The October EC News includes part 2 of a newsworthy article. It’s on managing infection prevention and control risks during construction and renovation. Further, the article includes a very worthwhile table of infection prevention strategies developed by the CDC.
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Ligature Hazards Once Again
Everyone is still waiting for the TJC and CMS ligature risk recommendations. The topic remains in-flux. But, in the TJC September Executive Briefings, they did share additional details on ligature hazards. We hope the guidance gets committed to writing soon. But until then, here are our conclusions based on their verbal presentations.
Essential Medication Refrigerator Standards
Electrical backup. That’s the guideline for essential medication refrigerator standards under EC.02.05.03. It requires you to establish and implement a policy for emergency electrical backup.
This includes essential medication refrigerators and automated dispensing cabinets (ADC). But not every refrigerator or ADC needs emergency power connection. Of course, you do need enough to enable proper medication storage and accessibility.
Signed and Held Medication Orders
What signed and held medication orders do you have in place today?
MM.04.01.01, EP 1 discusses the types of medication orders that are acceptable for use in your hospital. You now need written policies that both describe and authorize these orders.