Agreement between temporal artery, oral, and axillary temperature measurements in the perioperative period.

This study examined agreement in temperature readings preoperatively and postoperatively between temporal artery and electronic oral/axillary thermometers as well as the seconds required to obtain temperature readings across the three measuring modes. Using a repeated measures design, 86 adult subjects had temporal artery, oral, and axillary temperatures taken upon admission to the surgical area and upon admission to the PACU. Findings indicated best agreement both preoperatively and postoperatively between the oral mode of the electronic thermometer and the temporal artery thermometer, followed by agreement between oral and axillary modes of the electronic thermometer, and the least agreement between the temporal artery and axillary readings.

Education in a homeless shelter to improve the nutrition of young children.

Objective: To improve the nutritional status of homeless children by implementing an educational program for their mothers and the cafeteria staff at a homeless shelter.

Design: Program evaluation including before and after measures of mothers' nutritional knowledge and nutritional quality of foods served in the cafeteria.

Sample: Fifty-six mothers with children aged 18 months to 6 years and 3 cafeteria staff.

Using professional specialty competencies to guide course development.

This article describes how an RN-to-BSN community health nursing (CHN) course was reconceptualized from a traditional model to a competency-based model. The traditional course assigned students to CHN preceptors and required a set number of clinical contact hours. As clinical preceptor placement opportunities diminished, students and faculty became increasingly dissatisfied with the course structure and requirements.