Articles

Below are a number of the informational articles compiled and written by members, colleagues of the MNA Congress on Health and Safety and by MNA's occupational health and safety specialists Evie Bain and Chris Pontus.

Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlesticks :: Chemical Exposures :: Emergency Preparedness
Infectious Diseases :: Latex Allergy :: Miscellaneous :: Occupational Asthma
OSHA Information for Nurses :: Pollution Prevention :: Safe Lifting (Ergonomics)
Safe Staffing :: Workplace Violence :: Union Advocacy for Health &Safety

• Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlesticks
  • October 2006
    • Workplace health and safety: report of PHASE/MNA focus groups
  • November/December 2005
  • Needlestick injuries continue despite 2000 rewrite of OSHA standard
  • January/February 2005
    • MNA partners with UMass Lowell in grant to protect home health care practitioners
  • January/February 2004
  • Pathogens and the use of safe needle devices
  • STIK Beeper: Rapid Reporting System for Blood/Body Fluid Exposures

• Chemical Exposures
  • January 2008
    • Chemical exposures on the job may be linked to diseases in nurses
  • December 2007
    • Chemical Exposures on the Job May be Linked to Diseases in Nurses
  • April 2007
  • Newton Wellesley RNs address hazards of environmental cleaning chemicals
  • Hazardous drug awareness and control survey results
  • March 2007
    • Working safely with hazardous drugs: Fluorouracil
  • November/December 2006
    • After 30 years in exile, thalidomide is back
    • New report: substances common in hospitals can cause or worsen asthma
  • April 2006
  • Campaign for fragrance-free health care in the U.S.
  • October 2005
  • Environmental pollutants and the immune system
  • May 2005
    • Health effects of fragrances: a Q & A
  • March 2005
    • How health care sometimes hurts patients and the environment
    • The environmental connection for health and safety
  • NPA Press Release 02.01.2005
    • It's 2005! Why Are We Still Shampooing Children With Pesticides?
  • October 2004
    • Carbon monoxide detector saves lives of MNA staffer and her family
  • September 2004
    • CDC releases NIOSH Alert: preventing exposures' to hazardous drugs in healthcare setting
    • A second look at formaldehyde in the workplace: Some possible alternatives
  • March 2004
    • Is your hospital healthy? Taking a look at use of harmful pesticide
  • January/February 2004
    • Database links environmental exposures with diseases
    • Formaldehyde exposure in the OR: one nurse's experience
  • Ways to reduce toxic exposures in the home
  • New Report Linking Toxics To 180 Diseases Will Be Used As Lobbying Too
  • DEHP, chemical exposures present a health risk to patient
  • Occupational Asthma
  • August 2003
    • Sensitivity to (personal) fragrances can be a concern for visitors and patients as well as staff member
  • March 2003
    • MNA members in hospitals and health care settings across the state are beginning to see toxic environmental cleaning chemicals replaced with safer products
  • Top Ten Reasons to be scent free at work

• Emergency Preparedness
  • March 2007
    • Promoting emotional resilience for disaster and emergency incidents
  • November/December 2006
    • Update on new MNA emergency preparedness volunteer project
    October 2006
    • Disaster preparedness: an all-hazards approach for nurses
  • July/August 2006
    • Personal disaster planning for individuals and families: begin today
  • June 2006
  • An emergency preparedness Q&A: introduction to “CERT”
  • New England Partnership for Emergency Response Education and Training
    (NEPHERET) Free Emergency Management Trainings for Health Care Workers
  • October 2005
    • Personal Checklist: What You Need In Case Of Disaster Emergency
  • September 2005
  • Responding to Disasters
  • July/August 2005
    • Behavioral health and emergency planning: the role of the school health programs
  • May 2005
  • MNA offering bioterrorism preparedness modular presentation components
  • March 2005
    • MNA emergency preparedness task force accomplishments and future plans
  • June/July 2004
    • Hospitals: will they be ready when the terrorists are?
  • March 2004
    • Incident Command System for Health Care Providers: An interview with Mary Taschner
  • Smallpox Vaccination in Massachusetts: Q&A from the DPH
  • Massachusetts satellite broadcast on emergency preparedness

