Hand-washing rule cut out of Nevada patient safety bill
Here’s Frank X. Mullen of the Reno Gazette-Journal reporting on why you probably want to avoid receiving medical care in the state of Nevada for the foreseeable future:
A provision that would require health care workers to wash their hands when they move between patients has been cut out of a patient safety bill, an omission opposed by advocates for patients and the elderly.
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Assembly Bill 280 requires patient safety checklists and patient safety policies at hospitals and other health care facilities. A part of the bill specified that safety policies include requiring health workers to “wash their hands before and after every interaction with a patient and after coming into contact with a surface or object that may be contaminated.”
The bill was sent to the Senate this week with the hand-washing provision removed.
The reason? NO ONE KNOWS AT THIS POINT
The bill was amended in the Assembly, but neither Gold nor Winters was present when the wording was changed. Bill Welch, president of the Nevada Hospital Association, could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
I’m reminded of the 2002 piece from The Onion titled “Nevada To Phase Out Laws Altogether,” which is not actually satirical because every word is 100% true.
“Laws have been good to the state of Nevada,” said Gov. Kenny Guinn between swigs of Jim Beam. “But ultimately, after carefully considering what’s best for the long-term economic growth and prosperity of the state, we decided that lawfulness just wasn’t a good idea.”