In October,  the North Florida Division began to transition to utilizing Plain Language Codes for activating an emergency response.  This was implemented to promote standardized communication among caregivers across our NFD facilities to ensure clear communication and a coordinated response.  In addition, our patients and visitors will be able to respond appropriately to events that may impact their safety.  

Please see below.

Did you know...…

A C. Diff lab result " Negative with Comment" indicates colonization. 

Please ensure you are following policy with C-Diff Colonization results and placing patient on contact isolation. 

Thank you for your continued dedication to patient safety!

COVID-19 remains a concern to public health and, in order to prevent its further spread in hospitals, SNFs, and other health care settings, new public health requirements are necessary at this time in the state of California.

The California Department of Public Health has issued a new order that will require all healthcare workers to be fully vaccinated, including a booster when eligible, by February 1, 2022.  After February 1, the worker must receive their booster within 15 days of being eligible for a booster. The only exemptions provided are for religious beliefs or qualifying medical reasons.  

For clinicians who are exempt or have not yet received their booster, twice weekly testing and proper PPE will be required. Testing will occur for all-booster eligible colleagues who have not yet received their booster by January 7, 2022.

In addition, Santa Clara County (SCC) in California recently mandated all healthcare workers, regardless of exemption, must be vaccinated and receive a booster, if eligible, on or before January 24, 2022. The HCA Healthcare facilities this applies to are Good Samaritan Hospital and Regional Medical Center of San Jose.

Dates to know:

• January 7, 2022 – testing twice a week will begin for booster-eligible workers, who have not yet received a booster dose.
• January 24, 2022 – The deadline for booster-eligible healthcare workers working in Santa Clara County to receive their booster, or within 15 days of becoming eligible for a booster if they are not eligible. Also the deadline for currently non-vaccinated/exempt healthcare workers working in Santa Clara County to receive their first dose of vaccination.        
• February 1, 2022 – The deadline for booster-eligible workers to receive their booster, or within 15 days of becoming eligible for a booster if they are not eligible as of February 1, 2022; medical and religious exemptions apply.
• March 21, 2022 – The deadline for currently non-vaccinated/exempt healthcare workers working in Santa Clara County to receive their second dose of vaccination.

Immediate Next Steps:

If healthcare workers received their full series of vaccination, including the booster, for one of the three types of vaccines — please make sure that proof has been uploaded to the candidate’s HealthTrust Workforce Solutions account. If unable to upload to the account, please send a copy to HWS.DenverHR@HealthTrustWS.com.  

Acceptable forms of proof include:

• Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card (issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control & Prevention or WHO Yellow Card1) which includes:
• Name of person vaccinated
• Type of vaccine provided
• Date first and last dose administered
• Date of birth

• Documentation of vaccination from a healthcare provider; must show:
• Name of person vaccinated
• Type of vaccine provided
• Date first and last dose administered
• Date of birth

• For workers in California, outside of Santa Clara, if the healthcare worker is exempt from being vaccinated for religious beliefs or qualifying medical conditions, a completed exemption form is required.  The Exemption forms are found here: https://vproverified.com/health/
  
   
  • If a medical exemption is needed, the healthcare worker must provide the following:
    • A written statement signed by a physician, nurse practitioner, or other licensed medical professional stating that the individual qualifies for the exemption (but the statement should not describe the underlying medical condition or disability).
    • Indication of the probable duration of the worker’s inability to receive the vaccine (or if the duration is unknown or permanent, so indicate).
  • If a religious exemption is needed, the healthcare worker must provide the following:
    • The religious belief, practice, or observance that prevents vaccination.
    • Please note, once the exemption documentation has been provided, it will be reviewed to ensure qualifications have been met for compliance.
  • Please note, if the clinician has already been deemed exempt, additional documentation is not required, unless exemption expiration, if any, has occurred.

Booster Eligibility Guidelines:

• Pfizer - BioNTech: At least 5 months after completing your primary COVID-19 vaccination series
• Moderna: At least 6 months after completing your primary COVID-19 vaccination series
• Johnson & Johnson's Janssen : At least 2 months after receiving your J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccination
   

HealthTrust Workforce Solutions encourages vaccination as a safe and effective solution. As the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and our own infectious disease experts have recommended, vaccination is a vital step to protect individuals from the COVID-19 virus.