• Infectious Diseases
• March 2006
  • Fighting a silent epidemic: the Hepatitis C Coalition
• January/Febraury 2006
  • Did we learn anything about avian flu from SARS?
• July/August 2005
• Avian flu: Will it or won’t it happen here?
• Infection control and avian influenza recommendations
• The avian influenza threat
• Transmission of viruses between animals and people
• June 6, 2005
• Occupational Deaths among Healthcare Workers (from CDC Web site)
• November/December 2004
  • Avian flu: a dreadful possibility on the horizon
• October 2004
  • Influenza vaccine helps protect you
• January/February 2004
  • Universal Respiratory Etiquette: A Revolutionary Approach to Reducing Exposure to Bacteria and Viruses
• SARS - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/
• INFLUENZA - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
• Tuberculosis from the CDC Web site
• Smallpox: Congress on Health and Safety Chair and Vice Chair, Terri Arthur and Rosemary O’Brien respond to Cape Cod Times editorial calling for nurses to "roll up their sleeves"
• May 2003
  • Smallpox news special
• MRSA is a recordable occupational illness
• June/July 2003
  • SARS: a guide for nurses
• SARS news special
• Smallpox Vaccination in Massachusetts: Q&A from the DPH

• Latex Allergy
  • January/February 2006
    • Vinyl medical gloves: what are the concerns?
    August 2005
    • Workers Comp Matters - online radio show featuring Dr. Gail Lenehan, national advocate and member of the Massachusetts Nurses Association's Congress on Occupational Health and Safety
  • March 2005
    • Is vinyl the best glove for your personal protection?
  • Minister launches latex web page to raise real dangers of occupational asthma -- from the Health & Safety Exectuve Web Site
  • May 2003
    • Details of Latex glove legislation
  • Top Ten Reasons to Avoid Latex Gloves
  • Spring 1998
    • MNA Mission Statement on Latex Allergy

• Miscellaneous
  • March 2008
    • Workplace Hazards to Nurses and Other Health Care Workers: Promising Practices for Prevention
  • January 2007
    • Annual report from the Congress on Health and Safety
    • What consumers need to know about getting emergency contraception without a prescription
    • Responding to sexual assault: recognizing legal issues
  • November/December 2006
    • Workplace health and safety: report of PHASE/MNA focus groups, Part 2 of 2
    • MNA Position Statement: On-call and extended work hours
  • October 2006
    • Workplace health and safety: report of PHASE/MNA focus groups, Part 1 of 2
  • June 2006
    • Making the link on Cape Cod: Drinking water detective story: connecting water contamination and disease
    • Rape aggression defense program comes to the MNA
  • October 2005
    • Worker's comp in Massachusetts: punitive, inadequate and unfair 
  • July/August 2005
  • Health and safety conference signals close of research portion of PHASE Project
  • January/February 2005
  • New study of Brigham RNs shows lasting effects of poor indoor air quality
  • October 2004
    • OSHA, Mass. Nurses Association and Mass. Division of Occupational Safety Sign Alliance to Protect Nurses/Health Care Workers
  • 2003/2004 annual report from the Congress on Health and Safety
  • September 2003
    • How does working in the healthcare industry affect your health?
  • Info on MA Worker's Comp Legislation
  • Nursing and Nursing Issues in South Korea

• Occupational Asthma  
  • March 2006
    • Work-related asthma more prevalent among nurses
  • Work-related asthma is a reportable health condition in Massachusetts
  • Minister launches latex web page to raise real dangers of occupational asthma—from the Health & Safety Exectuve Web Site
  • Occupational Asthma
  • MNA members in hospitals and health care settings across the state are beginning to see toxic environmental cleaning chemicals replaced with safer products

