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by Sara Marberry — I don’t have to tell you that there’s a healthcare workforce shortage, which was not helped by Covid. Though U.S. healthcare employment has returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA), hospitals and health systems are expected to have to fill more than 203,000 open nursing positions every year until 2031. We’ll also be facing a shortage of 37,800-124,000 physicians by 2034.
So, it’s no surprise that workforce challenges ranked No. 1 on the list of hospital CEOs’ top concerns in the American College of Healthcare Executives' (ACHE) most recent survey. To address healthcare workforce issues, ACHE thinks healthcare organizations need to:
- Strengthen the workforce pipeline
- Support and develop staff
- Build staff resilience
- Organize services to reflect labor market realities
- Explore alternative models of care.
Which are all good strategies. But I think most healthcare workers thrive on being able to find meaning and purpose in their work. So, as Gensler suggests for nonprofit organizations, if hospitals and health systems reimagine themselves not as enforcers of productivity, but enablers of purpose, they will tap into that motivation, which can help recruit and retain employees. And those who design healthcare facilities should keep this in mind.
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by Kathy Harrigan — Ligature-resistant products are considered essential in behavioral healthcare facilities that treat patients with depression and mental illness. Awareness of the need for these products has grown since The Joint Commission called a significant ligature risk an “immediate threat to life.”
According to The Joint Commission, ligature resistant is defined as: “Without points where a cord, rope, bedsheet, or other fabric/material can be looped or tied to create sustainable point of attachment that may result in self-harm or loss of life.”
When architectural hardware and doors distributor Wagstaff-Taylor & Associates received bids for Rusk State and Baptist Health, two major behavioral healthcare projects, they turned to Accurate Lock & Hardware. While the distributor works with many manufacturers, they recommend Accurate when ligature-resistant hardware is required.
Rusk State prepares for safest-possible patient settings
While the recently completed $200 million Rusk State Hospital in Rusk, Texas, was still under construction, Wagstaff-Taylor received the bid for ligature-resistant hardware. Rusk State was John Brasher’s first behavioral healthcare project. However, the Wagstaff-Taylor sales rep’s knowledge, acquired during decades of experience in the industry, led him to Accurate Lock & Hardware. “Accurate has a long history of reliability, quality and customer service,” he explains.
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To help infection preventionists (IPs) and epidemiologists operationalize prevention efforts for emerging infectious disease threats, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is launching a series of “playbooks” that can be downloaded and customized for use in individual healthcare facilities.
Created by APIC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force, each playbook serves as a fundamental roadmap to swiftly guide infection prevention and control (IPC) personnel through preparation for, and management of, potential infectious disease outbreaks. The pathogen-specific playbooks outline recommended practices for outbreak response starting with pathogen identification, prevention of transmission, safe work practices, considerations for providing patient care, patient discharge, occupational health, and outreach to healthcare stakeholders.
Playbooks for invasive group A strep (iGAS) and polio are available on APIC's Emerging Infectious Diseases webpage. All materials are open-access and available to the public.
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As a commercial flooring solutions provider of choice for decades, the Patcraft brand is well known to facilities planners, interior designers and design firm principals seeking options for soft and hard commercial surfaces. Patcraft’s representatives in the field and its internal designers are accustomed to working with corporate, education and healthcare clients to create unique designs or work through total solutions with tight timeframes. Realizing a market opportunity that also diversifies Patcraft, its team created TransFORM Studio.
Shannon Cochran, Patcraft Vice President of Marketing & Design and Katie Myers Wender, Patcraft Interior Design Service Specialist, answered Eileen McMorrow’s questions about TransFORM Studio, what it means to facility managers and why now.
Why would Patcraft, known for its inspirational flooring solutions for soft and hard surfaces, decide to formally offer design services?
Shannon Cochran: TransFORM Studio is very connected to Patcraft as a brand—we’re always listening to our customers and working to provide solutions that meet their different project needs. When we first launched TransFORM Studio in 2020, it was an effort to understand where our customers were at that moment while striving to support them in different ways than we had in the past. We were focused on building a suite of resources and expanding our virtual offerings to enhance the customer experience and meet people where they were, which looked different for everyone at the time.
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Waiting should be easier. With a gentle recline, soft cushions and enveloping comfort, Kwalu’s Mantova Lounge Collection is the solution for waiting room calm as patients relax, read and pass the time before meeting with their medical team. The contemporary design of Mantova’s lounge chair and loveseat offers Kwalu’s solid surface (1/8” thick) proprietary finish that doesn’t have the drawbacks of wood. The frames are moisture impervious, graffiti-resistant, easy to clean and maintenance-free. Wood furniture is typically protected with surface coatings, which start to wear off, scratch and dent within days of first being used.
