Book Description
Numerous updates and a state-of-the-art ancillary package make the Tenth Edition of this best-selling textbook the most up-to-date book of its kind. New chapters include: End-of-Life Care, Genetics Perspectives in Nursing Practice, and Management of Patients Affected by Terrorism, Mass Casualty, and Disaster. New features include: Concept Maps relating NANDA diagnoses with NIC and NOC classification systems; boxed charts alerting nurses to genetics perspectives in practice; and new, specialized content on elderly patients and those with disabilities. A free CD-ROM in the text includes over 3,500 general student-study questions, 500 unit review questions, 3-dimensional animations that illustrate disease processes, and interactive clinical simulations covering asthma and congestive heart failure. For more information, visit connection.LWW.com/go/smeltzer.
Customer Reviews:
very nice.......2007-06-11
book was delivered just in time for classes. It was in great shape.
Excellent.......2007-03-25
This has greatly increased my test scores, by using this as a study guide in addition to attempting to read the chapters in my busy nursing school life.
nursing student.......2007-01-25
Sometimes the older ones are just easier to read. Using this as supplemental reading and loving it.
poor .......2007-01-12
I needed the book asap, so I ordered speedy shipping. I desperately need the book for school and it's still not here!
Indispensable Reference.......2006-08-06
We have the 1988 edition of this text - it's been a reliable resource text for almost 18 years!
Book Description
For almost 60 years, this comprehensive reference has been considered the "standard" in perioperative nursing. Developed to assist perioperative personnel to meet the individual needs of surgical patients, it delivers state-of-the-art information that reflects quality contemporary practice. This new 12th edition continues this tradition with up-to-the-minute information to help readers provide safe, cost-effective, and efficient patient care.
Customer Reviews:
NO OTHER.......2007-09-11
For every case am presented with, I use this book to prepare my 20-page OR report. Am learning a lot from it. Because of it my grades are high.
The Standard.......2007-07-02
Buy this book if you want to learn the surgical process. It sets the standard for surgical textbooks.
really a perfect pic.......2006-02-08
This book really helped me though out my preceptorship in the operating room. I was thrown in to this unit as a nursing student. the facility had never taken on senior nursing students in a long term segment (7 weeks) and didn't have any idea what to teach me or what to do with me. My preceptor handed me this book and by the end i was able to circulate and scrub on minor cases with complete confidence in what i was doing. it is concise in some areas, and detailed where it needs to be, gives great explinations and rationals. the only problem i found was the different tools. The west coast and the east coast have different names for the instruments, and the ones named in the book are more consistant with the names in the west. but other than that. love love loved it
Alexander's Care of the Patient in surgery.......2005-08-05
Many years ago I bougt this book. Now I have a new version. This book is very helpful to me. I would recomend it for everybody who work in operating room.
Very well pleased with this selection........2000-04-28
I own this book from school. It is a must for any student of surgery or nursing. It contains information vital to the understanding of the patient and the process of surgery and recovery.
Book Description
Nursing Care Plans, 6th Edition is the most comprehensive nursing care planning book on the market, with 183 care plans covering the most common nursing diagnoses and clinical problems in medical-surgical nursing. It reflects the most current clinical practice and professional standards in nursing and presents the content in an easy-to-use, reader-friendly format. The book functions as two books in one, with one section including a collection of nursing diagnosis care plans and the other providing a library of disease/disorder care plans that serve as models of care planning for the most common medical diagnoses, medical procedures, and psychosocial conditions seen in nursing practice.
Customer Reviews:
The best NANDA book ever!!!.......2007-10-06
This book is very easy to read well organized, and it even gives you all related to and AEB answers as well!!!! Beats that carpininto book that is awful, hard to understand!!!!! I would suggest all nursing students get this book!
Very helpful.......2007-10-03
I am a nursing student and just started my first semester of clinicals. This book and the web site that comes with it is an excellent guide to create care plans, super for students without health care experience
Disappointment..........2007-09-18
Mosby has always been my pick for health-care related books, however, this one is a disappointment. It is incomplete. Not all of the NANDA diagnoses are addressed (ex. Loneliness, risk for; Social Isolation). For the price of this book, I was suprised and disappointed, especially when I was unable to complete my school assignments.
