Efficient Ways to Onboard New EH Staff as Hospitals Hire More Healthcare Workers

Efficient Ways to Onboard New EH Staff as Hospitals Hire More Healthcare Workers

It’s no secret that the turnover rate in healthcare facilities has led to a massive increase in hiring. A 2022 survey from Aon of over 1,200 U.S. hospitals showed that 83% have recently accelerated clinical hiring.1 Other hospitals have increasingly looked to contract workers for relief.2  For Employee Health (EH) departments, onboarding tasks have increased…

Standardizing Risk Assessments Across Your EH Organization

Standardizing Risk Assessments Across Your EH Organization

The health and wellbeing of all healthcare workers (HCWs) are integral to the operation of hospitals and clinics. However, work injury and illness among healthcare workers are among the highest in any industry sector.1 Recently, risks have come from COVID-related infections, burnout, and workplace violence.2 But sharps injuries, chemical and drug exposures, back injuries, and…

How Employee Health and OccMed Can Manage Flu Vaccine Reporting During COVID

How Employee Health and OccMed Can Manage Flu Vaccine Reporting During COVID

Organizing year-round immunization programs for healthcare workers (HCWs) is already challenging for Employee Health (EH) departments and Occupational Medicine (OccMed) clinics. But ensuring that HCWs receive their annual flu shot is crucial to the health of both practitioners and their patients, and it’s doubly challenging during the current pandemic when EH and OccMed employees are…

Keeping Track of Multiple Exposures in Employee Health

Keeping Track of Multiple Exposures in Employee Health

Infection control and prevention among healthcare workers (HCWs) is crucial to keeping a facility safe and compliant. But tracking employee exposures can be overwhelming during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, when hundreds of employee records may need to be modified quickly.1  Multiple exposure tracking in hospitals and clinics requires:  Below, we’ll look…

How to Create and Promote Employee Health Teamwork

How to Create and Promote Employee Health Teamwork

In Employee Health (EH), teamwork is critical to patient safety. Experts are only beginning to recognize the role of teamwork in promoting healthcare worker safety. For example, a recent study found that hospital units where there is a high level of teamwork (as compared to units where there isn’t), staff members experience fewer workplace injuries….

Managing Back Pain in Employee Health and OccMed

Managing Back Pain in Employee Health and OccMed

Back pain is the most common work-related musculoskeletal disorder related to absenteeism in every occupation.1 Low back pain (LBP) is the most common type of back pain, affecting 1 in 4  American workers.2 It costs the nation $100 billion annually.3 Recent research suggests that current health and safety measures are insufficient when dealing with workplace…

History of Infectious Disease Outbreaks in EH/OM World

History of Infectious Disease Outbreaks in EH/OM World

Healthcare workers (HCWs) have a high risk of coming into contact with infectious agents and bloodborne pathogens (BBP), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B, hepatitis C, influenza (whether it’s seasonal flu or an outbreak of swine or avian flu), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), measles, and now, SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID-19). Because U.S. hospitals admit…

How Employee Health Can Manage PPE Fatigue as COVID Continues

How Employee Health Can Manage PPE Fatigue as COVID Continues

With job-related fatigue among healthcare workers (HCWs) already an urgent problem, Employee Health (EH) staff may now face the challenge of managing fatigue and frustration with the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).1  Below, we’ll look at what to know and ways to address issues related to the proper use of N95 respirators and other…

Don’t Panic! What EH and OM Employers Need to Know About Monkeypox

Don’t Panic! What EH and OM Employers Need to Know About Monkeypox

Amid COVID precautions, employers are now facing the challenge of reducing the new public health threat posed by the monkeypox virus (MPV). As of October 4, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control recorded 26,194 cases of monkeypox in the U.S.1 Because this is the first time MPV has caused widespread illness, it can be difficult…

The Role of OccHealth Nurses as Teachers and Health Experts

The Role of OccHealth Nurses as Teachers and Health Experts

Occupational Health (OccHealth) nurses need to stay abreast of changing public health situations and regulations to keep the workplace healthy and compliant. They also need to communicate this knowledge to employees. Below, we’ll look at ways OccHealth nurses can manage their roles as teachers and health experts in healthcare settings. Managing Challenges in Healthcare Settings…