November/December 2022 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control
ON THE COVER
7 chief nursing officers on their most pressing issues
Hospital and health system chief nursing officers are focusing on nurse well-being and workforce retention as they head into the end of 2022.
The risks of 'medium COVID'
A plethora of research suggests that the risk of severe health complications is highest in the weeks — not months — after a COVID-19 infection, yet this crucial period is often lumped into the broader term "long COVID-19," Benjamin Mazer, MD, wrote in an Oct. 11 article for The Atlantic.
3 guarantees travel nurses would need from their hospitals to return
Some travel nurses who left full-time hospital jobs during the pandemic have no plans to return. But there is a subset of reachable nurses who say they would consider returning to a full-time bedside role if hospitals made certain guarantees.
5 health systems' biggest patient safety win this year
From creating safety culture tools to collaborating with other systems, hospitals and health systems are consistently working to improve patient safety.
Why hospitals won't keep universal masking around forever
Face masks have played a crucial role in reducing COVID-19 transmission in hospitals, but clinical and infection control experts are not convinced the pandemic has set a new precedent for widespread use of facial coverings in healthcare settings.
10 practices to address diagnostic errors: Joint Commission
Researchers have developed a list of 10 high-priority safety practices to help healthcare organizations address diagnostic errors, based on a comprehensive literature review and input from additional experts.
Bain: 25% of clinicians want out of healthcare
One quarter of U.S. physicians, advanced practice providers and nurses are considering switching careers and one third are considering switching employers, according to newly released results from a survey conducted by Bain & Company.
HAIs continued to rise in 2021, CDC finds
The incidence of several common healthcare-associated infections reported by U.S. hospitals increased in 2021, new CDC data shows.
WHO identifies 19 fungal 'priority pathogens'
For the first time, the World Health Organization released a list of fungal "priority pathogens" that have emerged as significant public health threats. The list can be found here.
Why patient falls are so hard to get ahead of
From shock-absorbing flooring to wearable technologies, hospitals have tried a litany of interventions to get to zero patient falls. But for years, falls have consistently landed on The Joint Commission's list of most common sentinel events.
17 most common long COVID-19 symptoms: Kaiser Permanente
Researchers at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente identified 17 conditions most frequently associated with long COVID-19 in a study published Oct. 12 in Nature Medicine. The study is among the first to account for preexisting conditions when defining such symptoms.
$5M gift creates chief caregiver endowment at Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic has received a $5 million gift that will support new caregiver wellness initiatives through an endowed fund, the health system said Oct. 25.
CMS penalizes 2,273 hospitals for high readmissions: 6 things to know
CMS evaluated two and a half years of readmission cases for Medicare patients through the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program and penalized 2,273 hospitals that had a greater-than-expected rate of return, according to a Nov. 1 report from Kaiser Health News.
Viewpoint: Stop treating nurses like selfless mothers
Advocating for better working conditions is an especially challenging task for nurses, as they are battling a long history of sexism and false notions about the profession, Stephen Mihm, PhD, wrote in an op-ed published Sept. 16 in Bloomberg.
INFECTION CONTROL
Why hospitals won't keep universal masking around forever
Face masks have played a crucial role in reducing COVID-19 transmission in hospitals, but clinical and infection control experts are not convinced the pandemic has set a new precedent for widespread use of facial coverings in healthcare settings.
US unveils plan to boost pandemic preparedness: 4 key objectives
The White House on Oct. 18 unveiled a strategy to bolster the nation's ability to respond to future pandemics and other biological threats, including an objective to manufacture enough of a new vaccine to protect the population within 130 days of a new outbreak.
Hospital floors, employees' shoes may be 'underappreciated source' of MRSA spread: study
Hospital floors and shoes could be an overlooked source for dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other healthcare-associated pathogens, according to a study performed at a VA hospital in Ohio.
Nation's 1st C. auris cluster among kids detected at Nevada hospital
The nation's first confirmed cluster of Candida auris infections among children was detected at Las Vegas-based Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in May, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Oct. 22.
Florida hospital nurse contracted monkeypox from needlestick, CDC says
A Florida hospital nurse was exposed to monkeypox through a needlestick in July, representing the nation's first confirmed case from a healthcare exposure, the CDC said Oct. 17.
PATIENT SAFETY & OUTCOMES
5 health systems' biggest patient safety win this year
From creating safety culture tools to collaborating with other systems, hospitals and health systems are consistently working to improve patient safety.
