Tag: Occupational Hazards

Moral injury similar between combat veterans and COVID-19 HCWs

Editor's Note This collaborative study by researchers at Duke University, Vanderbilt University, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, finds that COVID-19 healthcare workers (HCWs) experienced high rates of moral injury, comparable to rates among military veterans. Moral injuries are described as actions that conflict with values and beliefs, causing psychological…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 5, 2022
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Bacterial contamination of HCWs smartphones before, during COVID-19

Editor's Note This German study finds that bacterial contamination of healthcare workers’ (HCWs’) smartphones can be a source of cross-contamination, and cleaning intensity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 295 HCWs (99 in 2012 and 196 in 2021) from 26 wards comprising 19 different specialties included in the analysis, bacterial…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 4, 2022
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Healthcare employment up in March

Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up in March to a seasonally adjusted 16,192,400 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on April 1. That’s up 8,300 since February. Hospital employment also was up by 5,100 jobs. The overall unemployment rate for March was 3.6%, for a…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 4, 2022
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Protection against COVID-19 after vaccination, previous infection

Editor's Note This study from the UK finds that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were associated with high short-term protection, but this protection waned considerably after 6 months; whereas, infection-acquired immunity boosted with vaccination remained high more than 1 year after COVID-19 infection. Of 35,768 participants analyzed, 9,488 (27%)…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 31, 2022
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Risk factors for COVID-19 in HCWs

Editor's Note This French study finds that contact with COVID-19 patients was not the highest risk of COVID-19 in healthcare workers (HCWs). Of 3,234 HCWs enrolled in the study, 120 (3.8%) contracted COVID-19. The highest risk factors were contact with relatives or other HCWs  with COVID-19. Multivariate analysis showed that…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 31, 2022
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Study links COVID-19 to greater diabetes risk

Editor's Note This cohort study by researchers at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System and Saint Louis University finds that after the first 30 days of infection, COVID-19 patients have increased risks and burdens of incident diabetes and antihyperglycaemic use. A total of 181,280 COVID-19 patients in the US…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 30, 2022
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NIOSH rescinds approval for Pacific PPE N95 respirator masks

Editor's Note The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced on March 28 that it had honored a request by Pacific PPE Corp to rescind all of its N95 respirator mask approvals, effective immediately. Respirators with NIOSH approval numbers TC-84A-9278, TC-84A-9299, and TC-84A-9313 will no longer be manufactured,…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 30, 2022
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ANA says conviction of Tennessee nurse sets dangerous precedent

Editor's Note The American Nurses Association and Tennessee Nurses Association, on March 25, released a statement saying that the conviction of a former Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurse because of a fatal medication error made in 2017 sets a dangerous precedent. In the statement, they said: “We are deeply distressed…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 29, 2022
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Racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes of cancer patients

Editor's Note This multi-center study by cancer centers across the US finds that having cancer and COVID-19 is associated with worse outcomes in Black patients compared with White patients. Of 3,506 patients included in the analysis, 1,068 (30%) were Black and 2,438 (70%) were White. At the time of COVID-19…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 28, 2022
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Move Well: Teaching OR staff to avoid musculoskeletal injuries

Nurses have the highest incidence of work-related musculoskeletal injuries in the US, and OR nurses have the highest incidence among all nursing specialties. Estimates in the literature say more than 50% report chronic back pain, and 10% must leave their profession entirely because of back injuries. It is also estimated…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
March 25, 2022
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