The COVID-19 pandemic represents a truly unprecedented and challenging time for millions of us across the country. Yet I’m so inspired by the leadership, dedication, and—perhaps most important—resilience of our nursing colleagues on the frontlines treating and caring for patients day after day. I’ve been thinking a lot about resilience, what it means, and why it’s more important than ever for nurses. Here are five of my recent resilience-related thoughts: Endurance […]
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The right to privacy has always been heavily debated, especially because the Constitution does not provide any definitive right of privacy. But the battle regarding privacy in healthcare seemed to have been resolved with the passing of the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996. However, reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and other agencies suspended important aspects of HIPAA and Congress passed the, ‘Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and […]
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Recycling isn’t just for the environment anymore. It’s becoming an economic imperative, and you could even consider it your patriotic duty. So says the top environmental officer of the United States. who urged Americans to help fight a worldwide pandemic by recycling the packing materials from their delivery orders. With so many people creating waste at home, recycling is “more essential than ever right now,’ said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler in […]
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As countries scramble to procure personal protective equipment, another quickly accelerating problem sits on the back end: the disturbingly massive amount of medical waste of all types that must be disposed of. As has been widely reported, protocols regarding the usage of personal protective equipment (PPE) have evolved as cases have rapidly escalated around the world. For example, Britian’s guidance is that healthcare workers should replace their gowns and aprons after treating each patient and face masks after […]
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With employers planning for employees to return to work following COVID-19–related closures, there are sure to be questions about sharing employee medical information as it relates to COVID-19 (symptoms, test results, status) within the workplace and with public authorities. Now may be a good time to review what has changed about federal privacy rules in light of the COVID-19 pandemic—and what hasn’t. Of course, much remains the same. The privacy, security, and breach notification rules […]
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Dr. Ratul Chatterjee, an independent primary care physician in Huntington Beach, California, would like to banish HIPAA in its current form although he readily admits that his is a radical, politically incorrect, position. He charges that health IT companies, lawyers and lobbyists have made millions from HIPAA while blaming the 1995 law for a variety of ills, including physician burnout and lack of efficiency. “HIPAA is a big part of EHRs,” he declared in a […]
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Workplace safety inspectors are conducting nearly 200 coronavirus-related investigations to determine whether employers failed to adequately protect their workers, according to data from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Half involve employee deaths or hospitalizations. The inspections target nearly 50 hospitals and two dozen nursing homes, including one in Joliet, Illinois, where administrators believe an infected maintenance worker spread the virus room to room. Twenty-four residents died, along with a nursing assistant and the maintenance worker himself. Also under […]
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A handful of states are reopening for business following coronavirus-triggered lockdowns, raising two compelling questions: Must employers ensure the workplace is safe? And will they be held liable if employees contract the virus? The short answer is that while health care providers must follow federal safety guidelines to guard against contagion, other businesses are not obligated to do so, leaving it to states and localities to set standards, experts say. And sick employees who seek […]
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To update clinicians on the various terminology used by the FDA on treatments related to COVID-19 we have developed this reference guide. Classification of Intended Use and Definitions The classification of your intended use dictates which products can be used and what regulatory framework needs to be in place based on your intent. For example, if you are treating a patient with an FDA-approved product, you can take it off the shelf and use it […]
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AUSTIN, Texas, April 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ In light of the DEA postponing National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription savings destination RxSaver by RetailMeNot™ has outlined alternative ways for people to safely dispose of expired or unused medications. The annual medication disposal event was originally scheduled for this Saturday, April 25, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. RxSaver encourages people to check their medicine cabinets and routinely remove expired or unused medications. If you need […]
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