A round-up of news from the professional journals
Diagnosis danger
Half of practice nurses lack confidence in interpreting spirometry readings,
according to research by The British Thoracic Society. While most nurses are
able to identify symptoms of severe COPD, they faltered in recognising milder
forms of the disease.
Nursing Standard
5 January 2000
NHS IT training
Nurses will receive IT training to meet the Government’s targets for IT
management within the NHS. Regional learning networks will be set up in every
health region by March 2001. The competencies have been drawn up by groups
including the RCN and UKCC.
Nursing Standard
5 January 2000
‘Paintball eye’ cases
US researchers have found an increase in severe eye trauma resulting from
the popularity of paintballing. No injuries of this type had been reported before
1996, but they now make up 4 per cent of the total, said the US Eye Injury
Registry. None of those injured were wearing safety masks or goggles.
Nursing Times
6 January 2000
Latex alternative
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Californian researchers may have found a non-allergenic alternative to
latex. The material, from a Mexican shrub called guayule, does not contain
allergenic proteins, is impermeable to viruses and has a longer shelf life than
latex.
Nursing Standard
12 January 2000