American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Although low concentrations of inhaled nitric oxide may by therapeutic, both nitric oxide and its oxidation product nitrogen dioxide are potentially toxic. The threshold limits for time-weighted average concentrations of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide issued by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists are 25 and 3 ppm, respectively. The concentrations of these gases in the breathing space of hospital personnel during administration of nitric oxide to adult patients have not been reported. ⋯ Inhaled nitric oxide therapy at doses up to 20 ppm does not appear to pose a risk of excessive occupational exposure to nitric oxide or nitrogen dioxide to nurses during routine delivery of critical care.
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Today's critically ill patients require heightened vigilance and extraordinarily intricate care. As skilled and responsible health professionals, the 403,000 critical care nurses in the United States must acquire the specialized knowledge and skills needed to provide this care and demonstrate their competence to the public, their employers, and their profession. Recognizing that nurses can validate specialty competence through certification, this white paper from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and the AACN Certification Corporation puts forth a call to action for all who can influence and will benefit from certified nurses' contribution to patient care.