The nurse's role in developing voluntary consensus standards

Involvement in evaluating and selecting products for patient care is an important function of the nurse. Invaluable aids in product evaluation are standards developed by the FDA or other standards-writing organizations, defining minimum levels of performance, labeling, and safety for specific devices. Compliance with a voluntary consensus standard, which has been approved by consensus of a committee of experts representing manufacturers and users, is recommended. Nurses should be aware of device standards and recommended practices now available or being developed for specific devices. Often the standards-writing group has developed for specific devices. Often the standards-writing group has considered or will consider specific problems troubling the nurse. Involvement in the process itself will help ensure that these problems are addressed.