Prediction of WBGT-based clothing adjustment values from evaporative resistance.

Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index is used by many professionals in combination with metabolic rate and clothing adjustments to assess whether a heat stress exposure is sustainable. The progressive heat stress protocol is a systematic method to prescribe a clothing adjustment value (CAV) from human wear trials, and it also provides an estimate of apparent total evaporative resistance (Re,T,a). It is clear that there is a direct relationship between the two descriptors of clothing thermal effects with diminishing increases in CAV at high Re,T,a. There were data to suggest an interaction of CAV and Re,T,a with relative humidity at high evaporative resistance. Because human trials are expensive, manikin data can reduce the cost by considering the static total evaporative resistance (Re,T,s). In fact, as the static evaporative resistance increases, the CAV increases in a similar fashion as Re,T,a. While the results look promising that Re,T,s can predict CAV, some validation remains, especially for high evaporative resistance. The data only supports air velocities near 0.5 m/s.

Reflexiones sobre el proceso de Enfermería. Desafío para estudiantes, docentes y profesionales de la práctica clínica / Reflections on the nursing process: a challenge for students, teachers, and clinical practice professionals

En Enfermería, desde la universidad y desde la asistencia, ha existido siempre una profunda necesidad de validarse como profesión, en parte por la historia implacable que le desdibuja a la sombra de la medicina y porque la teoría y la práctica no encuentran comunión. Desde este punto de vista, resulta un desafío evidenciar un modo de intervención lógico y de base científica que permita materializar el cuidado enfermero, ya de por sí intangible en muchas ocasiones, complejo y subjetivo, pero que constituye el fin único de la profesión. Si el cuidado constituye un fin, el proceso de atención de Enfermería es un medio. El medio que hace posible a través de una secuencia de pasos, siguiendo el método científico, recolectar, procesar e interpretar información para identificar un problema y poner en marcha una estrategia para su resolución. El objetivo de esta reflexión es fundamentar y resaltar la importancia del proceso de Enfermería en la construcción de una práctica profesional independiente, ética y coherente con la visión paradigmática y la proyección social de la profesión. Se pretende motivar a estudiantes, profesionales y docentes para realizar un esfuerzo conjunto que propenda por el reconocimiento del valor y la utilidad del proceso de Enfermería y su implementación integral en la práctica clínica (AU)

There has always been a deep need in Nursing, from University and from patient care, to be validated as a profession, partly due to the unrelenting history that blurs it at the shadow of Medicine, and because theory does not commune with practice. From this point of view, there is a challenge in terms of showing evidence about a logical way of intervention, on a scientific basis, that will allow the materialization of Nursing care, which is complex and subjective, and often intangible in itself, but that represents the final goal of this profession. If patient care represents a goal, the Nursing care process is the means: the means that makes it possible to collect, process and interpret information, through a sequence of steps and following the scientific method, in order to identify a problem and implement a strategy for its resolution. The objective of this reflection is to substantiate and highlight the importance of the Nursing process for the development of an independent and ethical professional practice, which can be consistent with the paradigmatic view and social projection of the profession. Likewise, we intend to motivate students, professionals and teachers to make a joint effort towards the acknowledgement of the value and usefulness of the Nursing process, and its integral implementation in clinical practice (AU)