Nursing Safety
Closed-System Devices: When Seatbelts Are Not Enough
Automotive seatbelts became mandatory in the 1960s as a method to reduce fatalities. However, by themselves, belts were not completely effective, so airbags were later developed. For hazardous drugs, despite the use of vertical flow biologic safety cabinets for drug preparation and personal protective equipment for administration, workplace contamination continues to be a significant problem. This realization has lead to the development of closed-system transfer devices.
Halt the Hazards of Hand Hygiene
A number of studies have demonstrated an overall decrease in skin organisms and infection rates with alcohol-based hand sanitizers compared to soap and water (Allegranzi & Pittet, 2009), yet compliance remains a problem for healthcare providers. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers have been documented to cause a variety of skin maladies, most notably hand dermatitis. Signs and symptoms include redness, excoriation, pain, burning, itching, and skin tightness.
Protect Yourself From Nursing Negligence or Malpractice
For oncology nurses, charges of negligence and malpractice can arise in situations ranging from a poorly managed vesicant extravasation to providing inappropriate information during telephone triage. In addition to loss of life, negligence and malpractice can result in debilitating physical harm and psychological trauma. Other negative consequences of malpractice include suspension or termination, irreparable damage to professional reputation (with inability to get hired), and criminal prosecution. Here’s how to protect yourself from malpractice.
Is Nursing a Pain in the Neck?
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), nurses and nursing supportive personnel annually incur more than 200,000 injuries related to lifting or moving patients. RNs rank sixth in overall occupational musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs)—ahead of construction workers, miners, and agricultural workers.
H1N1 Vaccination Keeps You and Your Patients Safe
Oncology nurses are aware of the need to prevent infection in neutropenic patients. But what about preventing our own infections? Although the number of H1N1 cases in oncology nurses has not been measured, the illness poses a risk from two fronts: We may be seeing infected patients in our daily practice, and we also run the risk of giving the virus to uninfected patients and coworkers.
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