The trouble with normal?
By Steve MacArthur, Hospital Safety Consultant
It always gets worse!
While I can’t say with absolute certainty, it seems likely that I’ll be employing relatively brief missives over the next couple of weeks as we do seem to be shifting gears a bit as far as the “return to normal.” As I write this, it’s been a couple of weeks since my last air travel and (based solely on my own observations) I have every reason to think that the COVID surge being reported is going to be a disruptive factor—I am hoping that this is the last wave before we reach safe harbor, but I’m not just seeing noses in enclosed public spaces, I’m seeing lots of full faces. I received my second dose of the vaccine about 10 days ago, but I’m going to keep masking up for the foreseeable future when I’m traveling. I will be happy to be proven that it was more than I needed to do, but I’m still waiting on the data…
So, just a couple of resource items for moving into the next phase of normalcy. First up, I was always (OK, since last June) surprised by the variability of screening practices and that surprise continues today. But if you want to get a sense of what I’m seeing in the field, this would be a good starting point. I don’t know that there’s a whole lot of data regarding how effectively screening helped stem the tide of COVID or even how often cases were identified through that process, but maybe someday there will be some sense.
Another element for consideration is visiting folks in nursing homes and other care facilities. I don’t think there’s anyone who would argue that there has been a significant emotional toll since the onset of COVID, which, I suppose has given the powers that be a fair amount of time to come up with how to transition safely on the visitation front. In September 2020, CMS issued some guidance in that regard and, a few weeks ago, updated that guidance in light of vaccinations, etc. Again, if we get another spike, this might be the best we get for a while, but at least it’s something…
And that, as they say, is that—at least for this week. Who knows what might come flying out of nowhere to create havoc, so stay tuned.
Be well and stay safe. Every day brings us a little closer to the end of this thing!
About the Author: Steve MacArthur is a safety consultant with The Greeley Company in Danvers, Mass. He brings more than 30 years of healthcare management and consulting experience to his work with hospitals, physician offices, and ambulatory care facilities across the country. He is the author of HCPro's Hospital Safety Director's Handbook and is contributing editor for Healthcare Safety Leader. Contact Steve at stevemacsafetyspace@gmail.com.