Work EnvironmentLinks:
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Recognition of Magnet
Status This site has information about the Magnet Recognition Program for Excellence in Nursing Services, which was developed by the ANCC in 1994. The Magnet award recognizes facilities that provide the very best in nursing care and uphold the tradition within nursing that supports professional nursing practice. The program is based on quality indicators and standards of nursing practice. ___________________________________________________________ Joint Commission Accreditation of Hospital Organizations (JCAHO) This is the official site of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits more than 16,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. JCAHO is the nation's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. ___________________________________________________________ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
(HIPAA) This is the official "HIPAA" site of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS"), which issued its Privacy Rule to implement the requirement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"). A major goal of the Privacy Rule is to assure that individuals' health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote high quality health care and to protect the public's health and well being. These new regulations took effect in the spring of 2003. ___________________________________________________________ Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Toll free emergency # to report threatening situations ___________________________________________________________ Whistleblower Protection Act legislation (WPA) This site provides a .pdf version of Michigan's 'Health Facility Whistleblower Protection Act (2002 Public Act 731),' which was passed at the close of the 2002 legislative session. Whistleblower legislation is of great significance to nurses in Michigan because it provides "immunity and protection from civil or criminal liability" to nurses when they report an unsafe practice or condition. Before the Whistleblower legislation was passed, nurses often did not report unsafe conditions because they were afraid of losing their positions. ___________________________________________________________ Mandatory Overtime The websites above will give you more detailed information about mandatory overtime, which is often used as a solution to nurse staffing shortages. In a recent ANA survey (ANA Staffing Survey, 2001), nearly half of the respondents reported that mandatory overtime was being used to cover staffing shortages in their facilities. Inadequate staffing and mandatory overtime add to job dissatisfaction for nurses, and make recruitment and retention even more difficult. ___________________________________________________________ Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Administration (MIOSHA)
Links: MIOSHA Public Sector Enforcement
Activities: Ergonomics The work of caring for patients puts nurses at significant risk for work-related injuries. Back injuries affect up to 38% of all nurses, who often experience debilitating and career-altering injuries from repeatedly lifting and moving patients. This website provides a transcript of the ANA testimony on OSHA's proposed ergonomics standard in July, 2000, before the Senate's Subcommittee on Employment, Safety, and Training-Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. ___________________________________________________________
Spotlights include: Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome ___________________________________________________________ Economics & General Welfare at MNA |
