Our partners in the East Florida Division have shared some education on Safety Rounding. Safety Rounding is utilized across the Enterprise to reduce negative outcomes, improving positive patient outcomes.  Included is the Safety rounding toolkit utilized to educate and validate staff in East Florida. 

Safety Rounding Huddle Points

Safety Rounding Checklist

Thank you for your dedication to patient safety!

Our partners in the Continental Division, Presbyterian/St. Luke's has a policy in place that all patients need a set of vital signs within 2 hours prior to discharge to ensure patient safety.  

The attached policy outlines the requirement under assessment/reassessment. 

Please ensure you are familiar with the facility policy in which you are working in regards to Documenting the Provision of Care. 

Thank you for your dedication to PATIENT SAFETY!

Documentation of Provision of Care

EFD is preparing to go live on November 1^st with the transition from utilizing pin numbers to NT authentication for EMAR and BCTA. This conversaion will streamline user access across multiple systems and applications as well as improve safety and security.

Pin numbers will no longer be used to access EMAR and BCTA.  Users will instead use their network password for opening screens and filing documentation. 

Below is the go-live dates by market.

11/3: Kendall Regional

11/10: Aventura and Palm Beach

11/17: Mercy and Broward

11/24: Treasure Coast

Please review attached educational document

PIN to AD

Thank you for ALL you DO!

Please review the provided document in reference to level of mask protection and eye protection. 

In order to ensure protection, please continue universal masking and eye protection for care of all patients.

Masking/Eye Protection

Thank YOU for ALL you DO!

Our partners and colleagues in the West Florida Division at Central Florida Regional Hospital have provided some education on the telemetry escalation process. 

Please review this process and become aware and familiar with the telemetry escalation processes in the facility you are supporting. 

Telemetry Escalation

Thank you for your DEDICATION and COMMITTMENT to patient care!

Thank you for all you Do!

The Medfusion Syringe Pump delivers blood, blood products, prescribed drugs, and other fluids into a patient's body in a controlled manner. Due to a software error, if a bolus or loading dose is interrupted and a specific sequence of events occurs, over or under-delivery of a bolus or loading dose may occur. 

Please review the huddle card to ensure you:

• Reviewed and understand the information
• Will follow the guidelines to avoid infusion administration errors
• If a potential patient safety issue related to the Medfusion pump is identified, the chain of command will be activated

Huddle Care: MedFusion

Thank you for your dedication to Patient Safety!

The HCA Education Team has released a HealthStream course that contains three educational videos, providing an overview of NATE, C-ARDS, and SOFA. 

The Intended audience are clinicians who utilize the NATE, C-ARDS, SOFA Tools. 

To access the course via self-enrollment, please login to HealthStream and search the catalog for:

HHCCA:NATE, C-ARDS, SOFA Overview

Completion Time: 56 minutes.

This is not a required course but a continued educational offering.  

Thank you for ALL your HARD WORK and DEDICATION to patient care!

The HCA Team has created some videos accessible from QR codes on:

• Donning Reused Cloth Gowns
• Doffing Reused Cloth Gowns
• Donning/Doffing PPE

To access the video, scan the QR code from your camera function on your phone.  You should get a pop-up to open a browser to view the video. 

Donning and Doffing

Thank you for you DEDICATION to patient care!

What precautionary actions are being taken to safeguard our facilities?

 A: We are taking measures to have a more controlled environment in our care sites that will limit entry into hospitals and clinics. This will help ensure screening occurs prior to entry into patient care areas so that masks are provided to patients with respiratory symptoms. As we often do during heavy influenza outbreaks, visitor restrictions will be instituted in patient care areas. Colleagues will be included among those who will be screened before entering our hospitals and other care sites. In addition, universal masking and social distancing are implemented at workplace. Employees are to keep the mask on at all times during work hours and to eat lunch alone or 6 feet away from others.

Q: How can the infection of healthcare workers be prevented?