All healthcare workers working in patient care facilities are required to adhere to the mandate and receive the COVID-19 vaccine by the date mentioned above unless there is a valid, documented medical or religious reason for opting out. Failure to do so can result in a disruption of service.

This is an evolving situation and we are actively working to maintain compliance with the State's mandate. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.

If you have any questions, please contact your Staffing Office or recruiter.

Our partners in East Florida have shared education: Patient Safety Regarding the Bedside Commode.

Bedside commodes can be a safety hazard if left at the bedside. Bedside commodes should be left in the patient's bathroom, and only brought to the bedside when being used. 

Bedside Commode

Thank you for your continued dedication to Patient Safety!

Subject: Important Information Regarding HWS Annual Update Deadline

Annual Update Compliance Deadline is 12/15/2021

Please ensure completions by deadline. Failure to complete all portions of Annual Update will result in being removed from the schedule until completion, resulting in termination by 12/31/2021.

To complete Annual update, log into HealthStream and complete assigned learning.

HealthStream

1. Login to HealthStream

• Click Here to open HealthStream
• Enter your 3-4 ID for your Username and Password, then click Sign In
• Select your HWSWF – HWS Education Affiliation, and then click Login

For any log-in/assignment questions please call the Education department at 1-954-514-1333.

For all other additional inquires please contact your local staffing, employer, or recruiter.

Thank you for ALL you DO!

• Hand hygiene is a simple yet effective way to prevent infections. 
• Our focus on Hand Hygiene compliance is driven by HCA initiatives, but is also an essential component of publicly reported regulatory requirements of such organizations as the CDC, CMS, WHO, Press Ganey (HCAHPS) and LeapFrog.

Please review the attached education

HandWash

HandRub

Thank you for your continued DEDICATION to PATIENT CARE!

Please ensure PPE guidance documents for the facility you are staffing are being followed to include Eye Protection. 

• Eye Protection includes both a Face Shield or Safety Googles
• Traditional eye glasses does not equate to eye protection
• In scenarios of moderate, substantial, or high COVID prevalence and/or community transmission, universal eye protection is recommended in “clinical areas” within the healthcare setting.

Thank you for your DEDICATION to patient care!

A non fit-tested N95 is a certified N95 mask approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that does not require a formal fit test, but does require a seal check. 

A seal check is performed by the user each time the mask is put on. It will help determine if the mask is properly positioned on your face or if it needs to be readjusted. 

How to perform a seal check:

• Put on the mask and adjust to fit securely
• Do either a positive pressure seal check and/or negative pressure seal check
• Positive pressure seal check: Exhale gently into the face mask. The face fit is considered acceptable when air can be built up inside of the face mask without air leaking out of the sides of the mask. 
• Negative pressure check: Inhale gently so that the face mask collapses your breath for ten seconds. If the face mask remains slighlty collapsed and no outside air enters into the mask, the face fit is considered acceptable. 

Non Fit-Tested N95

Thank you for your DEDICATION to patient safety!

Our partners in the East Florida Division have shared Fall Education Huddle Card. Please review the education and ensure you are aware and implementing Fall Prevention interventions at the facility you are staffing. 

Fall Prevention

Thank you for your dedication to Patient Safety!

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard requires healthcare employers to have a written plan which outlines the processes and controls in place to protect employees from exposure to COVID-19. This COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan Training will introduce employees to new required elements of OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard content here…

• Understand the elements of our written COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan
• Understand the role of the COVID-19 Safety Coordinator
• Understand the Vaccine Benefits and Medical Removal Protection Benefit
• Understand who to contact with any questions or concerns
  
  All HWS employees have been assigned the 7 minute HealthStream Course: OSHA COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan Training

  Please complete the course on the next worked shift. 

Attached is the HWS COVID-19 Employee Health Screening and Medical Management Policy

HWS Health Screening and Medical Management

Thank you for ALL you DO!