Quantifying the advantages and acceptability of linking dialysis machines to an electronic medical record.

Aim: To establish and quantify the time saved by redirecting nursing workload from recording and entering haemodynamic data during chronic dialysis sessions by linking dialysis machines directly to the electronic medical record.

Methods: We developed a bespoke interface from the HL7 feed from the dialysis machines (largely Fresenius 5008) to our EMR system (Cerner). We quantified the time nurses spent with the patient, computer, dialysis machine and sorting our patient related issues by observation using independent observers in a time and motion study.

Is postoperative tympanic membrane temperature measurement effective?

Background: Tympanic membrane temperature is often used as a reliable indicator of core temperature. In practice, temperature measurement in one ear is considered adequate for clinical decision-making in the postoperative phase. If one ear tympanic membrane temperature is found to be abnormal, the other side is checked and the higher reading is used.