Nursing Care Plans: Nursing Diagnosis and Intervention.......2007-09-12
Great Book for Care Plans. Very thorough
Book arrived in good condition and fast!
How is the 2007 edition different from the 2006 edition?.......2007-06-27
I am the father of a new nursing student at San Francisco State. It was my job to use Amazon to find the required textbooks and pay for them. This "Plans" book is only one of about 8 or 9 required texts. Amazon had most (but not all) of the books on the list. Amazon's prices were sometimes better than the college bookstore's prices, but not always. The big problem was that the college bookstore only sold all 8 or 9 books in a massive $650 package; Amazon at least allowed us to buy "ala carte." Every required text on the list was the 2007 edition. Amazon and other sites were still selling the 2006 editions as well. Sometimes the 2006 editions were used and highly discounted; sometimes they were new copies at full price. Interestingly, the price jump from new 2006 to new 2007 was always more than the prevailing rate of inflation in the entire economy. In addition, it's hard to imagine that changes in the nursing business actually require annual updates of these textbooks. The scandal of college textbooks is well known to those who must deal with it, but unknown to the public at large. There will never be a congressional investigation of this issue; it's not like it's steroid use in pro baseball or something that directly affects every child in America. Maybe when "Hillary Health" is enacted in 2009 or 2010, one part of holding down the cost of medical care will be to control the cost of medical training, and they can start with the cost of these textbooks.
Book Description
The ultimate how-to guide for Case Managers. It is designed to define good case management, examine the process and present practical procedural information.
Customer Reviews:
Packed with Information.......2007-08-03
I purchased this book in order to help me with a new project I am working on. The book is packed full of very usefull information. It is the type of book you can carry with you so you always have a great resource available. I would buy it again.
The Case Management Bible.......2000-02-17
I am not a case manager, however I work with them on a regular basis. I have found this book extremely helpful in understanding the field, the impact case management can and does have on the health care delivery process, and how it helps improve outcomes and contain costs, especially in critical and chronic care cases. This book is an invaluable tool for case managers and anyone who requires proven, nuts and bolts information on the process of case management and the role of case managers in health care. Lots of basic, hands-on, how-to information.
A terrific resource for new case managers !!!.......1998-11-17
I have used this book in developing case manager inservice programs and it has been invaluable as a framework for the case manager's role and responsibilities. It is great !!
Average customer rating:
- The Only 1 You'll Need !
- GREAT FOR NURSING STUDENT
- Kiss your NANDA stress away!
- Wonderful and Helpful
- Was a great help for my care plans!
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All-in-One Care Planning Resource: Medical-Surgical, Pediatric, Maternity, and Psychiatric Nursing Care Plans (All-In-One Care Planning Resource: Medical-Surgical, ... Matermaternity, & Psychiatric Nursin)
Pamela L. Swearingen
Manufacturer: Mosby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Nursing Care Plans: Nursing Diagnosis and Intervention (Nursing Care Plans)
-
Study Guide & Skills Performance Checklists to accompany Fundamentals of Nursing, 6 edition
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Nurse's Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Prioritized Interventions, and Rationale 10th Editions (Nurse's Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Interventions & Rationales)
-
Rnotes: Nurse's Clinical Pocket Guide
-
Physical Examination & Health Assessment
ASIN: 0323019536 |
Book Description
This exciting new resource contains selected care plans for pediatric, maternal, and psychiatric nursing in addition to medical-surgical nursing care plans 101 care plans in all. This allows students to use one book throughout the curriculum. Care plans are organized in four separate sections (medical-surgical, pediatric, maternal, and psychiatric) and within each section alphabetically by disorder/condition. The open and attractive two-color design, the latest NANDA nursing diagnoses, and desired outcomes featuring specific timeframes, make this the most student-friendly and clinically relevant nursing care plan book.
Customer Reviews:
The Only 1 You'll Need !.......2007-10-07
Clear > Complete > Concise
Well, I devoted an afternoon to surveying all the mainstream Care Plan books
both in our school bookstore and the nearby Super-Stores (Bor***'s, etc.).
Though another book is the required text,
I chose to spend some hard earned $$ on this one
as my professional tool-of-choice to not only guide me through classes,
but more importantly - in actual practice!
As always, I came to Amazon 1st :>) to read the reviews,
and after my own research I agreed with those who had obviously taken the time
to preview what this Resource is about - doesn't it make you wonder
when the majority of reviewers praise a book, and only a few down it?
