An epidemic ends once the spread of the infection stops and most of the population has either developed immunity or has been vaccinated. It may also end when the number of those recovered passes a certain threshold. At that point, the population achieves something called “herd immunity.” Imagine a person that has never been exposed […]
Herd Immunity: When Are We Getting There? Read More »
While government agencies and healthcare organizations play important roles during states of emergency, the agility of startups provides a means to address immediate problems requiring innovative solutions. Right now, we’re seeing many private companies urgently working to develop COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines, as well as to manufacture and distribute personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators
Looking Ahead: Supporting Care Providers Post-COVID-19 Read More »
Preventing Falls with Predictive Tools Hospitals have been making progress in fall prevention, but the most recent data still show a significant problem that increases both mortality and medical costs. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, 2016) reported that fall rates at United States hospitals declined by about 15 percent between 2010 and
Sustaining Fall Prevention with Predictive, Electronic & Visual Aids Read More »
We are at a unique moment in history that will decide the future trajectory of our country. Preventative measures have brought our economy to a grinding halt in an attempt to control the pandemic caused by the SARS-Cov-2 virus (COVID-19). America must decide when and how to restart our economy by eventually bringing the lockdown
Understanding Critical Factors in COVID-19 Decision Making Read More »
Hand Hygiene Reminders Save Lives It’s well known among infection control experts that hand hygiene is the best defense against the spread of viral and bacterial infections. Soap and water lifts and washes different kinds of bacteria and viruses – including the various strains of coronavirus – down the drain. In addition to using soap
How Gentle Hand Hygiene Reminders Prevent Infections and Save Lives Read More »
Technology in the healthcare workplace can evoke passionate responses from managers and staff, both positive and negative. Any individual response generally depends upon the experiences a person has had with technology in the past. Memories of glitches and downtime often bring skepticism. User-friendly, time-saving technology is welcomed and appreciated. From where I stand as a
5 Characteristics of Reliable Hand Hygiene Monitoring Systems Read More »
Are Handwashing Habits Preventing Infections? The real-time data providing the answer to whether or not care providers were washing their hands long enough was shocking to one of our customers, with performance well below the 20-second standard recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2019) and reinforced by The Joint Commission (2020).
Are Care Providers Washing Hands Long Enough to Prevent Infection? Read More »
Health care is fast – and stressful. It’s no wonder why so many nurses suffer from various kinds of fatigue or trauma. And, unfortunately, due to the speed and pressures of providing health care, nurses rarely have opportunities to talk to their managers and colleagues about their wellbeing. The nurse fatigue and trauma statistics are
How Monitoring Nurse Fatigue Promotes Wellbeing Conversations Read More »
Believe it or not, the answer to the question this article’s headline poses has been debated for at least the past 20 years. Many research studies have been commissioned to find the answer and to build a business case for patient safety. Hospitals must justify every dollar they spend according to evidence-based methods, even if
Do Hospitals Make or Lose Money By Improving Patient Safety? Read More »
Improving Patient Care Through Nurse Wellbeing Taking care of those who care for patients is becoming a higher priority for many healthcare organizations. Efforts to improve nurse wellbeing are in response to increased evidence of fatigue and burnout among these care providers, conditions that lead to staff turnover, medical errors and even incidents of suicide.
How Nurse Wellbeing Boosts Quality, Safety, and Patient Satisfaction Read More »
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