 A: Our caregivers are skilled and experienced in caring for patients with flu-like illnesses and we are re-emphasizing infection prevention protocols and the latest guidance from the CDC. The experience of treating coronavirus in the U.S. and other first world countries has shown that the use of standard respiratory precautions has prevented the infection of healthcare workers, who we count on to stay healthy to take care of all patients.

Q: What does infection prevention entail?

 A: Infection prevention includes processes for screening potential coronavirus patients, and the proper use of isolation procedures. Additionally, our facilities are reinforcing effective environmental cleaning and visitor policies that support infection control. 

Q: How is the virus impacting the distribution and conversation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

 A: Because so much of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as gowns and masks used to protect our patients, colleagues and visitors from the spread of infections, is made in China where this virus originated, this is another area of emphasis. We are promoting the conservation of these important supplies, preparing to share supplies within our markets to help ensure continued availability while also actively working to identify alternative sources of PPE.

Q: How can I personally prepare myself to avoid exposure/infection?

A: When considering personal preparedness, it is important to keep a few points in mind. First, infectious disease experts are emphasizing that coronavirus causes an illness that is similar to the flu. Everyday habits that protect us from common respiratory illness are even more important now. We all can protect our own health as well as the health of our family members and community by remembering:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue
• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often, using either soap and water or alcohol-based hand gel for at least 20 seconds
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
• Avoid areas with large crowd and practice social distancing-keep 6 feet away from others.

Q: What is the protocol if a patient presents as a potential COVID-19 case?

A: Under the new CDC guidelines, the patient will be immediately tested and isolated. Potentially exposed employees will be identified. Those who are deemed exposed per the CDC definition of “exposure” will be contacted by employee health to monitor themselves for 14 days from the date of exposure. Symptomatic employees will be removed from workplace and be tested. 

COVID 19 FAQs for Furloughed Clinicians

 I understand that I am being asked to remain home from work, why?

In exposures we follow a process called quarantine.  Your safety and the safety of our patients is our top priority, it has determined that you may have been exposed to a patient/coworker with the new novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and is experiencing symptoms. Since this infection can be contagious, even with mild symptoms, it is safest for patients and other staff for you to remain outside the workplace. For additional questions regarding exposure to COVID-19 from work or community, please contact employee health for further instructions.

hat does it mean to be under quarantine?

Typically, being under quarantine means that you must limit your travel and contact with others, including potentially staying within your home.  Your hospital is working with the local department of public health, which is the entity that requires quarantine, to get further details.  The Department of Health will be in contact with you and provide specific details of its expectations.

What about other members of my household – can they be with me?

 The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends no special actions for those sharing a household for someone under quarantine.

What about if I was exposed outside of work?

Please report to HWS immediately if you believe that you have been exposed outside of workplace to COVID-19 positive individuals. Please report to HWS immediately if you are experiencing any symptoms concerning COVID-19, even if your source of exposure cannot be identified at the time. Employee Health will be notified and will reach out to provide you information on next steps to safely return to work.

Will I be paid while I am being furloughed?

 Were you infected while working?

• If you test positive to COVID-19 as a result of a documented work-related exposure to any patient, visitor, contractor, vendor or fellow employee that is positive for COVID-19, you will be asked to remain at home and you will not be placed on the hospital schedule over the next 10 days counting from onset of symptoms or date of testing (please follow specific instructions from employee health regarding quarantine time frame). During this time, you will receive compensation for all scheduled hours missed during this period at the base rate.  Your employer will also file a workers comp medical claim to cover expenses after the defined quarantine period is over if necessary. However, you must be COVID-19 positive with a confirmed positive source.

Will someone be in contact with me while I am away from work?

 Our Employee Health Nurse, will call you to check in and assist with answering questions that you may have. This conversation will include checking in on how you are feeling and if you are having any symptoms that may need medical treatment – fever, shortness of breath, body aches, runny nose, etc.

 Where can I get more information about my potential exposure?

 Please go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html for comprehensive guidance.

Should you have questions while you are away from the hospital, contact our Employee Health Nurse @ Lilly.Ranney@HealthTrustWS.com