Can I mention the beautifully printed, multi-colored tabbed pages?
Like having an instructor that's easy on the eyes for a mandatory class ;),
it helps that this new-best-book-friend I'm gonna spend major time with
is beautiful as well.
In Health & Happiness ~
GREAT FOR NURSING STUDENT.......2007-06-08
THIS BOOK IS GREAT FOR A NURSING STUDENT WHO HAS TO WRITE THERE OWN CARE PLANS OR AS WE CALL THEM "CONCEPT MAPS"
Kiss your NANDA stress away!.......2007-02-02
I've got to say I love the way this book was organized. It goes from clinical areas (MEDSURG, OB, PEDs,etc.) to body systems (GI, neuro,etc.) to disease/condtions to NANDAs r/t to the cause (also pertinent interventions/rationales/lab values). Highly recommended to those who do not want to pull all nighters to finish their care plans or carry numerous expensive books with information you may never use. Instead zip through them like pros and only have one great book at hand!
Wonderful and Helpful.......2007-01-10
I bought this book for my daughter who is studying for her RN. She loves it and has shared it with other students in her class
Was a great help for my care plans!.......2006-11-05
Until this book, I didn't have a simple reference for all the NANDA diagnoses with interventions/rationales. This one is laid out very nicely specifically for care plans. The only thing that could have improved this book would have been to include more reviews of each topic, but then again its a CARE PLANNING book and if it offered more, it would weigh 50 pounds. So I thought it did CARE PLANNING very well!
Average customer rating:
- Excellent for new Student Nurses
- Nice book for study of procedures nurses do
- Buy the Fundamentals of Nursing Instead
|
Kozier and Erb's Techniques in Clinical Nursing "Basic to Intermediate Skills", Fifth Edition
Barbara Kozier ,
Audrey Berman ,
Glenora Erb ,
Shirlee Snyder , and
Audrey J. Berman
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
-
Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Process, and Practice, Seventh Edition
-
Kozier & Erb's Fundamentals of Nursing, 8th Edition
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Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (Thumb Index))
-
Health Assessment in Nursing (Point (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins))
-
Clinical Handbook for Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Procedure and Practice (7th Edition)
ASIN: 0131142291 |
Book Description
Providing the most complete preparation for the clinical challenges that will be encountered in the professional nursing workplace, this informative book offers nearly 200 techniques in a step-by-step format that are discussed and illustrated in detail, with concise introductory material that place these techniques in perspective to client anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology. Readers will learn skills that will foster successful assessment of patients as well as encourage them to think critically. Topics covered include health assessment, mobility and safety, client hygiene and comfort, nutrition and elimination, circulatory and ventilatory support, medication administration, and wounds and injury care. An excellent resource for nurses, nurse practictioners, and home healthcare aides.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent for new Student Nurses.......2006-08-06
Easy to read, techniques are broken down for easy mastering. Excellent book overall.
Nice book for study of procedures nurses do.......2005-12-20
I can't give this five stars yet because I haven't used it per se in actual client care as I have just completed my first semester of nursing school. I have enjoyed reading it very much due to its organization though I wish it was just a book of implementations only for quick reference as to the how to's and order of's like page 352 on inserting a NG tube. But there are plenty of pages like this so it's great!
While it's true you can find most of this information in the Kozier textbook, I think it is more important in the long run to have this book over the main textbook for your work as a nurse. You can't lug around that heavy textbook to search for the procedures mixed in with so much reading. This book has this information in a nice reference that you could carry with you to clinical or bettter yet, study the night before/in between clinicals. I like this book all the more because I don't like studying from giant textbooks (and wish all of them were divided into at least 4 sections for easy portability to classes and easy and comfortable studying!) Good luck future nurses!
Soar!
Buy the Fundamentals of Nursing Instead.......2005-10-08
In general, this clinical book is *exactly* the same as the Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Process, and Practice, 7th edition. You will find word for word passages from the Fundamentals book in the clinical one.
The plus side to purchasing the clinical book is that it has more pictures and is a bit more concise in true 'clinical' information. If, however, you are on a very tight budget then skip the clinical book and put your money into a good 7th edition copy.
