Paul, you have to use units that hospital administrators, nurses and doctors
*really* understand: the ones with a $ preceding them. They especially pay
attention to a $ with a "-" preceding it. How's this for inspiration to
hospitals to use kg and cm only:
"Mr./Ms. Chairman/Chairwoman of the hospital board, do you willingly intend
to keep an accident enabling factor (use of lb. and in.) that could easily
result in an accident that would trigger expensive lawsuits?! [Follow this
with actual examples.] Which is cheaper to deal with, patients whining
about getting their weights and heights in metric units or having to pay a
court settlement to a dead patient's family?"
Jason
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Trusten <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: U.S. Metric Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 11:44 AM
Subject: [USMA:11636] the Celsius-less nurse
>
> I'm afraid that there are many healthcare professionals who are ignorant
> of the Celsius temperature scale. If you should happen across a
> pharmacist who is ignorant of it, that would be a tragedy.
>
> Recently, I was instrumental in getting a form changed at my hospital so
> that it no longer requests the patient weight in pounds OR kilograms.
> Sadly, I could only get it changed to pounds, but at least that may
> prevent someone from entering a lb. figure when kg were meant, or vice
> versa. It is possible for someone to weigh over 100 kg, so, let us say,
> the number 128 could mean either a trim person (lb.) or a very obese
> person (kg). If someone writes 128 kg but means pounds, the dose of a
> drug could be calculated which is far in excess of the correct dose for
> that patient. Funny thing is, even with the "kg" box gone, nurses will
> still go ahead and write the kg weight in, giving the proper units (kg).
> IMHO, It is a cavalier attitude about measurement systems that could be
> dangerous.
>
> I maintain that the adoption of SI in the United States, even on a small
> scale (healthcare), requires, first of all, inspiration. It has to be a
> matter of motivation, and it has to be across all sectors of a group or
> an organization. If we can instill fear everywhere, such as the fear we
> generated over Y2K, we should be able to instill knowledge (of SI) as
> well. We can't have just a few people in one enterprise devoted to the
> use of one standard of measurement when too many others just do not
> care.
> --
> Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
> 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
> Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
> (915)-694-6208
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
