November/December 2020 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control
ON THE COVER
'Post-COVID' clinics gain traction among health systems
A small but growing number of health systems are launching dedicated clinics or programs for COVID-19 patients with lingering symptoms, reports Kaiser Health News.
Boston Children's Hospital to end 2 intersex surgeries
Boston Children's Hospital will no longer perform two types of genital surgeries on intersex children if they are too young to meaningfully consent, reports The 19th News.
NewYork-Presbyterian CXO Rick Evans: Climbing over the pandemic wall will require changing healthcare's 'suck-it-up' culture
As we transition to autumn here in New York City, we are entering a new phase of living with the pandemic and addressing its effects on our patients and staff.
Nurses, CNAs made up 36% of healthcare workers hospitalized with COVID-19 this spring, analysis finds
More than a third of healthcare workers hospitalized with COVID-19 from March to May were in nursing-related positions, representing the highest proportion of healthcare workers in the hospital with the illness, according to a new CDC analysis.
Massachusetts hospital COVID-19 outbreak may be tied to employees eating together
An outbreak of COVID-19 cases among Holyoke (Mass.) Medical Center employees is believed to be linked to staff members eating together while on break, TV station WWLP reported.
10 healthcare execs share predictions for nursing in the next 5 years
The pandemic put nurses on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19 and caused shifts in the way they provide care.
How hospitals can boost employee morale this winter
As environmental services workers get ready for their shifts at Salem (Ore.) Health, they take a moment to engage in positivity. They get sticky notes and pens, write down celebratory moments and put the notes on a wall in their break room.
CDC launches $180M infection control training program
The CDC unveiled a national infection control training initiative Oct. 28 known as Project Firstline to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in healthcare settings.
'Shut it down': Virginia hospital under investigation isn't safe, nurse says
A registered nurse who formerly worked at Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents in New Kent, Va., is calling for it to be shut down after she said she witnessed child abuse at the facility, according to CBS 6.
7 patient safety goals for 2021 from Joint Commission
The Joint Commission recently shared seven patient safety goals for hospitals to focus on in 2021.
Cleveland's University Hospitals offering sleep pods for front-line COVID-19 workers
Cleveland-based University Hospitals will offer sleep pods for front-line workers as part of a 10-month pilot program with HOHM during the COVID-19 pandemic, the health system announced Oct. 12.
RWJBarnabas to screen all patients for social determinants of health
West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health has launched a universal social determinants of health program to regularly screen patients for factors that may contribute to chronic disease.
Hospital deaths 5 times higher for COVID-19 than flu, CDC finds
Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are at a higher risk for death and health complications than those hospitalized with influenza, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Oct. 20.
CMS fines 2,545 hospitals for high readmissions: 5 things to know
In fiscal year 2021, CMS will penalize 2,545 hospitals for having too many Medicare patients readmitted within 30 days, according to federal data cited by Kaiser Health News.
INFECTION CONTROL
Universal masking lowers COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers, Harvard study finds
Universal masking at a Massachusetts health system led to a decrease in COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers, even as the virus spread increased in the surrounding community, according to a study published Oct. 21 by Occupational Medicine.
CDC launches $180M infection control training program
The CDC unveiled a national infection control training initiative Oct. 28 known as Project Firstline to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in healthcare settings.
Kaiser cited over lack of COVID-19 airborne precautions
California officials cited Kaiser Permante for failing to treat COVID-19 as an airborne disease at a psychiatric facility in Santa Clara, reports CALMatters, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom.
Some COVID-19 survivors may have antibodies that attack body instead of virus
Some COVID-19 survivors may carry antibodies that attack the body instead of the virus, similar to antibodies seen in lupus and rheumatoid arthritis patients, according to a study cited by The New York Times.
Massachusetts hospital COVID-19 outbreak may be tied to employees eating together
An outbreak of COVID-19 cases among Holyoke (Mass.) Medical Center employees is believed to be linked to staff members eating together while on break, TV station WWLP reported.
PATIENT SAFETY
'Shut it down': Virginia hospital under investigation isn't safe, nurse says
A registered nurse who formerly worked at Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents in New Kent, Va., is calling for it to be shut down after she said she witnessed child abuse at the facility, according to CBS 6.
