Category: Healthcare
The Unique Occupational Environment of the Home Healthcare Worker
Patient care is expanding beyond the walls of healthcare organizations. Improvements in technology, progression of disease management, and a growing number of persons seeking care within their homes are driving the growth of the home healthcare industry. Home healthcare workers (HHCWs) are a vital part of the rapidly growing industry and their work environment and Read More >
Posted on by 8 CommentsWork Ability among Older Nurses
As the U.S. workforce ages, many older nurses continue to work in direct patient care. However, by 2030, an estimated 1 million nurses will have retired from the workforce (Buerhaus, Skinner, Auerbach, & Staiger, 2017). The known safety and health hazards for nurses in direct-care positions could be even more dangerous for older workers. Read More >
Posted on by 7 CommentsHeat Stress Imposed by PPE Worn in Hot and Humid Environments
A recent blog discussed prolonged respirator use and the potential physiological burden that could result from the buildup of CO2 within the respirator facepiece. Heat stress is another potential stress factor that healthcare workers (HCWs) who use personal protective equipment (PPE) and their employers should be aware of in order to recognize the signs Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsSkin Irritation from Prolonged Use of Tight-Fitting Respirators
Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs) are typically used by workers, including first responders and healthcare professionals, for short, infrequent periods of time to protect against potential airborne transmissible diseases. However, during widespread respiratory infectious disease outbreaks, there may be a need to implement respirator extended use practices due to an inadequate supply of FFRs. Skin irritation Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsSafety Culture and Health Care
Health care facilities need to foster and promote a strong culture of safety that includes a commitment to worker safety, provision of and adequate access to safety and personal protective equipment, and extensive training efforts that utilize protocols requiring specific safety actions. The American Nurses Association (2016) states that “A culture of safety describes the Read More >
Posted on by 11 CommentsSurgical Smoke Inhalation: Dangerous Consequences for the Surgical Team
In 1996, after conducing multiple health hazard evaluations, NIOSH released a bulletin recommending the control of surgical smoke created during laser or electric surgical procedures. Since the 1990s the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) has recommended the evacuation of all surgical smoke. Yet, surgical smoke is still inhaled daily by nurses in the operating Read More >
Posted on by 19 CommentsConsiderations for Covering N95s to Extend Use
Introduction During times of increased demand for N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), hospitals or other medical facilities may want to protect these devices from surface contamination in order to prolong their use. When protection against surface contamination is needed, CDC recommends wearing a cleanable face shield over an N95 FFR[1]. Wearing a surgical mask or Read More >
Posted on byThe Physiological Burden of Prolonged PPE Use on Healthcare Workers during Long Shifts
Please note that this blog is specifically about respirators used by healthcare workers during long shifts and not facemasks worn as barrier control to stop the spread of COVID. Healthcare workers (HCW) and first responders often work long, physically and mentally exhausting shifts as they provide care for patients, especially during a public health emergency. Read More >
Posted on by 34 CommentsNurses’ and Other Health Professionals’ Wellness and Safety Resource Update
The World Health Organization proclaimed 2020 the Year of the Nurse and Midwife. None of us could have anticipated how prescient that would be. This year has seen nurses all over the world step up and battle coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) fearlessly, often while navigating evolving guidance and operating under difficult conditions with strained resources. Read More >
Posted on by 6 CommentsUnderstanding the Use of Imported Non-NIOSH-Approved Respirators
When a respirator has been approved by NIOSH, the user can be confident that the device will provide the expected level of protection, as long as it fits properly and is worn correctly. But when serious outbreak conditions cause a shortage of the NIOSH-approved filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), other reliable options must be found. When Read More >
Posted on byUso adecuado del respirador N95 para estar preparado para la protección respiratoria
