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Occupational exposure to nitrous oxide in four hospitals
Author(s) -
Gray W. M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1989.tb11383.x
Subject(s) - nitrous oxide , medicine , occupational exposure , anesthesia , nursing staff , ventilation (architecture) , emergency medicine , medical emergency , nursing , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary Diffusive samplers were used to measure the exposure of the anaesthetist, anaesthetic assistant and circulating nurse to nitrous oxide in every operating theatre of four Glasgow hospitals. Each theatre was surveyed over 1 or 2 weeks; samples were taken during every operating session. The exposures were in general surprisingly high. The anaesthetist's exposure was greater than 100 ppm on more than half the occasions, while in two of the hospitals the anaesthetic nurse's exposure was greater than 100 ppm on about half the occasions. The study underlines the need for theatre ventilation systems and scavenging equipment to be properly maintained and for scavenging facilities to be used effectively. It is concluded that regular monitoring of staff exposures is required to check the effectiveness of antipollution measures.