Guidelines 5 Reagents and test systems2.3.1. Reagents used for ABO and D grouping must be CE marked, and be stored and used in accordance with the manufacturers' instructions.

METHODOLOGYThis guideline was compiled according to the BSH process at http://www.b-s-h.org.uk/guidelines/. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) nomenclature was used to evaluate the levels of evidence and to assess the strength of recommendations. The GRADE criteria can be found at http://www.gradeworkinggroup .org.This guideline represents the minimum requirements for the safe administration of blood component transfusions. These are intended to provide the foundations for organisations to build on when developing their own local policies and guidelines. However, it should be recognised that the more complex the procedures are, the more open to error they become.

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Silver (Ag) has been thought to improve wound healing and reduce instances of associated infections for many years. There are centuries-old records of silver being used in wound treatment, but the past two decades in particular have seen an increasing clinical application of silver-impregnated wound dressings and as such, have seen the number of research articles similarly increase. The majority of these articles focus on the positives and potential negatives (e.g. the toxicity of silver as a heavy metal) of using silver-impregnated dressings in the clinical management of wounds. This article examines the potential advantages and disadvantages of using silver in the management of chronic and burn wounds, and provides a physiological understanding of the body's response to silver absorption. The author also attempts to critically appraise the opposing literature related to the clinical relevance of microbial kill-time and the volume of silver contained in dressings, while investigating the efficacy of silver-impregnated dressings in the management of burns and chronic wounds. In order to collect literature relevant to this review, the author searched CINAHL, Medline, BMJ, Medscape, Journal of Advanced Nursing, the Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC), and the Cochrane Library, using the terms silver, silver sulfadiazine, impregnated, wound, burn, dressing, review, quantative, efficacy, in vitro, in vivo, nanocrystalline, toxicity, infection, microbial kill-time, and comparison.

The number of nurses considering leaving the profession has continued to rise, and in many areas there is a nursing shortfall. For many of those leaving the profession, the decision results from workplace stress. This article examines the concept of emotional labour, which has been linked to compassion fatigue and subsequent burnout. Emotional labour is the term used to describe the process of displaying outward emotion that may not match our internal emotion; this dissonance can lead to highly stressful situations. The concept is explored from a genealogical perspective, specifically focusing on how gender, socio-political and health cultures have influenced the evolution of the discourse that defines how emotional labour is perceived, understood and valued. This article will identify what has shaped the discourse and how the historical influences have influenced perceptions. The article identifies that emotional labour has traditionally been viewed as women's work and has been undervalued. The influence of male nurses and the gradual decline of heavy industry has served to improve the understanding and value of the concept. Lessons from the past can inform the management of the stresses of emotional labour. Emotional labour is a recognised component of workplace stress and this article makes a number of recommendations for further research or management strategies, which may assist in the recognition and management of the stresses nurses face when delivering emotionally demanding care.