Waruna De Alwis
MBBS FACEM, Emergency Medicine Consultant, Director of Emergency Medicine Training, Logan Hospital Meadowbrook, QLD, Australia.
Yolande Weiner
MBChB, MMed EM (UCT), FCEM (SA), FACEM, Emergency Medicine Consultant, Logan Hospital, Meadowbrook, QLD, Australia.
Churchill Livingstone Elsevier
Sydney 2012
ISBN: 9780729541046
Type and scope of book
This a purpose built text for Australian College of Emergency Medicine trainees Faculty of Australasian College of Emergency Medicine FACEM exams. This difficult section of the trainee fellowship exams is practiced using this book and other similar international presentations. The book presents itself in the format of multiple choice questions in the 1st half of the book and the answers and detailed explanations in the 2nd half of the book. The books aim is to enhance critical thinking of the potential candidate.
Contents
Chapter 1 Resuscitation (50 questions and answers)
Chapter 2 Cardiovascular emergencies (50 questions and answers)
Chapter 3 Respiratory emergencies (40 questions and answers)
Chapter 4 Neurological and neurosurgical emergencies (30 questions and answers)
Chapter 5 Endocrine emergencies (30 questions and answers)
Chapter 6 Gastrenterological emergencies (30 questions and answers)
Chapter 7 Renal emergencies (25 questions and answers)
Chapter 8 Haematological and oncological emergencies (20 questions and answers)
Chapter 9 Infectious diseases (25 questions and answers)
Chapter 10 Dermatological emergencies (10 questions and answers)
Chapter 11 Electrolyte and acid-base disorders (25 questions and answers)
Chapter 12 Emergency anaesthesia in pain management (20 questions and answers)
Chapter 13 Trauma and burns (50 questions and answers)
Chapter 14 Orthopaedic emergencies (40 questions and answers)
Chapter 15 Surgical emergencies (40 questions and answers)
Chapter 16 Eye, ENT and dental emergencies (25 questions and answers)
Chapter 17 Urological emergencies (15 questions and answers)
Chapter 18 Obstetric and gynaecological emergencies (25 questions and answers)
Chapter 19 Toxicology and toxinology (50 questions and answers)
Chapter 20 Environmental emergencies (10 questions and answers)
Chapter 21 Psychiatric emergencies (15 questions and answers)
Chapter 22 Paediatric emergencies (50 questions and answers)
Chapter 23 Disaster management (10 questions and answers)
Chapter 24 ED management and medicolegal issues (30 questions and answers)
Strengths
This Emergency Medicine MCQ book is written by examiners of the FACEM exam. This gives this publication credibility for publication. Standards of the FACEM exam are reached by the book in difficulty and complexity.
The answers are very precise. Judgement is needed to apply to knowledge to get the right answer. All 4 responses need to be looked at closely to distinguish between responses and come to correct conclusions and answers. Most ED nursing MCQs have 2 poor responses so making choice easier. These exams are far harder than nursing equivalant exams.
The answer section has a detailed explanation of the correct response and incorrect responses. This is the best part of the book and essential to knowledge delivery. The explanations make great sense. All come from a clinical background and have clinical applications to practice.
Weaknesses
Get out your book marks for this book and a lot of flicking from questions to answers is required. With the questions in the front half and answers in the back part.
Many emergency nurses will find this book difficult to use at first due to knowledge gaps. With some perseverance the book improves and gives extensive knowledge to the reader.
The book is dry due to its question and answer format. The book needs good concentration to read. At times other textbooks will be needed to enhance knowledge and explanations.
This book has greatly challenged to this reviewers knowledge. The answering of questions and then referencing the answers and explanations tested patience. It is stop go style of learning that became difficult at times.
Recommended readership
This is a book that a emergency department medical trainee could not have. The book is written by assessors of FACEM so is a essential part of a trainee exam preparation and revision. This book is highly recommended for these candidates.
Experienced and highly educated emergency nurses will find this book a challenge to their existing knowledge. It is a good read for this experienced group and give further valuable knowledge and skills. The book could be best used by ED nurses as fun style of learning in a group situation.
Overall rating
This is book that many emergency nurses will find difficult to use. The book will exceed most ED nurses and many ED doctors knowledge alike. This book is essential book of passage for FACEM trainees. To make this creditable the need for the degree of difficulty is necessary for the MCQ part of the examination. This book a valuable resource for any ED with FACEM trainees.