A Nurse's Survival Guide to Critical Care

Sharon Edwards, MSc DIPN(LON) PGCEA RGN , Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Society and Health, Buckinghamshire New University, Uxbridge, UK
Mimma Sabato, BSc(Hons), MA, PgDL, RGN , Barrister

This small, pocket-sized book provides a solid introduction to aspects of care and management in critical care. The book contains not only information on patient assessment, ventilation, haemodynamic monitoring, emergencies, critical care interventions, common conditions and pharmacology, all clearly relating to critical care, but also psychological, professional practice issues, palliative care and caring for relatives. It provides the factual information needed to assist nurses in providing holistic care in the critical care environment, in an accessible format.

Audience
Students gaining critical care experience at undergraduate level. Post-qualification/graduate nurses undertaking related courses.

Buy this

Paperback, 476 Pages

Published: September 2009

Imprint: Churchill Livingstone

ISBN: 978-0-443-10417-6

SECTION 1 General principles of critical care
1.1 Introduction 2
1.2 Emergencies and life-threatening complications
SECTION 2 Patient assessment and investigations
2.1 Identification of patient needs/problems
2.2 Assessment
2.3 Haemodynamic monitoring
2.4 Diagnostic procedures
SECTION 3 Critical care interventions
3.1 Medium-technology life-support interventions
3.2 High-technology life-support interventions
3.3 Caring for a critical care patient
3.4 Intubation and ventilation
3.5 Transfer of critical care patients
SECTION 4 Common conditions/reasons for admission
4.1 Principles of cellular death, injury and repair
4.2 Neurological
4.3 Endocrine disorders
4.4 Respiratory
4.5 Cardiovascular
4.6 Renal
4.7 Gastrointestinal (GIT)
4.8 Immunological
4.9 Surgery
4.10 Burns
4.11 Poisoning/overdose
SECTION 5 Psychological and ethical care
5.1 Mental effects of critical care
5.2 Palliative care in critical care
5.3 Professional practice issues
SECTION 6 Pharmacology
6.1 Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
6.2 Classification of drugs used in critical care
6.3 Drug calculations
6.4 Nurse prescribing
Conclusion
References

Further reading
Appendix 1 Units of measurement
Appendix 2 Normal values
Appendix 3 Drug measurement and calculations
Glossary
Index

A Nurse's Survival Guide to Critical Care

Contents