Hospital incident command system: tool for a TJC accreditation survey.

The unannounced Joint Commission (TJC) accreditation survey can prove just as unpredictable and challenging as any other incident. In this article, the authors describe a plan developed by a hospital emergency response team that has proven successful in dealing with TJC and other surveys.

Decreasing mislabeled laboratory specimens using barcode technology and bedside printers.

Mislabeling of laboratory samples has been found to be a high-risk issue in acute care hospitals. The goal of this study was to decrease mislabeled blood specimens. In the first year after the implementation of a positive patient identification system using barcoding and computer technology, the number of labeling errors decreased from 103 to 8 per year.

Noninvasive ventilation in cats.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) in cats. The secondary objective was to determine whether cardiovascular parameters and anesthetic drug requirements associated with noninvasive ventilation differ from those associated with invasive ventilation.

Design: Randomized, cross-over design.