Tomorrow, June 14, is National Time Out Day, and The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) are urging all surgical team members to participate in pre-operative time outs to prevent wrong site surgeries.

Healthcare organizations carry a heavy workplace violence burden, with about three-quarters of U.S. workplace assaults occurring in healthcare settings, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Workplace violence is prevalent in emergency departments—78% of emergency physicians have reported  being targets of workplace violence in the prior 12 months.

The majority of incidents 2022 in came from Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion (782), and from Myanmar as a result of the military coup the year before (271). Incidents were highest in countries experiencing protracted conflicts, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, South Sudan, Palestine, and Yemen. The coalition notes that its report likely undercounts the amount of violent incidents against healthcare facilities and workers.

While 100% of the potential for elevated risks of a healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) does not walk through the doors of your emergency department, you could certainly make the case that a fairly high quotient of at-risk “traffic” is going to enter your facility through the emergency department. 

The report makes the case with hard science and research that loneliness not only impacts a patient’s mental health, but their physical health as well, including:

• 29% increased risk of heart disease
• 32% increased risk of stroke
• 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults
• 60% increased risk of premature death

In August 2022, a Joplin, Missouri, woman who was 17 weeks pregnant suffered a placental abruption, or loss of amniotic fluid, and sought care at a local hospital. When that hospital said it could not save her fetus and could not provide her with a potentially lifesaving abortion, she sought care at a hospital 150 miles away, in a neighboring state.

The prevention of suicide and other forms of patient self-harm continues to be a focus of CMS and accrediting organizations (AO). While CMS does not require an environmental risk assessment, the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, The Joint Commission, and other AOs do.

Remember to update your facility’s list of hazardous chemicals and materials at least annually, possibly more often depending on your state and local regulations.