Summary Abstracts
Fall 2018 Journal
Staying Current on Government Affairs
In his Journal column, Stephen Burt, MFA, BS, AOHP Government Affairs Committee Chair, provides analysis of recent government affairs activities. For this issue, he examines why OSHA inspections are on the rise and who has the potential to be targeted. He also provides details on how to prepare for and manage an OSHA inspection to avoid violations and their costly penalties.
Editor’s Column
This standard feature provides commentary from the current Journal Editor, Kim Stanchfield, RN, COHN-S. In this issue, she relates the value of collaboration and sharing among experienced and novice employee health professionals, and the benefits of networking as members of AOHP at both the chapter and national levels.
Perspectives in Healthcare Safety
Cory Worden, MS, CSHM, CSP, CHSP, ARM, REM, CESCO, shares his insights on safety in healthcare in this standing column. This issue's feature – No Quick Fix: Safety Cannot be Reverse Engineered - reviews the importance of having a safety management program in place before attempting to address lagging indicators. Safety needs to be a proactive effort integrated at all levels of the organization as opposed to just following up on specific incidents.
Exposure Injury Reduction Strategies: Results that Protect Lives
AOHP’s EXPO-S.T.O.P. study has provided high-level national blood and body fluid exposure data since 2011, This article advances the application of this information by sharing best practices of “Exposure Aware” hospitals that have achieved exposure rates significantly below the national average. The goal is to eliminate potentially life-threatening body fluid exposures to healthcare workers. Authors include: Linda Good, PhD, RN, COHN-S; Terry Grimmond, FASM, BAgrSc, GrDpAdEd&Tr; Jane Burnson, RN, BS; Kerry Cassens, MSN, MPH, RN, COHN-S; Lucy Castellanos, MSN, FNP-BC; Natalie Guynn, MSN, NP-C; Peg Johnson, RN; Dawn Lantz, MSN; Pamela Morcom, BSN, RN; Jill Peralta-Cuellar, RN; and Sheri Tadlock, BSN, RN.
Safety Engineered Device Usage and Activation in Six Western U.S. Hospitals
The 2001 Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requires U.S. healthcare facilities to use safety engineered devices (SED) to protect healthcare workers. However, a recent increase in U.S. occupational exposures may indicate SED use may be sub-optimal. This post-disposal audit, authored by Terry Grimmond, FASM, BAgrSc, GrDpAdEd&Tr, examined sharps container contents to ascertain the frequency and correctness of SED use in a sample of hospitals in the Western United States.
Developing Predictive Models for Return to Work
Musculoskeletal injuries are a primary source of disability in the U.S. military, and low back pain and lower extremity injuries account for over 44% of limited work days annually. A history of prior musculoskeletal injury increases the risk for future injury. This study aims to determine the risk of injury after returning to work from a previous injury using the Military Power, Performance, and Prevention (MP3) musculoskeletal injury risk algorithm. The objective is to identify criteria that can help predict likelihood for future injury or re-injury. Study authors include Daniel I. Rhon, Deydre S. Teyhen, Scott W. Schaffer, Stephen L. Goffar, Kyle Kiesel, and Phil P. Plisky.
Caring for the Caregivers: Making the Case for Mindfulness-Based Wellness Programming to Support Nurses and Prevent Staff Turnover
Today, there is increasing interest in the mental health benefits and protections offered by mindfulness-based interventions in healthcare organizations. Sara Belton, PhD, BScN, RN, examines healthcare organizations that have implemented these interventions into workplace wellness programs. Her article addresses the clear interpersonal and intrapersonal benefits of mindfulness-based interventions, which help to reduce stress and increase coping in nursing staff who face a challenging workplace environment.
Revisiting Influenza Vaccination Exemption
Serious neurologic adverse events following influenza immunization, such as encephalitis or acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, have been observed but are rare. It is challenging to determine the causal relationship between an influenza vaccination and a serious adverse event. Margaret Ryan, Laurie Duran, Rachel Lee, and Sengkham Wu review the case of a man who was vaccinated for influenza at age 77 with no adverse reaction, 50 years after experiencing a serious neurologic adverse event following vaccination. The analysis concludes with a recommendation regarding vaccine exemptions.