Critical-Care Books

I just graduated FP residency and am working Urgent Care, and find this book incredibly useful! I carry it with me to work daily, and have refrenced it often. It is a great quick refresher to look at just before going in to a little done (or never done!) procedure! Great step by step instructions, and what to watch out for.

This book should be at the top of every health professional's list. Many patients who suffer with intractable pain -- whether from AIDS or scoliosis -- will find it heartening and hope-inspiring. It clears up preconceptions and myths which are ubiquitous and extremely damaging to patients. It tackles head- on one of the oft-voiced Gut Fears in Prescribing, that of "turning the patient into an addict." Concisely yet comprehensively, it pioneers largely uncharted territory ranging from pain that is never adequately treated becaused it is classified as "nonmalignant" to that old bugaboo, "substance abuse." (A major point made under the latter heading is that people with substance abuse problems or drug dependency can still suffer pain!)

While providing a high-level discussion of the many different options available to clinicians treating pain, this volume is especially stellar in its treatment of narcotic therapy for chronic pain. Along the way, it answers questions that may never have been asked but should have been, such as "Why does my patient who says he's in pain look as if he isn't feeling anything?" (Answer: This is a hallmark of chronic pain, the chronic suppression of reactivity to pain.)

This volume is not a pharmacology treatise wafting about in the theoretical realms of academia. It is a report from the trenches. It tells real people how to deal with real pain, whether they are parents of toddlers or friends of seniors; whether they are health professionals, sufferers of pain, or both. Don't miss this one! -- It is a pragmagtically useful, exceptionally informative, all-round wonderful book.

This is an outstanding handbook, written by the folks in the Critical Care Department at the NIH. It is complete yet succinct. Highly recommend this to any and all intensivists.

This is a conscise book that appears to be aimes to students, residents, fellows and any practicing health care provider that deals with critically ill patients. This book is probably the best of its class and can be carried in a white coat. it contains numerous formulas and factsthat are useful for busy practitioners.

This book is a best seller, and is now offered in a new and expanded edition. An ideal textbook for college and advanced high school students, it can also be of use to any person concerned with life issues. It evaluates some of the major scientific and life issues of the day and offers a moral evaluation of them from the standpoint of the teaching of the Catholic Church. Includes chapter reviews and discussion questions, in-depth case studies, and the Church documents "Donum vitae" and "Declaration on Euthanasia."

Part I is titled "Personhood" and provides a philosophical and ethical reflection of the human person in light of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and for the purpose of clearly defining the reasons for the Church's concern that health care practices not violate the dignity of human life.

Part II deals with critical issues at the beginning of life, specifically abortion, technological reproduction and stem cell research.

Part III discusses critical issues at the end of human life such as organ transplantation, suicide and euthanasia, the prolongation of life and criteria for determining death.

Each chapter is clearly presented and concludes with review and discussion questions which makes this well written and thorough text ideal for use in the classroom, or for adult study groups interested in the Roman Catholic view of the sanctity of life and the ethical treatment of disease.

As a former hospice chaplain, I appreciate Dunn's straighforward work. It is an invaluable resource for both professional caregivers and patients and their families. The "hard choices" are dealt with honestly and thoroughly. This is an informative guide that will provide the help people in crises need at a time when they are most ready to listen.

This book is a necessity for practicing health car professionals. It covers all relevant issues of ethics in medicine from the past, present, and the future. Every chapter is a gem. Superb!

...This is one of my all-time favourite books. It can be summed up in three words - brilliant, brilliant and brilliant!

It is a brilliant book for everyone involved or interested in healthcare, and for whom it should be required reading. It is also brilliant for being very well written distinguished both by elegance and clarity - and for being literally packed with insightful and valid perspectives, and which appear on every single page.

It is also brilliant as a classic text on this subject, as it far outshines every other 'sociology of medicine' in the entire field. It is a very stimulating and inspiring text. Just by idly dipping into it, one's mind is left with many engaging thoughts and ideas. These linger and eventually come to comprise a fertile field of thoughts, one returns to avidly and frequently. It always enriches one's thinking.

Finally, it is brilliant for providing detailed, profound and accurate historical and sociological perspectives on every aspect of healthcare. These are also generally succinct and clearly understood.

The book is insatiably readable and very quotable. Especially for the student, endlessly searching for juicy, impressive quotes to turn a dull essay really shine - this is the book they need.

Peter Morrell Hon Research Associate, History of Medicine Dept of Sociology

Staffordshire University College Road Stoke-on-Trent UK

This is the best atrial, ventricular, arterial, venous, and pulmonary waveform analysis material that I have read. The material is presented in a clear and logical fashion with instructions for proper interpretation of said waveforms and how to correlate with the ECG. Normal as well as abnormal waveforms are presented. The sample waveform tracings are top-notch and abundent. Application of waveform analysis to the clinical situation is also dealt with. Examples of the material covered: how to read a waves, c waves, v waves; where the edv is acurately measured; respiratory influence on waveforms (mechanical vs spontaneous); ECG correlation to all waveforms; valvular disturbences and how they reflect on the waveforms; practice waveforms; technical considerations; clinical application and treatment of waveforms; and IABP. I highly recommend this to any intensive care clinicians. This is also an excellent resource for educators (nursing or physician) as well as for those who work in the cath lab. James Saine RN CCRN

I vividly remember the fear during my surgical internship when everybody goes home and on I was on call for the SICU. It can be intimidating - especially those sick post CABG patients or lobectomy patients... and the nurse calls you at 2 am and you don't know what to do. And I wore cowboy boots everyday.
This book addresses all the problems you will encounter in these post operative patients and does so in a practical way. Swans, Pacers, cardioversion, chest tube problems, Vent management, arrthythmias, and more. Read this a couple of days BEFORE you are on call.