During a recent Joint Commission survey, a question was raised regarding the “length” of nurse call cords (it appears that the surveyor indicated that the end of the cord should be an inch...

What is the first step you should take to determine how you should communicate with a deaf or hard of hearing patient?...

Recently, ECRI unveiled its list of the Top 10 Healthcare Technology Hazards. And strangely enough, there is at least a couple that I think you will find oh-so-very familiar. Click the link above to r...

True or False: When taking a verbal order, it is essential to read back the order to the provider who gave the verbal order to ensure accuracy. This step should be taken BEFORE the order is carried ou...

The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) has put together a nice piece on the various accreditation options available to hospitals following their annual conference in Atlanta. The ASHE ...

One in three hospitals eligible for The Joint Commission's 'top performer' status has provided an evidence-based care practice 95% of the time for patients with certain conditions....

In our ongoing series (okay, perhaps that’s a rather ambitious descriptor, but there’s been more than one) relative to the upcoming implementation of the changes to OSHA’s Hazard Com...

On August 27, CMS released significant changes impacting several areas of the Conditions of Participation (CoP). Interestingly, the information included in Transmittal 88 on August 27 rescinded and re...

Think back to your last visit to a hospital as a patient or family member. Every patient care area has recognizable, ubiquitous items, such as automated blood pressure pumps, compression pumps, and IV...

Overall, BAs have been involved in about 22% of the more than 600 breaches that have been reported on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website from September 2009 through August ...