Hospital employment up in January
Editor's Note Employment in US hospitals was up 9,700 jobs in January to a seasonally adjusted 5,252,800, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on February 7. Thatโs up 88,500 more employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment has increased to a seasonally adjusted 360,700 in the past year. The…
Trends in infection prevention practices in VA hospitals
Editor's Note From 2005 to 2017, use of 12 infection prevention practices significantly increased in US Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, and the adoption of many practices was higher than in non-VA hospitals, this study finds. A total of 320 surveys were completed by infection preventionists in VA hospitals. Between 92%…
Joint Commission launches Accelerate PI dashboard report for hospitals
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 5 announced that a new performance improvement (PI) Accelerate PI dashboard is now available for accredited hospitals. It is posted in the โResources and Toolsโ section of the Joint Commission Connect extranet site. The dashboard, which is intended to be a springboard for…
Frailty as a predictor of postop mortality, new disability
Editor's Note In this Canadian study, older patients with frailty were significantly more likely to die or experience a new disability within 90 days after surgery. This prospective multicenter study included 702 patients, 65 years or older, having elective noncardiac surgery; 645 patients completed follow up. Frailty status was determined…
FDA: Class I recall of GE Healthcare CARESCAPE Respiratory Modules, Airway Gas Option
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 4 identified the recall by GE Healthcare of its CARESCAPE Respiratory Modules and Airway Gas Option as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of a manufacturing issue that may cause the devices to display incorrect oxygen…
Effectiveness of charge nurse training on leadership style, resiliency
Editor's Note This study finds that a charge nurse orientation and professional development program is effective and improves leadership style and resiliency. A random sample of charge nurses was selected from an 11-hospital healthcare system to pilot a standardized charge nurse leadership training program. The sample included 19 control and…
ECRI Institute announces Coronavirus Outbreak Preparedness Center
Editor's Note The ECRI Institute on February 5 announced the launch of its Coronavirus Outbreak Preparedness Center, which was developed to help hospitals protect healthcare workers and patients as the coronavirus spreads across the world. Included in this free compendium of resources are: Preparation and patient handling checklists Equipment and…
Study confirms nurses at higher risk of suicide
Editor's Note In this first national study of US nurse suicide, researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and UC San Diego Health, Department of Nursing, found that male and female nurses are at higher risk of suicide than the general population. Data from the Centers…
Coronavirus could disrupt healthcare supply chain
Editor's Note The US healthcare industry should prepare for a disruption in the supply chain for disposable medical-surgical devices and high-tech therapeutic and diagnostic products from China amid the coronavirus outbreak, the January 31 Modern Healthcare reports. Data show that devices and diagnostic products from China account for about 3%…
Standardized pathway for outpatient ambulatory fracture surgery
Editor's Note In this study, an outpatient fracture pathway greatly improved the efficiency and timeliness of care, and it reduced costs. A total of 187 patients during the preintervention period and 308 patients during the intervention period were eligible for the ambulatory pathway. Those managed as outpatients increased from 1.6%…