Fashion takes a back seat to infection prevention
Doctors and nurses need to put away those stilettos and cuff links — at least while at work. The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America issued recommendations designed to prevent transmission of health care-associated infections through clothing in nonoperating room settings. The recommendations include keeping arms "bare below the elbows," which also means no wristwatch, jewelry or tie during clinical practice. When white coats are required, clinicians should be able to get them washed easily and have a place to hang them while they are in contact with a patient. Footwear should be closed-toed with nonskid soles and low heels.
Stressed work environment not limiting job satisfaction
Health care workers are the most stressed of any industry, yet they reported higher levels of job satisfaction than did most other workers, according to a survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder. The survey of about 3,200 workers, conducted over a month in November and December, found that 69 percent of health care workers feel stressed and 17 percent feel highly stressed. Health care beat out retail and information technology. But 64 percent of health care workers still reported job satisfaction.
Eight systems on Top 10 list for executive women in nonprofits
The National Association for Female Executives named eight health systems to its Top 10 Nonprofit Companies for Executive Women list for 2014. Included were Bon Secours Virginia Health System, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Mercy Health System, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, Scripps Health, TriHealth, WellStar Health System and Yale-New Haven Hospital. "Scripps understands and appreciates the importance of empowering women in the workplace," says June Komar, corporate executive vice president of strategy and administration, in a news release. "Scripps is committed to removing barriers for our female employees through programs, such as mentoring and leadership, that help them reach their fullest potential." Also on the list was Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.
