the State Hospital Research and Planning Council (SHRPC) is moving forward unflinchingly.

We’ve already received a number of comments regarding this issue, but it’s certainly worth a poll question if only to get an accurate temperature reading from OSHA Healthcare Advisor community. Should states require flu vaccinations for healthcare workers? As always, we welcome additional comments below.

Weekly Poll: H1N1 respiratory protection

Lately, there has been a debate among healthcare and employee safety experts about respiratory protection for healthcare workers against influenza A H1N1. It’s a debate that is becoming increasing more important as medical facilities finalize their pandemic planning and prepare for what could be a difficult flu season.

Some experts suggest that healthcare workers will have enough protection with surgical masks, while others contend N95s are the only legitimate form of protection. What do you think? Let us know your reasoning in the comments section below.

Weekly Poll: H1N1 vaccine

Last week the CDC announced the pecking order for those receiving the H1N1 flu vaccine (when it actually comes out, that is). Healthcare workers are at the top of the list, but given the struggle many facilities face just getting workers to get the seasonal flu vaccine, it will be interesting to see how many employees want to get another one on top of that.

Would you get vaccinated for H1N1 if you had the opportunity? Let us know your reasons in the comments section below.

Weekly Poll: Workplace MRSA infections

Prevention of MDROs including MRSA is a major concern for healthcare facilities large and small. In smaller facilities in particular, one study has shown MDROs are increasingly dangerous.

Although much of the focus remains on patient safety, the spread of bacteria can potentially infect workers as well, which highlights the importance for enforcement of best-practices and proper use of personal protective equipment.

Weekly Poll: Pandemic communication

A blog post from last week focused on a California hospital where employees have appealed to Cal/OSHA claiming the hospital is miserly about providing N95 respirators and inadequately isolating suspected H1N1 patients.

This potential struggle brings up a legitimate question for any medical facility preparing for the upcoming flu season: Have you communicated your pandemic and respiratory plans to your employees?

Weekly Poll: Blowing the whistle

When healthcare workers witness a potentially serious infection control or safety violation, it’s their duty to point it out the proper authority. But that’s not always as easy as it sounds. Employees might fear for their jobs or their careers if they they see a colleague making an egregious error.

After some of the unsafe injection practices that occurred in Nevada last year the state passed laws providing more protection to “whistle blowers,” but would you feel comfortable pointing out IC or safety problems in your facility?

Weekly Poll: An OSHA MRSA standard

Two weeks ago Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) reintroduced a bill that would require medical facilities to screen test high risk patients for MRSA and report MRSA rates publicly. The bill would also require OSHA to develop a standard to protect healthcare workers and first responders from MRSA infections.

Do you think legislation is the correct way to protect workers? Should OSHA create a MRSA standard to protect healthcare workers?

OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll



The OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll is our weekly questionnaire that is updated every Monday. It is a great opportunity for you to let us know what is going on at your facility, while also getting a look at what your peers have to say. Every week we will post a new question related to healthcare safety. As always, if you have any burning questions of your own, post them in the comments section below and it could become a featured poll question.

OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll has written 49 posts.

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