Healthcare Traveler - February 2009 - (Page 6)

N E W S T R AV E L E R S C A N U S E In A Flash CDC wake-up call: Hep B and C Legislative Corner PA law bans mandatory overtime A Pennsylvania law, effective this July, prohibits healthcare facilities from requiring direct-care providers to work beyond a scheduled shift, and from using on-call time as a substitute for mandatory overtime. There are exceptions for emergencies, but mandatory overtime must be a last resort. The law is enforced by the state Department of Labor & Industry. L ast year, a Government Accounting Office report rekindled awareness of the severity of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), which are among the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States. HAIs accounted for an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths in 2002, and have cost nearly $20 billion each year. (See www.gao. gov/new/items/d08283.pdf for the report.) But the problem exists in other healthcare settings, as well. A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report notes that in the last decade, more than 60,000 patients in the United States were asked to get tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses because healthcare personnel in settings outside hospitals failed to follow basic infection control procedures and aseptic technique in injection safety. Reuse of syringes and blood-contamination of medications, equipment, and devices were common factors in these outbreaks. The report was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (www. annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/150/1/33). “This report is a wake-up call,” said Dr. John Ward, director of CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis. “Thousands of patients are needlessly exposed to viral hepatitis and other preventable disease in the very places where they should feel protected.” The first full review of CDC’s investigations of healthcare-associated viral hepatitis outbreaks over the past 10 years was startling. It revealed a total of 33 identified outbreaks in nonhospital healthcare settings in 15 states: 12 in outpatient clinics, 6 in hemodialysis centers, and 15 in longterm care facilities, resulting in 448 people acquiring HBV or HCV infection. This news is especially important for healthcare travelers, who find themselves in a variety of practice settings, both inside and outside of the acute care environment. Whatever the setting, it is important to maintain meticulous infection control measures—for the safety of your patients, your colleagues, and yourself. If you come across a facility that appears to fall short on protocols, convey your concerns to your recruiter immediately so he or she can advocate on your behalf with your unit manager, supervisor, or other facility administrator. —Lisa Daggett CA laws step up infection control As of January 1, California hospitals must comply with two new infectioncontrol laws designed to prevent the spread of MRSA. SB 1058 requires hospitals to publicly disclose infection rates, and screen high-risk patients. SB 158 allows DHS (now DPH) to investigate any reports of poor infection control practices or infection outbreaks. Did You Know… The Top 5 college football destinations are: 1. University of Texas, Austin, TX 2. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 3. Notre Dame, South Bend, IN 4. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 5. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI Source: Hotels.com. (n.d.) Top 10 College Football Destinations. Retrieved January 9, 2009, from http://www.hotels.com/top10/football?id=top 10football&tab=interests. Gear & Gadgets » FOLDABLE NOISE-CANCELING HEADPHONES » PERFECT PACKING COMPRESSION SACS 6 Healthcare Traveler February 2009 C L E V E R TO O L S T H AT SI M P L I F Y T H E T R AV E L L I F E S T Y L E Frequent flyers love these EarHugger headphones, which reduce engine and cabin noise up to 15 dB. The $39 package includes an airline adapter, carrying pouch, AAA battery, and lifetime manufacturer’s warranty. See www.travelproducts.com for details. The Pack-It® Compression Sacs remove excess air from clothes, reducing volume by up to 80%. The set sells for $25.85, but small, medium, and large polyethylene sacs can also be purchased individually. (www.magellans.com) www.healthcaretraveler.com http://www.gao.gov/new/items/d08283.pdf http://www.gao.gov/new/items/d08283.pdf http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/150/1/33 http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/150/1/33 http://www.travelproducts.com http://www.Hotels.com http://www.hotels.com/top10/football?id=top10football&tab=interests http://www.magellans.com http://www.healthcaretraveler.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Traveler - February 2009

Healthcare Traveler - February 2009 Editor’s Desk Contents In a Flash Paws for Thought Field Notes Med Ec-cerpts The Economic Meltdown What Really is a “Tax Home”? Beach Therapy Drug Update Professional Update Advice of Counsel Cityscape Advertisers’ Index Name It Contest Rules On Assignment Tax Facts Dot.com Big Deals Allied Corner Going the Distance Classifieds Tales from the Road

Healthcare Traveler - February 2009

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