Book Description
7E-4, 0-13-099075-2, LeMone, RN, DSN, FAAN, Priscilla, Burke, RN, MS, Karen M., Medical-Surgical Nursing: Critical Thinking in Client Care, 3/E* Readers will love this book's organization and clear presentation of patient care, with its consistent format and multiple methodologies—narrative text, boxes, tables, graphics, photographs. It is built around functional health patterns, with a focus on developing decision-making skills through an abundance of case studies and examples. Includes new topics such as diseases specific to bioterrorism, information on diversity, and focused assessments with information specific to the older adult. Covers new concepts such as health promotion, home care with resources, and complementary therapies. Features "Applying the Nursing Process: A Case Study Approach to the Nursing Process," in which a Case Study is presented for each disease process and the reader is given an outline of the nursing process actions. Offers a comprehensive technology package to help prepare readers for the computerized NCLEX exam; includes a Companion Website and Study Wizard CD-ROM. The perfect reference for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in acute and home care settings.
Customer Reviews:
An Essential Study Guide book for success in nursing!.......2005-12-20
I can't imagine a more helpful study guide. Full of NCLEX test questions, their answers, and an explanation of WHY it is the correct answer (in the back of the book) plus succinct yet complete outlines of the chapters and more; this is a book for students who want to learn the nursing material as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. Truly a gem of a book. Great for study/review the night before the test. I found this especially helpful with my study of Fluid, Electrolyte and Acid-Base Balance which is one of the more difficult concepts for me and many others to grasp. Use it along with the textbook, CD-ROM and companion websites for greater learning. Any time you spend in this book is time well-spent. A well-kept secret aid are the study guides to nursing textbooks which, at many schools, are "optional" to purchase, but trust me, they are mandatory for your learning! Good luck future nurses!
Soar!
Works for Me, too!!!.......2005-08-11
I used the updated version of this book, and my goodness, it was worth the time. I could not put it down...it is rare that anyone can be excited about reading a textbook, but that is my feeling!
Worked for me!!.......2004-10-16
Although this book can seem a bit daunting at first (I mean, it's over 1600 pages!) it is a wonderful book to have. It was required for my first semester in nursing school and I found myself using it even then to write care plans and find rationales and now that I'm in the med-surg semester I use it even more to refer to pathophysiology of patients conditions, look for tips on what to watch for in every patient that could indicate possible complications, etc. It includes a brief overview of the anatomy & physiology of the following body system and also gives an detailed, indepth step-by-step "how to" for assessments of a patient, including abnormal findings. It's a great tool to have at your fingertips to make you more aware of what to look for in your patients.
Outstanding book.......2002-06-30
I had the privilege of being taught by Karen Burke, one of the authors of this text book. It is an outstanding text book, giving all the information you will need. I highly recommend it!
Great for Nursing Students and New Grads.......2002-01-06
This was our textbook in nursing school our final year, and I often refer to it now that I am practicing as an RN. It is well organized with great illustrations and care plans. I am shopping for a second one to keep at home - so I don't have to carry it between work and home. I also highly recommend the accompanying paperback reference - especially if you are in clinicals or write care plans. It is easy to carry with you - and you can find nursing dx, interventions etc easily for many disease/conditions.
Book Description
Designed to bring you from your current level of knowledge to a fully advanced ECG interpreter, this book features 200+ full-size, real- life ECGs accompanied by thorough explanations and analyses. Presented in a clear and casual writing style, the book's leveled approach takes a complex subject and makes it simple. Whether you are an EMT, nurse, medical student, or physician wanting to learn or brush up on your knowledge of electrocardiography, this text will meet your needs. Containing more than 200 ECG strips, 12-Lead ECG is designed to be accessed by three different levels of readers--beginner, intermediate, and advanced--and is designed to grow with you as your knowledge of electrocardiography progresses. The text has been created to be continuously useful during your development and is intended to be read and reread as you advance in your knowledge and comfort level with the material. By rereading the material at increasingly advanced levels, you will get more out of the material and retain it with greater use.
