Safety v. Politics Once again politics are blocking safety. McKnight’s reported that 2 million healthcare workers will refuse to receive or administer a COVID-19 vaccine. Caregivers demand verification and validation from independent third-party experts. The myriad of multiple reports of political appointees interfering in CDC safety guidance is “corrupting a process which should be based

Duty to Protect In 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a paper on sexual aggression in nursing homes. The study concluded that residents are the most common perpetrators and victims of sexual assault. One factor is dementia which sometimes causes inappropriate hypersexual behavior. Businesses have a duty to protect employees from

Windfall for Nursing Homes HHS announced $5 billion in targeted funding for nursing homes in May. Then another $5 billion opportunity in August. Operators got $2.5 billion in early September to pay expenses related to COVID-19. Now McKnight’s reports that the Trump Administration will provide another $333 million for bonus payments. The corporate welfare will

Hazard Pay Do executives deserve hazard pay?  Really? McKnight’s reported that executives’ salaries are increasing during COVID-19. The explanation is that stress and burn-out are increasing demand.  Ryan McPherson is vice president of Medical Recruitment Specialists LLC, of Stoughton, MA. He said: “We are seeing a hazard pay bump. They have to pay. There is

NPR had a great article about how nursing home caregivers are spreading COVID-19. How and why? Because they have to work at multiple facilities to earn a living wage. Certified nurses aides are not paid well. Very often, just minimum wage. Therefore, many must work at more than one facility. They tend to be predominantly women

The United States has seen a surge. The highest ever number of new COVID-19 cases were this week. More than 500,000 in one week. Hospitalizations are also rising and have hit a two-month high and deaths are trending upwards. We are in for a tough winter. Hospitals in most regions of the country are seeing