Coronavirus droplets and particles “can linger in the air for minutes to hours,” said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in their updated COVID-19 guidance on October 5. The infection can also spread between people standing 6 feet apart in the right circumstances.

The Joint Commission seeks comment on proposed new water management requirements.

Bullying and incivility are rampant in healthcare organizations. A 2018 study found that 43% of nurses had experienced at least two negative behaviors on a weekly or daily basis, and 12% of nurses self-identified as victims of negative behaviors. A 2020 study found that one or more of six disruptive behaviors were reported at 97.8% of healthcare workplaces, with disruptive behaviors associated with poorer teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, and perceptions of management.

A pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus was predictable. Yet the experience itself was—and still is for many—unanticipated, says Deanna Scatena, BSN, RN, CCRN, assistant director of accreditation and certification services for the Health Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP).

With the goal of eliminating preventable medical harm, a new National Action Plan was released in mid-September  by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) National Steering Committee for Patient Safety (NSC).

The plan is designed to provide health systems with advice and directions stemming from evidence-based practices, case studies, interventions, and new innovations. The report, Safer Together: A National Action Plan to Advance Patient Safety, was put together with the input of 27 federal agencies, safety organizations and experts, and patient and family advocates.

“The plan shows how leaders can move from measurement to action,” said NSC Co-Chair Jeffrey Brady, MD, MPH, who directs the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety at the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, during an IHI-hosted press call.

by Brian Ward

Winter snow, ice, and cold should be a few weeks away—but it’s 2020, so we shouldn’t take anything for granted. Regardless, hospitals and clinics should run through their annual winter checklists now. Have teams ready to clear snowed-in exits, check for supplies of ice melt, and send  out warnings to wear the right clothes for the weather.

Steven A. MacArthur is a senior consultant with The Greeley Company in Danvers, Massachusetts, and has been educating healthcare providers on this topic for many winters.