Customer Reviews:
The BEST EKG book I have .......2007-06-26
I'm an emergency nurse going through an emergency nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist program. I have MANY EKG books - Dubin, Hampton (x2), Green & Chiaramida, and A. L. Goldberger. I asked one of the ER residents I worked with for a recommendation on a good book - he highly recommended Garcia - so I bought it. Now(almost 1.5 years later), I'm getting ready to teach my first 12 Lead EKG interpretation class to assist a hospital in meeting criteria for a chest pain center. My main references are this book and Goldberger. I have looked at Dubin, but I'm not a fan of that layout, but it works and is VERY simple (I don't like wading through pages to find what I want) and my classmates swear by it. It just depends on what you like. I like the way Garcia's is formatted, the simple manner in which they bring you through concepts that are rather hard for newbies to get their head around (axis is a very confusing concept for nurses new to EKG interpretation)and tons of examples and pointers. Again, it's how they teach it that is so great. The authors also have an intro book - but I would skip that one as the intro is the first part of this book. There is also an instructor's toolkit CD to go along with the book (not included). As a staff nurse in the ER Garcia's was fabulous, but now as a NP and CNS student, it is even more valuable! And don't fret! I'm finding out that there are a LOT of people out there that don't know how to interpret a 12 Lead EKG - but they don't tell you that, unfortunately. This book is also an excellent review and is leveled so at different levels you can see different things in the same EKG. If you are on the fence about purchasing this book, ask an ER resident what they use.
A Truly GREAT ECG book.......2007-02-19
there isa need to have more ECG books like this one.
Ive been practising medicine for 33 years
he is the best author on ECGs & ECG books from 1971 when i started clinical medicine i.e. for 36 years
( I really hope the author is informed of this opinion )
Best ECG Book out there.......2007-02-09
I'm currently a medical student in my second year and just completed an intense course on ECGs on which we were tested. Before it started I couldn't decide on which book to go with but I ended up choosing this one. This book was EXCELLENT. It provides the material in a straight-forward manner and by reading with the various "levels" you learn it a lot more quickly. There are also PLENTY of ECGs to help you practice. Many of the students had various other books but many ended up taking a look at mine and suggested that this seemed better than what they had purchased. I highly recommend it!
A good resourse.......2007-01-03
This book was a required text for a 12 lead EKG class I took. It is very easy to use. A really great feature of this book is that as you transition from novice to expert, this book will still be relevant.
The quality of this text is outstanding.
Highly recommended.......2006-02-21
This book provides a very easy to read, well-illustrated, and thorough approach to EKG's. I have tried to use other EKG books in the past and found them too superficial & piecemeal or too boring & dense/text-oriented. First of all the book is filled with hundreds of full-page "real EKG's" that are used as the examples for the teaching points. There are also many color digrams. I like how this book gives a nice step-by-step approach, very easy to read. I aslo like how it has different "levels" so that if I want to dive in deeper and learn more subtle/advanced interpretations, it's all right there, with the basic level info next to it for quick review. I like how even this book's "basic/intro" level covered much more practical material than other books...when I first went through it, even after only getting through half of the intro level, I finally understood what is J point, and what atrial enlargement looks like.
Average customer rating:
- Great Informational Book
- It is always good to read the text before...
- Not a good resource for this important area of inquiry
|
Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness, Sixth Edition
Rachel E. Spector
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Caring for Patients from Different Cultures
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Interpersonal Relationships: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses (Interpersonal Relationships)
ASIN: 0130493791 |
Book Description
The sixth edition of this best-selling resource continues to teach nursing, health professions, medical and social science readers the importance of cultural competence and cultural awareness in the health care industry. The new edition will include revised organization to create a better flow of content, new content on gererational differences, updated chapter on health care delivery system, updated illustrations and tables and MediaLink icons. For undergraduate and graduate courses in patient care and basic health related profession programs, as well as medical, social work, and other health disciplines.
Customer Reviews:
Great Informational Book.......2007-02-24
The chapters are long and detailed and filled with statistics and charts that physically show the information being presented. Overall it is a well put together book that remains uniform throughout.
It is always good to read the text before..........2005-11-27
The book is based on some solid quantitative studies and it is important that we read the text first before inclining to accept any particular views invoked by reviews. I suggest that you read the text first and then make your mind based on your reading.
Not a good resource for this important area of inquiry.......2005-05-10
This review updated by author on March 21, 2006:
I recently (Spring 2005) used this text in an undergraduate health professions course titled "Diversity in Health and Illness". The author addresses a broad scope of cultures, issues and responses to cultural needs in health care. Although the book contains much that is useful, my students found it to be, on balance, confusing and disorganized.
