Health Care Workers

Olympia, WA — A Washington state law slated to go into effect Jan. 1 requires nurses and other health care professionals at larger hospitals to receive uninterrupted meal and rest breaks.

East Lansing, MI – Nurses who get angry about what they perceive as an imbalance in support from co-workers may be at increased risk of musculoskeletal injuries, a recent study suggests.

Carson City, NV — Bipartisan legislation introduced in the Nevada State Assembly would require employers who operate medical facilities to create and implement workplace violence prevention programs and report incidents.

Boston — Frequent changes to health care environments and protocol have contributed to an increased rate of burnout among physicians – creating a public health crisis that “urgently demands action,” a recent report from the Harvard Global Health Institute concludes.

Washington — Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) said he is “grateful” for the increased support for his Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 1309), the subject of a Feb. 27 hearing before the House Education and Labor Committee’s Workforce Protections Subcommittee.

Brisbane, Australia – Challenging work environments make it difficult for nurses to adopt healthier habits – even when wellness-centered resources are available, according to a recent study from the University of Queensland.

Washington — The National Employment Law Project and two other labor advocacy groups have filed a complaint against the Department of Labor, claiming DOL violated the Information Quality Act in its move to roll back child labor laws to allow unsupervised teens to operate powered patient lifts in health care settings.

Oakbrook Terrace, IL — Citing the prevalence of patient assaults on health care staff, accreditation organization The Joint Commission has issued a “Quick Safety” advisory aimed at limiting conditions that may spark aggression and violence in health care settings.

Washington — Nearly 40 percent of pregnant nurses don’t wear protective gowns when administering powerful cancer drugs, putting their own health and that of their unborn babies at risk, results of a recent study from NIOSH suggest.

St. Paul, MN — Nurses and non-clinical personnel such as environmental and food services staff wash their hands more frequently than other health care workers, according to recent research from Ecolab – a manufacturer of water, hygiene, and energy technologies and services.