Emergency Nurses Association
Des Plaines, Illinois. USA.
Belinda B Hammond
MSN, RN, CEN, CCRN
Clinical Nurse Educator, Critical Care
Cone Health System Greensboro, North Carolina USA
Polly Gerber Zimmermann
MS, MBA, RN, CEN, FAEN
Associate Professor
Harry S Truman College
Chicago Illinois USA
Mosby Elsevier 2013
St Louis
ISBN:978-0-323-07827-6
Type and scope of book
This is the 7th Edition of the US published and highly regarded Sheehy’s Manual of Emergency Care. The book would be useful for all Emergency Nurses but being so broad based and easy to read. The book provides the latest in USA practice standards and guidelines. The book provides both a quick-fire reference guide and a comprehensive read. The book is greatly targeted to the learning needs of developing emergency nurses encountering unfamiliar presenting problems and ED processes.
Content
I – Basic Emergency Issues
Includes chapters on Legal issues, Violence, Mass casualties, Patient safety, Ethics and Forensics.
II – Basic Clinical Issues
Includes chapters on Triage, Airway Management, CPR, Fluids, Pain, D&A, Wounds, Procedural sedation, Lab specimens and End of life issues.
III – Common Non-Traumatic Emergencies
Includes chapters on diseases of Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Shock, Sepsis, Stroke, ENT, Eyes, Abdominal pain, Metabolic disorder, Toxicology, Bites, Gentourinary and STD’s.
IV – Trauma
Includes chapters on assessment of traumatic injuries to Head, Neck, Spine, Chest, Abdo, Musculoskelital, Face, Burns, Obstetric, Pediatric and Geriatric.
V – Special Populations
Includes chapters on Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Mental health, Abuse, Sexual assault, Paediatrics, Geriatrics and Obesity.
Strengths
This text is concise, consistent and serves as an excellent condensed reference, one I would happily keep handy at work in my locker. The presentations an ED nurse may encounter are divided into body systems and indexed well.
Each chapter is well structured and contains a description, disease aetiology, signs and symptoms, diagnostics and interventions. As the structure is maintained its quick referencing ability is enhanced.The reader can go from chapter to chapter and find the relevant clinical material
The USA text book had international emergency nurse appeal. The book highlights best USA practice but does not focus on it. There are not overwhelming USA epidemiological statistics at the start of each chapter. This allows the reader to get to the clinical information that is sort. This is a big plus for this books ability to provide a quick reference guide.
The tables that accompany the text is easily read and understood. The tables are placed appropriately to accompany the text explanations and allow cross referencing. This adds to the quick referencing ability of the book.
The were some brilliant diagrams and drawings throughout the book. These certainly help give the book real appeal to the reader. The drawing were very clear and well labeled. The instructional drawings for delivery of the baby (Chapter 46) would be very useful for the non midwife assists in a ED delivery. More could have been included to enhance further.
The Chapter 8 has a excellent summary of airway management. It introduces the reader to several different new airway devices. The tables and drawing really helped this chapter. There are clear therapeutic interventions provided. Particularly liked table 8-2 in the timing sequence to intubation. The drugs table 8-3 is very clear and shows some practice variations from Australia. New technologies of fiber-optic laryngoscope blades was not discussed.
A quick Google search finds many brief recommendations from US nurses who credit this text entirely for the passing of their CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) Exams. Thus giving this essential reading status for USA Emergency Nurses.
Weaknesses
Ultimately the book meets all expectations. A fundamental understanding of anatomy, physiology disease process and pharmacology is essential prior to reading this textbook. Inclusion of this in the text would have achieved a comprehensive grasp of common ED presentations and disease processes.
Being US published the book lacks region specific topics pertaining to Australian law and toxicology, for example; Funnel Web Spider and Brown Snake envenomation, and some of the drugs mentioned have different generic names, for example; acetaminophen/paracetamol and meperidine/pethidine. The reader soon picks up on this and thus added to their international language vocabulary.
Recommended Readership
All ED nurses but specifically new graduate ED nurses or those transitioning to ED from a different specialty. The book covers all aspects of Emergency Nursing so would be a great read and reference. This would be essential reading for any Emergency Nurse wishing to practice in the USA. The bullet form style would suit a ED nurse studying for post graduate exams.
Overall Rating
The book perfectly serves its purpose. Considering it’s small size it met all expectations. Don’t let the above weaknesses discredit the true value of this great text. It’s already on my shopping list!