Are all types of glucose measurement equal? Does it matter if you use fingerstick, arterial, or catheter blood? Lacara and colleagues found that
Care should be taken with patients who have abnormal hematocrit or carbon dioxide levels. Clinicians can verify the accuracy of point-of-care (POC) glucose testing by comparing the POC value with the laboratory value of a sample obtained at the same time.
See Article, pp 336–347
Did you know that your patient’s anxiety level may negatively affect his or her outcome after myocardial infarction, especially in-hospital complications? As Moser notes:
How do you evaluate anxiety in patients? One common tool is the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, though the authors preferred the anxiety subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory.
See Article, pp 361–369
Are you using tubes and devices not originally designed for rectal use for fecal diversion and collection? Fecal incontinence is a difficult problem to manage and...