Kwalu’s patented steel-reinforced joint system uses over 20 pieces of steel that prevents costly furniture replacement. Further, it’s tailored and modern with options for piping on the seat and top of arms and optional nail head trim around the base and top of arms along with Kwalu’s durable fabrics that withstand repeated cleaning and disinfection. Waiting areas have high turnover. At the end of the day, concealed cleanout eliminates debris build-up behind the seat cushion. Choose the best seat cushion for your application, a non-removable seat cushion for healthcare or a loose seat cushion for senior living.
Click here to consider specifying Mantova by Kwalu.
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With education tracks covering Health, Safety & Wellness, Energy Efficiency & Sustainability and FM Technologies, healthcare facility managers have good options for CEUs in addition to visiting with 150 exhibitors and sponsors along during NFMT Remix in Orlando, October 25-26, 2023.
"Driving Facilities Management Forward" is the NFMT Remix 2023 theme. Over the years, more that 100,000 facilities pros have attended NFMT, between its shows in Baltimore, Las Vegas and Orlando. They come for the conference sessions for Pro and Elite attendees. These 60‐minute sessions provide a comprehensive exploration of facilities management concepts and applications, covering crucial aspects such as technology, maintenance, operations, and space management. By delving into key trends including technology integration, safety and wellness, energy efficiency and sustainable practices, participants gain a deep understanding of how these cross‐functional elements significantly influence and shape effective facilities strategies.
Click below to see the sessions recommended for healthcare facility managers and planners by The McMorrow Reports & FMLink editors.
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Using silicone to make textiles more durable is a relatively new process but one that is becoming increasingly popular. The benefits of silicone in the built environment center around performance and environmental qualities, especially when compared with traditional PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PU (polyurethane) products.
What is silicone? It is an organic polymer made from silica — a substance found in sand. It replicates plastic in terms of strength, but its chemical composition is different. Environmentally, silicone does not contain polyvinyl chloride, plasticizers, phthalates, stabilizers, heavy metals, or Bisphenol-A. There are no VOCs released through its manufacturing, and the process does not use any solvents and very little water. Total manufacturing energy usage is far less than a traditional PVC casting process.
Silicone exceeds the performance standards set by the Association for Contract Textiles (ACT) for commercial coated fabric, as evidenced by the Sta-Kleen Silicone from The Mitchell Group shown here. Silicone is inherently stain-resistant, chemical disinfectant-resistant, mildew-resistant, hydrolysis-resistant, UV-resistant and denim dye-resistant, with superior cold crack performance.
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The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) has announced the publication of the Firehouse Ministries Shelter folio. The MBMA architecture-focused educational case study takes a detailed look at an award-winning facility serving the needs of homeless men, women and children in Birmingham, Alabama. The metal building folio is the latest title in the Architectural Significance in Metal Buildings series.
The Firehouse Ministries Shelter folio was created by MBMA in coordination with Poole & Company Architects and Dunn Building Company, LLC. The folio highlights the 28,000-square-foot emergency and day shelter that houses an average of 135 guests each night and provides medical care for approximately 3,000 people each year.
The 20-page metal building folio contains:
- Project observations and insights from the architect, construction team and local officials, including advice to architecture students;
- Specific needs and challenges for the unique facility, including addressing neighbors’ concerns, a tight budget and the desire to create an inviting yet practical space; and
- Photos, drawings and design graphics that highlight important aspects of the project.
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Apparently, hand hygiene increases when traveling, whether it’s a road trip or a journey through airports, for business or pleasure.
According to the Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Corporation, 60% of adults make a conscious effort to wash their hands more before a planned trip. And, once they hit the road, 75% say they try to suds up whenever they stop. For those who are flying, 69% specifically visit airport restrooms to keep their hands clean and germ free.
The Healthy Handwashing Survey found that Americans wash their hands 87% of the time after using a public restroom. If they do skip handwashing, it’s typically because soap or paper towels weren’t available or the sinks were dirty or not working.
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This week's Featured Book from FMLink Books is from the NFPA Codes category. This collection of peer-reviewed books has been curated by the editorial team at FMLink to provide facilities, engineering and A&D professionals with access to publications relating to the NFPA Codes topic.
Facility managers, installers, designers, inspectors, and enforcers rely on Health Care Facilities Code criteria to help protect lives and property in the broad range of healthcare settings. The NFPA 99 Handbook, 12th edition, 2021, is the leading resource for assisting users in comprehending code concepts and learning to apply vital safety provisions in your work.
This code provides criteria for electrical systems, gas and vacuum systems, mechanical systems, medical equipment, and health care emergency management, security, and patient safety based on risk. Expert commentary throughout provides added insight into interpreting requirements and assists in explaining complex ideas to non-technical people.
This and other NFPA Codes titles are now available for purchase on FMLink.
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