I believe much of this response can be attributed to poor editing. We identified numerous spelling and grammar errors throughout. Poorly edited content is also evident in several chapters. Example: "...this chapter has introduced the dominant culture's perception of health and illness through countless lenses" (pp. 67). Similarly, "...countless letters are displayed attesting to the healing powers of this statue" (pp. 106). Isn't there a more accurate word to use in place of `countless'? More importantly, ethnic and race labels are not used consistently. "Hispanic" and "Latino" are used as though they are strictly interchangeable; ditto for "Black" and "African American." Term consistency would enhance clarity.
My concerns with the text are more fundamental and numerous but I will limit myself to a few examples:
USE OF SOURCE DATA AND REFERENCE MATERIALS
Although the text is heavily laden with descriptive statistics, comparative data is often not included, thus limiting interpretations. For example, the discussion of rising expenditures for unconventional therapies in the U.S. (pp. 96) includes expenditure estimates for 1990 and 1997. Without companion statistics for conventional therapy expenditures, readers are unable to asses the magnitude of the trend. Similarly, the description of the African American population as young (54.4% are under 18 - pp. 233) is not very enlightening in the absence of corresponding percentages for the white population and the overall American population. Figure 10-3 adds little additional information.
References for culture group descriptions are often either very old (1950's - 1970's), not the definitive works, or are not sufficiently academic (encyclopedias and web pages), and should be replaced with citations for newer research reported in more rigorous formats. Several important sections contain insufficient or no reference citations. The "Health/HEALTH Care Choices" section (pp. 85) contains numerous historical claims but only a single reference to the American Heritage Dictionary.
OUT OF DATE THEORIES
Some of the sociological and anthropological concepts presented do not represent current theoretical stances. I was especially interested in exploring citations for the "Cycle of Poverty" discussion in Chapter 2, as this blame-the-victim concept has fallen out of favor in sociological circles because it ignores structural realities that are beyond the control of individuals. This conflation of structural problems with cultural phenomena inadvertently creates a situation where the subtle racist beliefs we all learn through our socialization is reinforced in the classroom. Sadly, the only citation provided in this section, (Spector 1979, pp. 148-152), refers to an earlier edition of this book. Original references should be provided.
The Chapter 3 discussion of the sick role is limited to functionalist models presented by Talcott Parsons (1966) and Edward Suchman (1965). As our society ages we are experiencing increasing levels of chronic illness and more patients cannot expect to fully recover. More recent examinations of the illness experience would be appropriate.
CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS
The discussion of historical background for Native American cultures (pp. 186-188) is particularly dismal. While somewhat correct in broad outlines, the text reads like a less-than-distinguished freshman research paper, and includes various repeats. The discussion of traditional health beliefs and practices is limited to those of the Navajo and Hopi - important southwestern groups - but not representative of all Native Americans. Sources cited are limited to a few 1960's and 1970's references. Strains of the Noble Savage are also evident, particularly with reference to the discussion of "True Indian love" and domestic violence (pp. 200).
The role of voodoo in African American traditions is somewhat overstated (Chapter 10), and is presented as an explanation for present-day underutilization of the allopathic system (pp. 239). At the same time, more realistic explanations are omitted. Chief among those are the disproportionate poverty experienced by the community as well as recent and historical sources of distrust between the African Americans and the largely white medical establishment (e.g., antebellum forced medical experimentation, Tuskegee Experiment, Holmesburg Prison Experiments).
INTERPRETATIONS
My graduate degree is in anthropology, and although I expected some level of disconnect between my training and the nursing orientation of Spector, I found myself admonishing my students several times over to ignore specific passages and sections in this text as irrelevant or just plain wrong.
For example, in the section titled "Cultural Phenomena Affecting Health", in Chapter 1, subheadings include "Biological Variations" and "Social Organization". Confusion between biology and culture appears in other places as well, and was especially troublesome for my students with their limited previous exposure to the concept of culture.