Complaints of long wait times spur probe of California safety-net system
California health officials will investigate Los Angeles County's safety-net healthcare system after a report highlighted clinician concerns about long wait times for specialty care, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Medtronic recalls heart catheter after 1 death, 2 injuries
Medtronic has recalled its Rashkind balloon catheter after reports of a patient death and two patient injuries, the FDA announced Nov. 3.
South Carolina hospital fires back at physicians claiming 'abysmal' care
Columbia, S.C.-based Prisma Health said physicians claiming patient safety issues at the system's Baptist Hospital are motivated by money more than patient care, according to The State.
3 healthcare workers charged in patient death at Colorado nursing home; state shuts down facility
A nurse and two certified nursing assistants have been charged for negligence in relation to a patient death at a Colorado nursing home, according to CBS affiliate KKTV.
PATIENT & CAREGIVER EXPERIENCE
How hospitals can boost employee morale this winter
As environmental services workers get ready for their shifts at Salem (Ore.) Health, they take a moment to engage in positivity. They get sticky notes and pens, write down celebratory moments and put the notes on a wall in their break room.
Cancer patient reports unsanitary conditions at Memorial Health
A breast cancer patient at Savannah, Ga.-based Memorial Health said hospital staff neglected to clean her room and didn't provide basic supplies like toilet paper, reports NBC affiliate WSAV.
NewYork-Presbyterian CXO Rick Evans: Climbing over the pandemic wall will require changing healthcare's 'suck-it-up' culture
As we transition to autumn here in New York City, we are entering a new phase of living with the pandemic and addressing its effects on our patients and staff.
HCA Healthcare physician dies of COVID-19 after wearing same mask for weeks
An HCA Healthcare physician has died of COVID-19 after reusing her N95 mask for weeks, if not months, The Guardian reported.
Physicians grapple with treatment uncertainty for COVID-19 long haulers
Care teams are facing the dual challenge of responding to COVID-19 patients' immediate medical needs while also discerning how to help survivors facing long-term symptoms, reports The Washington Post.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT
Neurological symptoms common in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, Northwestern study finds
More than 80 percent of COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine this spring had neurological symptoms, according to a study published in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.
How 3 hospitals maintained a 62% drop in pressure injuries through the pandemic
Three hospitals achieved a more than 60 percent reduction in pressure injuries through a collaborative project with the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare.
10 best states for healthcare access during pandemic
Massachusetts leads states in improving healthcare access for residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an analysis by QuoteWizard, an insurance comparison website.
VA hospitals' antibiotic use has increased amid pandemic, study finds
Antibiotic use has increased at Veterans Affairs hospitals during the pandemic, reversing a four-year trend of reduced use, according to a study presented at IDWeek 2020.
COVID-19 patients with GI symptoms have worse outcomes, study finds
Patients experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms from COVID-19 have an increased risk of hospitalization, ICU care and intubation compared to patients without GI symptoms, according to a study presented at the 2020 American College of Gastroenterology Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course.
NURSING SPOTLIGHT
Nurses, CNAs made up 36% of healthcare workers hospitalized with COVID-19 this spring, analysis finds
More than a third of healthcare workers hospitalized with COVID-19 from March to May were in nursing-related positions, representing the highest proportion of healthcare workers in the hospital with the illness, according to a new CDC analysis.
8 best nursing schools for men
The American Association for Men in Nursing recognized eight universities as the recipients of its 2020 Best Schools for Men in Nursing Awards. The winners were named at the AAMN's annual conference earlier this month.
Viewpoint: Why nurses make great lawmakers
Nurses bring unique perspectives to the legislative process and have a role outside of the hospital, according to an op-ed written by Janice Phillips, PhD, RN, and published in The Hill.
Nurse-led initiative cuts unnecessary urine cultures at Johns Hopkins Hospital: 4 things to know
An antibiotic stewardship intervention program led by nurses at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore led to a reduction of inappropriate urinary cultures for adult patients, according to a pilot study published in the November issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
Ochsner, Loyola New Orleans launch nursing program
Ochsner Health and Loyola University New Orleans partnered on a new undergraduate nursing program in an effort to address workforce shortages in Louisiana and the nation.