Newborn Bloodspots Destruction Option Available
A new law allows parents of children born in Texas to direct the Texas Department of State Health Services to destroy dried bloodspot samples collected as part of a routine “heel stick” screening of newborns for certain inheritable and congenital disorders after the newborn screening process is complete.
The state’s newborn screening program began in 1963. In July 2002 the department began saving all newborn screening samples for quality assurance/quality control purposes and for their potential value in approved research to find new or more effective ways to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure leukemia, birth defects, brain cancer or other serious medical conditions in children.
People who do not want their children’s bloodspot samples stored after the newborn screening process is complete may request destruction of those samples. Information about the use and storage of the samples and a downloadable destruction request form are available online.
Recent legislation specifically authorizes the storage and use of the samples and requires that information about the practice and the destruction option be given to parents of newborns by the physician or other person attending the birth. Beginning Aug. 1, TDSHS will be including this information with the newborn screening sample collection kits ordered by hospitals, birthing centers, physicians and midwives.
Guide Offers Strategies for Raising
Health Care Worker Flu Vaccination Rates
The Joint Commission has released a guide to help health care organizations increase flu vaccination rates among health care workers. The guide highlights practical strategies and tools health care organizations can use to increase vaccination rates. Incorporating evidence-based guidelines and published literature, the document was produced in collaboration with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Hospitals and long-term care facilities accredited by The Joint Commission are required to offer flu vaccinations to staff and health care practitioners.
Legal Issues in the Care of Pressure Ulcer Patients
An advisory panel of wound-care experts sponsored by Medline Industries Inc. has released a white paper, “Legal Issues in the Care of Pressure Ulcer Patients: Key Concepts for Healthcare Providers,” that identifies concepts to help health care providers reinforce pressure ulcer prevention and reduce associated litigation. Taking into consideration the current regulatory and legal environment surrounding pressure ulcers, the white paper addresses eight areas of vulnerability for health care institutions, including the legal implications of policies and procedures, clinical documentation and education. The white paper is available at Medline Industries’ Web site.
New Nurse Staffing Committee Regulations Pass
Although current hospital licensing regulations require hospitals to have a nurse staffing advisory committee, effective Sept. 1, 2009, hospitals will be required to establish a standing nurse staffing committee that reports directly to the hospital’s governing board. At least 60 percent of the committee must be registered nurses who provide direct patient care. The committee will be required to:
- Develop and recommend a nurse staffing plan to the hospital’s governing board;
- Review, access and respond to staffing concerns expressed to the committee;
- Identify the nurse-sensitive outcome measures;
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan and variations; and
- Submit a report on nurse staffing and patient care outcomes to the hospital’s governing body at least semiannually.
The hospital’s governing board will be required to adopt, implement and enforce a written nurse staffing policy to ensure that an adequate number and skill mix of nurses is available to meet the level of patient care needed. The Texas Hospital Association, Texas Healthcare Trustees and Texas Nurses Association, in cooperation with the Texas Organization of Nurse Executives, have created a toolkit that will explain the law and provide information on how to implement it. The toolkit will be available in late August; however, THA currently is accepting pre-orders online. THA also is offering a three-part Webinar series on the topic, plus an additional session designed for trustees.
Specimens Must Not Be Shipped
in Sealed Plastic Bags
The Texas Department of State Health Services has announced that its Newborn Screening Laboratory can no longer accept specimens that have been shipped in sealed plastic bags. This includes courier (FedEx Clinical Pak) shipping bags. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines state, “Dried blood spot specimens must NOT be packaged in airtight, leak-proof plastic bags because the lack of air exchange in the inner environment of a sealed plastic bag causes heat buildup and moisture accumulation that can damage the dried blood spot test substances. In addition, various chemicals that can adversely affect the test substances in the dried blood spots could leach from these plastics and thus cause incorrect analytical test results.”
TDSHS has provided the following additional notes and suggestions regarding shipment of newborn screening specimens:
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The U.S. Postal Service and major couriers require double containment of the sample.
- The first layer of containment is the fold-over flap that is part of the Newborn Screening kit. This flap includes a biohazard warning label. (Be sure the specimen is dry before wrapping this flap around the specimen.)
- The second layer is simply a box or envelope.
- No additional containment is required.
- FedEx has confirmed that large paper and Tyvek envelopes are acceptable shipment devices for dried blood spots.
- For shipments of a significant quantity of specimens, FedEx offers a shirt-sized box that meets shipping requirements.
- Single specimens and small quantities can be shipped in an envelope.
For more information, contact the TDSHS laboratory toll-free at 888/963-7111 ext. 7333, or visit the lab’s Web site.
Registration Now Open for
2009 Hot Topics Workshops
Registration materials are available for the popular Texas Hospital Insurance Exchange Hot Topics Workshops; view the brochure and register online. For the first time ever, these workshops are offering continuing nursing and Category II (non-ACHE) education credits for participants. Among the hot topics on the agenda are a legislative update, electronic medical records, employment issues and a session on legal trends.
You may choose from one of two dates and hotels – both offering room discounts should you wish to turn the trip into a weekend getaway! Space is limited, so register early!
Oct. 2 The Cliffs Resort at Possum Kingdom Lake, Graford
Hotel Reservations: 940/779-4558
THIE Room Rates: $116 for Thursday night; $156 for Friday and Saturday nights
Room Cut-Off Date: Sept. 1, based on availability
Oct. 16 The Inn on Barons Creek Spa & Conference Center, Fredericksburg
Hotel Reservations: 866/990-0202
THIE Room Rates: $112 Thursday-Saturday nights (two-night additional minimum if staying past Thursday)
Room Cut-off Date: Sept. 24, based on availability
The Texas Hospital Association is an approved provider of continuing education by the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
The Texas Hospital Association is authorized to award pre-approved Category II (non-ACHE) continuing education credit for this program toward advancement or recertification in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
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