To the Editor:

I enjoyed “Ideas for Optimizing Your Nursing Staff” by Rick E. Weymier [February 2003, page 51] and its emphasis on ensuring that activities are performed by the appropriate level of staff. Nurses can assist in many additional aspects of patient care. Nurses can perform repetitive parts of the subjective and objective patient evaluation. They can assist in documenting pain parameters of location, duration, character radiation, etc. for patients with injuries or abdominal pain. Nurses can also use a flow sheet to determine and complete preliminary orders for preventive services, and they can readily perform and document the diabetic foot exam using a stiff filament as well as other repetitive exams. Nurses are also exceptionally qualified to educate patients on disease prevention and chronic disease management.