1 –
The Importance of CPR, First Aid, and Bloodborne Pathogen Training in the Workplace
Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, and the
American Heart Association (AHA) reports that approximately 475,000 Americans
die from it each year. CPR – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation –
is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating.
Immediate CPR can double or triple chances of survival after cardiac arrest.
The AHA notes that over 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals
each year and about 10,000 of those cardiac arrests happen in the workplace
each year in the United States, according to a report from the US Occupational
Safety & Health Administration.
By providing employees with the knowledge and skills to respond quickly
and effectively in a medical emergency, companies can create a safer work
environment and potentially save lives. OSHA also requires that certain
industries have employees trained in first aid, including those who work
in hazardous environments.
Bloodborne pathogen training is also essential for ensuring workplace safety.
Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms that can cause diseases
such as hepatitis B and C, HIV, and other illnesses. According to the
American Liver Foundation, between 850,000 to 2.2 million people in the
United States are living with chronic hepatitis B infection. The AHA recommends
that all employees who may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious
materials receive bloodborne pathogen training to reduce their risk of
exposure and infection.
Catawba Valley Health System Corporate Health offers education in CPR,
first aid, and bloodborne pathogen education. Contact us to find out more
information about these services at 828-732-6201, by email at
corporatehealth@catawbavalleymc.org, or at our website
https://www.catawbavalleyhealth.org/Corporate-Health/Workplace-Wellness.aspx
2 –
Hepatitis Awareness Month
May is designated as Hepatitis awareness month in the United States. During
this period, the CDC and public health partners work to raise awareness
of hepatitis while encouraging testing and vaccinations.
Key Facts:
• Several different viruses can cause hepatitis. The most common types
are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. ABCs of Viral Hepatitis HAM | CDC
• Both hepatitis A and B are preventable with vaccination and hepatitis
C is curable with treatment prescribed by a medical provider.
• The CDC recommends that all adults get tested for hepatitis B and
C at least once in their lifetime, and pregnant women get tested during
each pregnancy.
• All adults through age 59 and adults age 60 or older with risk factors
are recommended by the CDC to get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis
B. If you are over the age of 60 and do not have risk factors, you may
choose to be vaccinated.
• Approximately 66% of people with hepatitis B are unaware of their
infection and about 40 % of people living with hepatitis C do not even
know they are infected.
• Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C are leading causes of liver
cancer in the United States.
Assess your risk:
• Various populations and job types may place a person at risk for
exposure to hepatitis.
• Some of these may include but not limited to: people born outside
of the United States, health care workers, people who use or inject drugs,
sexual transmission, people with diabetes, people with HIV/AIDS, or people
experiencing homelessness. Populations at Increased Risk for Viral Hepatitis | CDC
• A bloodborne pathogen exposure is an exposure to blood or other
potentially infectious material and places a person at risk for hepatitis.
Prevention:
• Learn the facts. Take a first aid/bloodborne pathogen class to educate
yourself and your employees. Education regarding the risks of bloodborne
pathogens should be provided to all employees with potential risk on a
pre-employment and annual basis.
• Utilize Standard Precautions, hand hygiene and use of personal protective
equipment (PPE), to prevent reasonably anticipated parenteral, skin, eye,
and mucous membrane exposure to blood or other potentially infectious
materials that may result during the performance of job duties.
• Get vaccinated to help prevent contracting the virus. Age 19 through
59 years: complete a 2 or 3-dose series.
- 2-dose series Heplisav-B* at least 4 weeks apart.
- 3-dose series Engerix-B, Recombivax B at 0, 1, 6 months.
Post exposure management:
• A confidential medical evaluation and follow-up is readily available
at Catawba Valley Health System to those who report an exposure incident.
Immediate care to the exposure site, obtaining & testing exposure
source blood and exposed employee blood as soon as feasible with referral
to Occupational Health for follow-up.
How can CVHS Corporate Health help:
• CVHS Corporate Health offers
- Blood borne pathogen education and first aid training
- Hepatitis A and B vaccination
- Post-exposure management and follow-up testing and recordkeeping
For more information, contact us at 828.326.2139,
corporatehealth@catawbavalleymc.org or find more information at our website
https://www.catawbavalleyhealth.org/Corporate-Health.aspx
3 –
Employee Health and Fitness Month
May is Global Employee Health and Fitness month. Investing in the wellbeing
of your workforce is an element to any progressive company’s strategic
plan and has been shown to increase productivity, build community, and
can lower overall health care costs. There are three key elements that
serve as a foundation to a strong wellness program: identifying issues
early, providing education from reputable sources, and encouraging movement.
Identify issues early. Early detection of any disease increases the chance of survival and management.
Once a disease has been identified, treatment can begin and many diseases
are more susceptible to intervention in their earlier stages. Preventive
screenings are available for multiple conditions. Some are simple and
non-invasive, like skin cancer screenings. Many are quick and can be done
onsite, at your business, like mammograms, which take just 15 minutes.
Other screenings are more involved with pre-procedure prep-work and have
to be scheduled at the hospital, like colonoscopies. Companies can decide
which screenings are covered through negotiations with their third-party
administrators, but the true value of the screening isn’t realized
unless staff use it. Companies must encourage and, in some cases, incentivize
participation. Incentives may be prizes or may consist of a discount on
medical plan premiums. Each company must decide what is right for them.
Educate with accurate information. There is plenty of information available to the public on any health
topic you can imagine. However, how do you know if the source can be trusted
or that the information is accurate? The educators at CVHS strive to be
experts in their field and work diligently to verify information is accurate
and up-to-date. Whether employees are learning how to Eat Healthy on a
Budget or about the dangers of tobacco use and how to quit, they can trust
that the information they receive from us will guide them on their journeys
to better health.
Get moving. The American College of Sports Medicine, through their research with
the Exercise is Medicine initiative, has identified the significant impact
physical activity has on reducing:
- The incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer
- Feelings of anxiety and depression
- Risk of excessive weight gain
In fact, every system in the body is affected by physical activity, which
makes it one of the greatest ways for employees to improve their overall
health, as well as their productivity and relationships at work. Employers
can subsidize gym memberships, bring in fitness instructors for onsite
fitness, or incentivize activity challenges for employees to complete
on their own. There is a wide-range of options for promoting physical
activity and CVHS can help you identify what works best for your employee
population and your budget.
Catawba Valley Health System’s Corporate Health programs can help
you care for your employees. Whether you want to offer preventive screening,
like mammography or lab work, lunch & learn sessions with our dieticians,
or challenges to engage your workforce and get them moving, CVHS can help.
For more information call 828.326.2139, email
corporatehealth@catawbavalleymc.org, or visit our website
https://www.catawbavalleyhealth.org/Corporate-Health.aspx.