If you are a nurse starting work on the ward or returning to practice this book is an indispensable partner for you. It provides instantly accessible practical guidance on day-to-day procedures and problems in a variety of areas including::
How to organise your job and yourselfHow to assess patientsImportant principles, procedures and investigationsClinical information on a wide range of conditionsHow to administer drugs safelyWhat to do in an emergency As well as information on how to do the job, the importance of communication and nursing care issues is emphasised. Background information is also given on underlying legal, health and safety issues.
Preface. SECTION 1 Your job and its organization. Emergency situations. SECTION 2 Assessing and investigating. Identification of patient problems. Assessment. Observations and measurements. Procedures and investigations. Nursing care issues. SECTION 3 Procedures. General principles and procedures. Infection and its control. Fluid and electrolyte balance. Nutritional support. SECTION 4 A systems approach. The cardiovascular system .The respiratory system .The blood. The gastro-intestinal system . The renal system. The nervous system. The endocrine system. Diseases of bones and joints. The immune system. Cancer. Surgery. SECTION 5 Pharmacology. Drugs and the law. Administration of drugs. Nurse prescribing. Pharmacology in practice. Classification of drugs. Poisoning. References. Further reading. Appendix IUnits of measurement. Appendix 2 Normal values. Appendix 3 Drug measurement and calculations. Index