The "Social Organization" subheading precedes a disjointed (but brief) discussion of childhood socialization, family organization, and barriers to health care access. Perhaps the first two could be combined in a section "Socialization". Regarding the barriers to health care access (e.g., unemployment, poverty and lack of health insurance), these could be better characterized as economic barriers rather than social barriers. Diminished economic resources are correlated to large extent with particular demographic groups, but one should avoid essentializing the availability of resources as a series of ethnic or cultural traits. Conceptualizing these issues as cultural phenomena obscures the contributions of racism, xenophobia, and unequal distribution of wealth to the problems of unequal access. Spector draws these categories from a previously published article, and the uncritical use of other people's published materials is apparent throughout the book.
Spector's background is nursing, and on balance, I am not sure that this provides one with the appropriate skills necessary to summarize the fundamentals of culture and cultural diversity. Theorising culture and society is (and should remain) the domain of anthropologists and sociologists (and perhaps psychologists). Like nursing and most other applied and academic fields of inquiry, understanding culture requires a great deal of specialized education.
On my initial reading I suspected a functionalist interpretation of the intersection between health care and culture, but on further examination this book is more like an online encyclopedia where everything (including the kitchen sink) is thrown in. What is missing is a critical evaluation of the usefulness and theoretical implications of others' data and interpretations. The result is conflicting content and a great deal of confusion.
A final example: Spector rejects the WHO health definition but does not suggest a better alternative. Instead she seems to think that health is indefinable: "I would define health as an undefined term" (pp. 50). I agree that students should maintain an open mind, but perhaps a series of limited definitions addressing a variety of situations would be more useful in the classroom. Social science practitioners and researchers struggle with variability in human behavior as a matter of course, but that struggle is mitigated through a realization that definitions are often necessary heuristic devices rather than complete summaries. Put simply, if we can't know a thing, aren't we just wasting our time?
I have reviewed a number of alternate texts over the past year and have found the problems discussed here to be present in several other texts. Perhaps the academic pursuit of cultural care is still in its nascent stage.
In any case, I have found "Culture in Rehabilitation: from Competency to Proficiency" edited by Royeen and Crabtree (Pearson 2006) to be a much better text for my class. The authors represent a variety of health professions and the text was reviewed by a similarly diverse panel of ten. Most of the contributions present robust bibliographies, rely on up-to-date social science research, and avoid the culture-as-checklist approach. I will review the text in detail sometime in May 2006.
Book Description
For 46 years Berry & Kohn's Operating Room Technique has been the text of choice for understanding basic surgical principles and techniques. It is commonly used as a text for either surgical technology or perioperative nursing courses or an educational reference for practicing surgical technologists, perioperative nurses, and in-service training for perioperative professionals. It covers the foundations of surgical techniques in a step-by-step format to enable the perioperative learner to effectively apply basic principles to practice, and focuses on the physiologic and psychologic needs of the patients to provide guidelines for planning and implementing comprehensive, individualized care. It also reviews the most commonly performed surgical procedures to help the reader see and apply surgical techniques and emphasizes teamwork among perioperative caregivers to encourage cooperation in attaining positive patient care outcomes.
Customer Reviews:
berry & Kohn's vs Surgical Technology.......2007-06-13
I have been a CST for 24 years. I feel The Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist is a much more useful tool than this book. Both are reasonably good to get you started, but as you will learn, technology is progressing faster than either edition can keep up with.
It's OK........2006-06-26
This book does have alot of valuable info in it, however if you want to purchase a textbook that gives you quick, easy to follow facts this is NOT the book for you. I had to purchase this book for school and all of my classmates including myself complained about how hard it was to get quick, simple info from it. The explanations in this book are very complex and you have to read for a long time before finding what you want to know. Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist: A Positive Care Approach was the other book I had to buy for school, and it it much better than this book. I do not recommend this book.
Very Basic.......2005-09-26
I think this is a great book but it's a little too brief for what I was looking for. I needed more detail about each procedure, step-by-step. I found I had better luck with Alexander's Care of the Surgical Patient.
Instructor opinion.......2003-10-17
This year I have chosen the Berry & Kohn text. I think it is an excellent choice. I use this book in conjunction with Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist. Berry & Kohn is more extensive and includes more detail. However, I have not been able to find a text bank or instructor guide
Not a good book for Surg tech.......2003-01-12
I am a Student studying to be a Surgical Technologist and this is one of my core books. It is not helpful at all. I purchased a much better surg tech book called Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist. This is a much better book. It is directly from the AST. Berry & Kohns is geared more towards Nursing. I wouldn't recommend Berry & Kohns.
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