It is the responsibility of the primary nurse to review restraint orders and ensure accuracy for non-behavioral vs. behavioral restraints. Inaccuracies should be escalated to the charge nurse and physician immediately. 

Included in the HCA Restraint Policy for Review.

Restraints

Thank you for all you DO and your DEDICATION to PATIENT SAFETY!

U.S. federal courts have officially put the previously announced regulations requiring COVID-19 vaccinations on hold indefinitely and deemed them not enforceable. 

Given this development, HCA Healthcare has paused the vaccine requirement for all colleagues with the exception of those in California and Colorado who are subject to local and state mandates.

With that being said, our approach has always been to strongly encourage vaccination, but not to mandate it unless we are required to do so by the federal government (i.e., CMS mandate) or a state government. 

• At this time, we will continue to process any proofs of vaccination received thus far and any proof of vaccination submitted going forward (supplied on a volunteer basis). 
• We will no longer be processing any exemption documents since the vaccine is not required.  

We understand the frustration and difficulty the changing information has created for all involved. We will keep you informed of any significant changes in federal vaccine mandates that may modify our response. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and your unwavering commitment to our mission.

Lastly, we remain focused on Annual Updates and compliance with any items that may be due soon.

Our partners in the North Texas Division have shared education on caring for Stroke and Ortho patients. Please review this important education as it directly impacts surveys and facility accreditations.

Stroke

Ortho

Thank you for ALL you DO and dedication to PATIENT CARE!

As you may know, the Biden administration recently issued regulations requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for the great majority of healthcare workers and workers in other industries.   Given that development, HCA Healthcare will now require all colleagues who do not qualify for an exemption or deferral, including HealthTrust Workforce Solutions team members, to have their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by December 5^th and be fully vaccinated by January 4, 2022. Please note that does not replace the current mandate active requirement in place in California and Colorado. 

In order to ensure compliance with this mandate and retain your access to any of our healthcare facilities, please follow the Deadline Directions below.

December 5^th Deadline Directions:

• If you have received your COVID-19 vaccination series or the first shot of Pfizer or Moderna, please upload a copy of your vaccination card. If not, please receive the first of a two-shot series or the one-shot J&J vaccination and upload a copy of your vaccination card by December 5^th.
  
  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
  
  If you are eligible for an exemption or deferral, please have your physician fill out the Medical Exemption form or you fill out a Religious Exemption form on your own. 
  

• Exemptions may be granted based on an individual’s sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance that prohibits COVID-19 vaccination or qualifying medical condition. Note: You are required to practice universal masking and wear a non-fit test N95 Mask.
  
  
  If a medical exemption is needed, you 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, you must provide the following:

• The religious belief, practice, or observance that prevents vaccination
  
  

January 4, 2022 Deadline Directions:

• If you have already uploaded one shot of a two-shot series, you must provide the second shot proof by uploading a copy to your eStaff365 account by January 4, 2022.
• You will not be prompted for this information. It is your responsibility to ensure completeness of your credentials.

Where to Upload Your Documents:

• The eStaff365 site will be ready to receive your information starting on November 15, 2021. Please do not email your documents to HealthTrust.

If you fail to meet the first compliance date requirements as stated above by December 5, 2021, you will no longer have access to any healthcare hospital or surgery center managed by HealthTrust Workforce Solutions and will become suspended until becoming compliant.  

You always have the ability to become compliant by following our guidance as noted above.

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our own infectious disease experts have recommended, vaccination is a vital step to protect individuals from the COVID-19 virus. To find a vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov.

We will do our best to implement this requirement as easily as possible, but please understand everyone will need to be responsive and flexible. Thank you, again, for your unwavering commitment to the care and improvement of human life.

The East Florida Division is now aligning the BCMA process with the "rights of medication" as well as the corporate standard of scanning the patient PRIOR to medications being scanned. 

BCMA

In addition East Florida has provided education to avoid low scanning rates specifically in reference to multiple tab/vial scanning. 

• If a medication is multiple doses, scan all doses/tablets/vials
• Always scan to the higher number of doses/tablets/vials and then change the dose if required

BCMA Education

Thank you for ALL you DO!

On Partners in the West Florida Division have shared Fall Prevention Education to include:

• Fall Patient Sign
• Fall Prevention Agreement (Optional and for alert and oriented patients only)
• HCCA Fall Interventions

Please ensure you are familiar with Fall Policy at the facility in which you are staffing. 

Fall-Agreement

Fall-Sign

Fall Interventions

Thank you for your DEDICATION to PATIENT SAFETY!

Our partners in the Continental Division at Presbyterian/St. Luke's have shared educational resources on the following:

• Medications with Preferred Administration via Central Line
  
  
• Safety Huddle Tips for Central Lines and Indwelling Urinary Catheter
  
  • Guiding list to help determine if line/foley can be removed

• Cancer Care Bathroom Caddies
  
  • Personal toiletry items are not to be kept in patient bathroom, caddies will be available to store personal toiletries
    
    

Medications Admin Central Line

Safety Huddle

Cancer Care Bathroom Caddies

Thank you for your continued DEDICATION to PATIENT CARE!

Our partners in Central West Texas have shared education on documenting stool output in Meditech. Stools must be documented in the I/O screen to be counted in the overall patient I/O collection. Documentation in the C-Diff screen does not count in I/O collection as this screen is an assessment.

Documentation-Stool Output

Thank you for your DEDICATION to patient care!

Our partners in the Tristar Division have shared with us education regarding a new test called the High Sensitivity Troponin. 

Studies performed at organizations that use the HSTnI report the following benefits:

• Earlier, safer rule out of CP without NSTEMI
• Faster turnaround time in ED
• Avoid missing small MIs
• Earlier detection of NSTEMI
• Reduction in stress tests
• No increase in cardiac catheterizations
• Potential cost savings

HS-TNL Huddle Card

HS-Tnl Algorithm Job Aid

Thank you for your continued dedication to patient care!

Our partners at Medical City Plano in The North Texas Division have shared education regarding Sepsis. 

Please ensure you are familiar with Sepsis protocols and implement in patient care.

Sepsis

Sepsis-1

Thank you for ALL YOU DO and your continued DEDICATION to patient care!