Clinical value of a wristwatch

doi:10.1136/bmj.39423.586331.1F

BMJ 2008;336:10 (5 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.39423.586331.1F

Letters

"Bare below the elbows"

Clinical value of a wristwatch

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Trusts are about to implement a "bare below the elbows" dresscode policy for doctors. This includes the banishing of wristwatchesfrom "clinical areas."¹ ² There is no evidence that wristwatchesare carriers of infection. It has been proposed, but not shown,that watches may impair handwashing.¹ Little account has beenmade of the clinical benefits of a wristwatch. Most beds andexamination couches in hospitals do not currently allow sightof a clock.

Twenty appropriately trained healthcare staff were assessedfor their ability to carry out basic clinical observations withoutthe use of a second hand, to assess the dependence placed onwristwatches. Nine senior medical students, six junior doctors,one consultant, and four trained nurses were asked to evaluateheart rate (pulse) and respiratory rate on the Laerdal Sim Mansimulated patient. Each participant was assessed at regularpulse rates of 83, 36, and 168 beats per minute and . . . [Full text of this article]

James Henderson, SpR plastic surgery¹, Sarah McCracken, SpR geriatric medicine²

¹ Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, Norwich NR4 7UY, ² Ipswich Hospital, Ipswich IP4 5PD

jh@jameshenderson.net

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Lateral Thinking Required?: Claire Dow
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