Many busy healthcare providers know how important it is to prevent needlesticks, but they will draw a blank when asked to explain the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act of 2000. Why do we have to follow it? Just like the requirement to wear a seat belt when you drive, following the Needlestick Safety and Prevention […]
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong After the boys of summer have gone -Don Henley Anyone remember the song The Boys of Summer by Don Henley? We are going to move away from our summer jaunts to focus on the Bugs of Fall. It is that time of year […]
OSHA: What is the importance of a housekeeping schedule? Exposure to bloodborne pathogens are ever present in clinical settings, and employees must be protected from contaminated surfaces such as cabinets, patient beds, floors, equipment, walls, light handles, etc. OSHA regulation 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii) states: All equipment and environmental and working surfaces shall be cleaned and decontaminated after […]
Waterlines used in any dental unit that has a water supply, such as syringes and ultrasonic scalers, can become contaminated with biofilm, a coating of microorganisms. To prevent infection, the CDC recommends that dental unit water used in non-surgical procedures is maintained at the same cleanliness standard set for drinking water by the Environmental Protection […]
Before the wide-scale introduction of technology to the healthcare industry, the most important thing to remember about disposing of old PHI used to be to lift with your legs to get those dusty storage boxes into the bin for shredding and recycling. Now that most patient data is stored electronically, there’s a lot less heavy […]
OSHA: The transport container is contaminated with blood and other potentially infectious material (OPIM) from our instruments. How should we clean these reusable, transport containers? OSHA regulation 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)(C) states: All bins, pails, cans, and similar receptacles intended for reuse which have a reasonable likelihood for becoming contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious materials shall […]
OSHA: One of our exit doors locks from the outside. What are the OSHA guidelines for exit doors that are locked inside? According to standard 1910.36(d), An exit door must be unlocked. Employees must be able to open an exit route door from the inside at all times without keys, tools, or special knowledge. A […]
Despite the warnings of what can or might go wrong when receiving medical and dental care, most of us don’t really think anything bad will happen to us, until it does. This was the case for a young woman in July 2013 who was having a routine dental procedure. The dentist failed to follow Best […]
OSHA: Our office automatically provides a Hepatitis B titer for all new hires. Is this acceptable? No. The CDC recommends a titer only if there is documented proof of the vaccination series. If the employee cannot provide documentation of such, then the Hepatitis B series and titer should be offered at the employer’s cost. Alternatively, […]
OSHA: What is the risk of Hepatitis C infection from a needlestick exposure to a positive Hepatitis C patient? There is .1% risk of infection after a needlestick or sharps exposure to Hepatitis C (HCV) positive blood. In the event of occupational exposure, CDC guidance suggests testing the source patient for HCV RNA which can […]
