Kate Curtis
RN, BN, Grad Dip (Crit Care), MNurs (Hons), PhD
Trauma Nurse Consultant, St George Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Associate Professor, Sydney Nursing School, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Clair Ramsden
RN, MA Healthcare Ethics, MA Health Services Management
Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery, Nepean and Blue Mountains Local Health Service, NSW, Australia.
Elsevier
Sydney 2016
ISBN : 9780729542050
Type and Scope of Book
Emergency and Trauma Care for Nurses and Paramedics 2e follows the successful 1e and other publications from this editor group. This is a comprehensive textbook on emergency nursing and covers aspects of pre-hospital care.
The books uses a similar format and author team to the successful 1e. The book uses 6 sections and subsequent chapters to examine the wide world of emergency nursing.
Contents
Section 1
Overview of Emergency Care (6 Chapters)
Section 2
Systems and Clinical Fundamentals (3 Chapters)
Section 3
Clinical Concepts and Systems (11 Chapters)
Section 4
Emergencies (21 Chapters)
Section 5
Major Trauma (11 Chapters)
Section 6
End of Life (2 Chapters)
Strengths
The books uses authors that are experts in their field. This gives the reader confidence in the material that has been presented. These experts are able to delivery quality content that the reader can not help but learn. The group also uses a standard of content delivery that gives the 2e a consistency of information presentation.
This book comprehension is it greatest strength. Emergency nurses are labelled a ‘Jack of all and master of none’. This attempts to resolve this perception. A practitioner that has digested all of the information this book covers will be a very solid practitioner.
The book is written for 2016 and in a Australian and New Zealand context. The language is easy to understand and attempts to simplify jargon. The currency of the clinical content is a feature. The use of Australian and New Zealand data makes the textbook a real life experience.
Each chapter has a extensive reference section. These references use primary research papers and consensus to base the information in the text. These references use the most recent papers available to give a 2016 evidence base. The extensive references give the reader clues to finding further evidence to base clinical practice.
Section 4 Emergencies with 21 chapters makes the backbone of the textbook. Each of the Emergency chapters are progressive and comprehensive. They start with review of anatomy and physiology then move through dysfunctions and disease. After reading each of these chapters your knowledge is greatly enhanced, reinforced or refined.
The textbook uses many high quality pictures drawings and scan images. These greatly adds to the information delivery of this book. These are appropriately placed and referenced in the text. The colours are attractive to the reader and encourage further reading. Importantly it help explain and compliment the text.
Tables are used throughout the textbook. This method has been used to show different therapies, phases, relationships, strategies and effects. This allows the reader to differentiate and assist in assessment and decision making.
The practice tips are very useful. The practical instruction keeps the emergency nurse focused and promotes patient safety in practice. This enhances the books useability as it gives clear direction. Colour highlighting this emphasis these important points and tips.
Weaknesses
The soft cover again is very easily damaged. This makes it difficult to place in the clinical area for constant reference. A hard cover would prevent this. Although slightly smaller than the 1st edition the 2e is a heavy book that is difficult to transport.
The textbook is titled for nurses and paramedics sounds odd as there is not much information specific for the paramedic. Several chapters in section 3 attempt to cover this but these chapters are not very comprehensive compared with the rest of the textbook.
A solution could be 2 volumes with hard covers that could solve both of the above problems. Another solution is to leave out some of the introductory and general information in the first 3 sections of history, politics, systems, management, education, professional development, and research of the textbook and leave it more clinical for emergency nurses.
Recommended Readership
This excellent textbook should have a place in any emergency nurses library. If read and comprehended the information given in this textbook will provide a solid basis for safe and effective practice.
The book is a essential companion to emergency nurses that are studying in post graduate critical care courses. It will provide the base for practice and give clues to finding further research to provide evidence to assignments and clinical practice.
This textbook is written to all levels of emergency nursing. All emergency nurses will expand their knowledge and become more skilful and professional by reading and using this resource. By reading this book you will improve practice.
Overall Rating
This textbook is the premier textbook for emergency nursing in Australia and New Zealand in 2016. The Curtis and Ramsden team should be congratulated on a fine 2e effort. Overall it is a brighter version of the excellent 1