From the Desk of Robert Morgan, MSN
NEED TO KNOW UPDATES and TIPS:
- Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices
We have previously discussed making sure you are
using a device that has been approved for multi
patient use. We have checked with both One Touch
and Accu-Check. They will send you literature
substantiating they are approved if you contact them
through their customer service number.
- Life Safety Code
We continue to see citations for Life Safety Code per
the survey tool. Check out Part 2 Hand Hygiene
Section A b.1 Alcohol based hand rub must be
installed per the LSC which can be found at 42 CFR
416.44(b)(5) i.e. minimum horizontal spacing of 4 ft
from each other, not installed adjacent to an ignition
source among other requirements. If you have allowed
your vendors to help you by installing, double check
their work!!! A recent citation was given for hand rubs
less than 6 inches laterally from an outlet. Beware!!
- Hand Hygiene
The most frequent seen citation in this area appears
to be after removing gloves. Staff seem to be unaware
this is being required/observed. Please read B under
hand hygiene on the survey tool.
- Infection Control designee
It is important to double check with your state regs to
see if this person has specific requirements in
addition to the training component. Several states do,
so do not get caught off guard on this. No doubt
states will be upgrading soon so stay tuned!
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Greetings!
If you have been attending our Infection Control
webinars, you will find this newsletter issue an
important addendum to the information that you have
already received from us regarding CMS Infection
Control Changes and upcoming audits.
It is our pleasure to introduce our new
Infection Preventionist Director, Robert Morgan,
MSN.
Robert has 30+ years of clinical and management
experience within the surgical services and
ambulatory surgery industry. He and his staff are now
busy assisting facilities to get their programs in place
as well as designing corrective action plans when
necessary. He will keep you up-dated through this
newsletter on the latest information so you can stay
current. Please check out our Q&A section. We will
continue to post the questions from our ongoing
Infection Control webinars there. I am sure some of
these same scenarios are pertinent to YOUR facility!!
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Questions & Answers from recent webinars |
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Our most recent Infection Control webinars had some
excellent questions from the audience. Click on the
link to see the answers provided by Cathy Montgomery
and Robert Morgan to these questions....
- What are the follow up requirements for implants?
- I am slightly confused regarding the survey. I am
unsure if these surveys you are referring to are held at
the same time as a standard Medicare survey?
- Can you provide me more information or some
ideas for the implant log sheet that you spoke of in the
webinar?
- Are surveyors still requiring TB testing of staff in
Low Risk Facilities?
- Following an infected case and terminal cleaning
of the room, is there a specific wait time until the room
can be used again?
- What are the directives regarding 30 gm tubes of
abx ointments, tubs of silvadene ointment & multi-
usage?
- What are the CMS directives about insulin?
Vaccines?
- We are an Endoscopy Center certified as an ASC.
What is the ruling on artificial fingernails for nurses?
- Does the 28-day expiration on meds include all
meds or just injectables?
- And others!
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Click for Q&A... |
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Environment of care and safety requirements |
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Operating Room Humidity Ranges Update
Life Safety surveys last August have given recent
attention to ambulatory surgery centers in California
requiring that facilities maintain a relative humidity in
the O.R.s of >35%. This has prompted notice that we
all need to be aware of.
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Click for story and End of Day Cleaning Report Form |
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Criteria of Alcohol-Based Hand Rub Dispensers |
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This is an article distributed by ASHE....While CMS and
The Joint Commission are both permitting the
installation of alcohol-based
hand-rubs (ABHR) in egress corridors of healthcare
facilities in accordance with NFPAs Life
Safety Code®, there have been numerous questions
raised about the placement of the
dispensers near electrical outlets and switches. This
alert specifically relates to clarification of
the term adjacent when placing dispensers near
these electrical devices.
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Read on... |
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Recent questions about reprocessing endoscopes after 5 days of non use comes from the CDC. |
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Please refer to page 16 of the 158 paged document
for the reference of "Reprocessing endoscopes" and
the "Five Day" recommendation per AORN.
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Click for the partial exert of the Guidelines ... |
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STERIS System 1® Processor |
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STERIS has issued a letter to its customers
explaining the recent FDA update. Steris states, "We
want to take this opportunity to update you on SYSTEM
1® matters. On February 2, 2010, the FDA updated its
December 10, 2009 information by extending to 18
months the total recommended time period for
transitioning from SYSTEM 1 to acceptable alternative
devices."
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Read on... |
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