Chicago safety net hospital under scrutiny for neglect, deaths
Chicago-based Roseland Community Hospital is under scrutiny after multiple federal inspection reports, medical malpractice lawsuits and a whistleblower complaint to the state highlighted neglect and errors resulting in patient deaths, ProPublica reported Oct. 12.
The risks of 'medium COVID'
A plethora of research suggests that the risk of severe health complications is highest in the weeks — not months — after a COVID-19 infection, yet this crucial period is often lumped into the broader term "long COVID-19," Benjamin Mazer, MD, wrote in an Oct. 11 article for The Atlantic.
Why patient falls are so hard to get ahead of
From shock-absorbing flooring to wearable technologies, hospitals have tried a litany of interventions to get to zero patient falls. But for years, falls have consistently landed on The Joint Commission's list of most common sentinel events.
Hospital hires firm to review surgery program after physician's 21 malpractice settlements
Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, N.H., has hired Pittsburgh-based law firm Horty Springer & Mattern to conduct an "independent, external review" of its cardiac surgery program. The move comes after the hospital allegedly protected a surgeon with 21 malpractice settlements.
PATIENT & CAREGIVER EXPERIENCE
'I've been blessed that I can continue practicing and doing the things I love': A Q&A with Dr. Howard Tucker, the world's oldest physician
There's something very special about neurologist Howard Tucker, MD, who turned 100 on July 10. He teaches medical residents at Cleveland-based St. Vincent Charity Medical Center — and has also held the Guinness World Record for oldest practicing physician since February 2021.
Physicians becoming harder to replace as burnout continues, study finds
The Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment released a study Oct. 18 highlighting the ongoing physician shortage nationwide.
Medscape: 52% of female physicians don't feel fairly compensated
Fifty-two percent of female physicians don't feel fairly compensated compared to their male counterparts, Medscape's "Female Physician Compensation Report 2022" found.
64% of disabled physicians report mistreatment from patients, co-workers
Physicians with a disability are significantly more likely to report mistreatment from patients and co-workers, according to a study published in the October edition of Health Affairs.
Why an Iowa health system updated its hair care offerings for patients
Combs, shampoos and other hair care products have been supplied to inpatients for decades, but many are geared toward people with straight, fine hair, leaving out a number of minority groups, according to an Oct. 19 article on the American Medical Association website.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT
10 practices to address diagnostic errors: Joint Commission
Researchers have developed a list of 10 high-priority safety practices to help healthcare organizations address diagnostic errors, based on a comprehensive literature review and input from additional experts.
Medical groups create program to increase quality of emergency surgery care
The American College of Surgeons and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma have created a verification program to help hospitals improve the quality of care in emergency surgeries.
Healthcare workforce lost 333,942 providers in 2021
An estimated 333,942 healthcare providers dropped out of the workforce in 2021, according to an Oct. 20 report from Definitive Healthcare.
CDC: More than 80% of maternal deaths are preventable
More than 80 percent of maternal deaths between 2017 and 2019 were due to preventable causes, a report from the CDC found.
People of color face high risk of flu hospitalization: CDC
Compared to white adults, people of color in the U.S. are more likely to be hospitalized with the flu and less likely to be vaccinated against the flu, according to a large study the CDC published Oct. 18.
NURSING SPOTLIGHT
3 guarantees travel nurses would need from their hospitals to return
Some travel nurses who left full-time hospital jobs during the pandemic have no plans to return. But there is a subset of reachable nurses who say they would consider returning to a full-time bedside role if hospitals made certain guarantees.
Viewpoint: Stop treating nurses like selfless mothers
Advocating for better working conditions is an especially challenging task for nurses, as they are battling a long history of sexism and false notions about the profession, Stephen Mihm, PhD, wrote in an op-ed published Sept. 16 in Bloomberg.
UPMC to offer loan forgiveness program for nursing students
Pittsburgh, Pa.-based UPMC will offer nursing students financial assistance through a new loan forgiveness program set to launch in January.
Labor Department invests $80M into nursing workforce
The U.S. Labor Department invested $80 million of funding in support of nursing training programs Oct. 3.
7 chief nursing officers on their most pressing issues
Hospital and health system chief nursing officers are focusing on nurse well-being and workforce retention as they head into the end of 2022.