Creating and sustaining a culture of safety has been a challenge for many healthcare organizations, but the objective value in having one can’t be overstated. Organizations like the Institute for Healthcare...
Remember to update your facility’s list of hazardous chemicals and materials at least annually, possibly more often depending on your state and local regulations.
Pete began his shift in the hematology department. He liked to use the counter-mounted safety shield when opening specimens because he didn’t like to wear goggles over his eyeglasses. When it was time to read differential slides, he knew he couldn’t look into the microscope with his glasses on,...
When reading a medical study, providers should focus more on the suggestions and solutions it offers—not just shocking or dramatic statistics, says Brad Truax, MD, a board-certified physician in neurology and internal medicine with over 20 years of experience in medical...
Be prepared for COVID-19 cases to increase in number and potentially severity if the general public becomes too lax in vaccination, testing, and using precautions once the public health emergency (PHE) officially ends on May 11.
You can have clutter in your bedroom, your car, or your home closet, but you can’t have it in your laboratory. Hazardous chemicals can’t be stored above eye level, boxes can’t block exits, combustibles should be kept away from heat sources. Everything in a lab has a proper place, and lab workers...
If you’ve ever ridden a roller coaster, you have some idea about what specimens go through when being transported via a pneumatic tube system (PTS). They, too, experience twists and turns, shaking, and vibrations on the journey.
The wrong label on the wrong container in the laboratory can be dangerous, even lethal. Given the wide variety of chemicals, biologicals, combustibles, and other materials the laboratory worker uses every day, ensuring everything is properly labeled with the right information is key to workplace...
Be sure you understand the requirements of your state or local fire authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) when evaluating the annual testing of your hospital’s medical gas program.