Cuando ocurren brotes de enfermedades infecciosas, dependemos de los profesionales de atención médica para que cuiden a los afectados, lo cual los pone en mayor riesgo de exposición al patógeno causante de la enfermedad. Mientras que los controles técnicos y administrativos deberían ser lo primero que se considere para proteger a estos trabajadores de la Read More >
Posted on byControlar a fadiga em momentos de crise: Orientação para enfermeiros, gerentes e outros funcionários de serviços de saúde
Em momentos de crise, funcionários de saúde (por exemplo, enfermeiros, enfermeiros licenciados em clínica geral, médicos, assistentes de enfermagem etc.) continuam a oferecer atendimento, mesmo com demandas desafiadoras de trabalho, incluindo maior internação de pacientes gravemente doentes, aumento do estresse no trabalho e uma necessidade frequente de horas extras. Essas demandas de trabalho podem compor Read More >
Posted on by 1 Comment危機発生時の疲労管理：看護師、管理者、および他の医療従事者に向けた指針
危機発生時、重症患者の搬入の増加、業務上のストレスの増加、超過勤務の必要性の増加を含め、かつてない困難な業務負荷の中にあっても、医療従事者（例：看護師、専門看護師、医師、准看護師）は医療行為を継続します。こういった業務負荷は既に厳しい勤務環境（すなわち、12時間シフト、夜勤）と合わさり、しっかりと回復するためのシフト中の通常の休憩時間やシフト間の休日など、十分な休憩・休日の確保を難しくしています。これらの業務上の因子のすべて（すなわち、身体的、心理的、および／または精神的負荷）が睡眠不足と重なることで疲労に繋がります1-3。 Read More >
Posted on byNIOSH Ventilated Headboard Provides Solution to Patient Isolation During an Epidemic
To protect healthcare workers, other patients, and visitors from exposure to airborne infectious diseases, patients in hospital settings sometimes need to be placed in airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs). AIIRs contain specific engineered features to isolate and more-quickly remove potentially infectious patient aerosols so that they do not infect others. Isolation rooms are expensive, costing Read More >
Posted on by 20 CommentsRespiratory Protection During Outbreaks: Respirators versus Surgical Masks
Consistent use of respirators improves protection against respiratory illness Consistent use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is an important part of the strategy to protect healthcare professionals from inhaling infectious particles, preventing the spread of respiratory infection between healthcare professionals and patients. Two types of devices are most commonly used in the healthcare setting: N95 Read More >
Posted on byManaging Fatigue During Times of Crisis: Guidance for Nurses, Managers, and Other Healthcare Workers
At times of crisis, healthcare workers (e.g., nurses, advanced practice nurses, physicians, nursing assistants, etc.) continue to provide care, despite ever challenging work demands, including higher influx of critically ill patients, increased work stress, and a frequent need for overtime. These work demands can compound already challenging work schedules (i.e. 12-hour shifts, night shifts), making Read More >
Posted on by 11 CommentsManejo de la fatiga en tiempos de crisis: Directrices para enfermeros, administradores y otros trabajadores de atención médica
En tiempos de crisis, los trabajadores de atención médica (por ejemplo, enfermeros, enfermeros especialistas, médicos, auxiliares de enfermería, etc.) siguen brindando atención, a pesar de exigencias laborales constantemente arduas, como mayor afluencia de enfermos críticos, mayor estrés laboral y la necesidad frecuente de horas extras. Estas exigencias pueden complicar jornadas laborales ya complejas (es decir, Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentProper N95 Respirator Use for Respiratory Protection Preparedness
When outbreaks of infectious disease occur, we rely on healthcare professionals to care for those affected, putting themselves at increased risk of exposure to the pathogen causing the disease. While engineering and administrative controls should be the first considerations to protect these workers from this exposure, facilities should also ensure that at-risk employees are prepared Read More >
Posted on byYear of the Nurse
The World Health Organization has designated 2020 the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. Nurses play a critical role in our healthcare system and in the lives of the patients they care for. The very act of caring for and serving others can place nurses at risk for many workplaces injuries and illnesses including Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsDrug Overdose in the Workplace and the Role of Opioids
The drug overdose epidemic continues to afflict our country. Nationally, there were more than 70,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017 [i] involving opioids (such as fentanyl, heroin and hydrocodone), stimulants (such as cocaine and methamphetamine), and alcohol.[ii] Nearly 70% of these deaths involved an opioid.[ii] Recent data show that drug overdoses at work are increasing. Read More >
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