Some good points there, Geoff. I think at least some of the issue comes down to successful education. I have had, over the years, quite senior medical people basically saying 'what's wrong with that, it's OK at home'? My reply has usually been along the lines of 'true, but when was the last time you carried out major invasive surgery at home on your kitchen table'? Of course, they commented that it would be a totally inappropriate environment (for 1st world locations at least), to which I said 'and so this hospital environment is inappropriate for this 'home' electrical device'! It seemed to get the point home!
Of course in developing countries such as where I am now, it's difficult (and perhaps counter-productive) to be quite so strict. Sometimes of course, the environment is so 'bad', that it's even MORE important to be strict about certain patient-safety issues. Surely, that's what part of our profession is about; knowing what really IS important in any particular situation, with often conflicting needs existing simultaneously?!