• OSHA Information for Nurses
  • Juner 2008
    • OSHA outlines training requirements for first receivers of victims of mass casualty emergencies and chemically contaminated patients
    September 2007
    • OSHA finds workplace hazards at Brockton Hospital
  • February 2007
    • MNA’s first conference on safe patient handling a succes
  • June 2006
    • OSHA, MNA and the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety Addressing what constitutes safe working conditions in health care settings
  • May 2006
    • MNA addresses government agency on health and safety concerns
    March 2005
    • Congress members share observations on issues of health and safety
  • June/July 2004
    • OSHA Targeted Inspections going on right now in Massachusetts hospitals
  • Complaint of improper claims handling against an insurer: Form 130 now available at the Division of Industrial Accidents
  • New program seeks to reduce hospital injuries
  • MRSA is a recordable occupational illness

• Pollution Prevention
  • September 2004
    • Environmental update: household prescription medication waste is posing an environmental hazard
  • Less toxic alternatives for lice and scabies treatment

• Safe Lifting (Ergonomics)
  • November/December 2006
    • The benefits of safe patient handling
    • The prevention of back injury is within us
    March 2006
    • Safe patient handling: successful Australian approach to reducing nurse injuries
  • January/February 2006
    • MNA Position Statement on Safe Patient Handling
    • MNA advocate testifies at hearing on safe patient handling bill
    • Ergonomics in health care: key Web resources
    October 2005
    • Safe patient handling: it’s all been said, now here’s what needs to happen
  • March 2005
    • MNA member fights to reduce back injuries for all nurses
  • January/February 2005
    • 'Safe lifting' legislation filed by MNA attempts to reduce injuries to health care workers
  • April 2004
    • Using patient-handling equipment to reduce injuries

• Safe Staffing
  • March 2005
    • Hospital medical errors continue to draw media coverage
    • CDC cites staffing patterns and nurses' working conditions adding to poor outcomes in area of infectious disease

• Union Advocacy for Health & Safety
  • August 2004
    • MNA participates in UMass Lowell worker health & safety research project
    • Model Contract Language on Health & Safety is Ready and Available

• Workplace Violence
• February 2007
  • New standard set after MNA nurses advocate for metal detectors in their facilities
• September 2006
  • Successful outcome for an MNA nurse injured in assault at Holyoke hospital
• June 2006
  • Workplace violence and abuse prevention task force develops a fact sheet on bullying
• March 2006
  • Employee safety at your health care facility
• November/December 2005
• MassCOSH guide aids clinicians in preventing workplace injuries and illnesses
• September 2005
  • Groundbreaking survey on workplace violence released
• April 2005
• A history of activism and accomplishment: The MNA Workplace Violence and Abuse Prevention Task Force
• 'Sometimes it's just about doing the right thing'
  ER nurse assaulted while on duty reaches out to others on the 'front line'
• Emergency room violence growing concern for nurses
• In her own words: How ER assault has changed RN Charlene Richardson's life, work
• VNA of Boston: 'They know we need to be safe'
• MNA offers workplace violence programs available in all regions
• Workplace violence prevention and intervention: Being assaulted is NOT part of the job no matter where you work
• Members of the Workplace Violence and Abuse Prevention Task Force
• MNA offering bioterrorism preparedness modular presentation components in collaboration with Mass. DPH
• August 2004
  • Task Force on Workplace Violence and Abuse Prevention releases position statement
  • Life after a workplace assault: how one nurse was treated by her employer
• April 2004
  • MNA Mission Statement on Workplace Violence
• NSO Malpractice Insurance provides two benefits for nurses who are survivors (victims) of violence in the workplace.
• Ten Actions a nurse should take if assaulted at work

Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlesticks :: Chemical Exposures :: Emergency Preparedness
Infectious Diseases :: Latex Allergy :: Miscellaneous :: Occupational Asthma
OSHA Information for Nurses :: Pollution Prevention :: Safe Lifting (Ergonomics)
Safe Staffing :: Workplace Violence :: Union Advocacy for Health &Safety