Critical-Care Books

This book is absolutely rife with grammatical and spelling errors. If poor editing (or, more likely in this case, NO editing) bothers you, do NOT buy this book, as you will be too distracted by the numerous errors to concentrate on the content. Here are some of the more blatant examples from chapter 70: Paraneoplastic's Disorders; Endocrine's Disorders; Neurologic's Disorders; Hematologic's Disorders; Dermatologic's Disorders. Please, people -- it's called spell check, or use your half of a brain and hire a real editor.

Blueprints series is overall pretty good. The Medicine book is a quick read that will give the reader a sufficient amount of knowledge and detail regarding that subject matter, however I think that it is appropriate to supplement some of the chapters with Cecil's to get a full understanding of the material. Overall, I recommend this book because it is a quick read and it isnt in the "bullet" style format that many of the books are- but rather in a flowing paragraph form.

I have just finished my internal medicine rotation and found this book quite useful to study from. It is easy to find relevant material and it had everything but the very most recent research, which you won't get in any book anyway. Overall, I use it and plan on using it as a reference when needing to go over internal medicine again. P.S. I also find Harrisons necessary, and the washington manual of course.

this book is great as a complement to other "heavier" sources, but it really gets you a feel of the topic you choose and its super easy to read! i aced step 2 thanks to this book, first aid and a lot of quetions!(usmleworld and nms 2007).
you wont regret it!!!

First I have to say the Blueprints Medicine book is probably the best review book I've ever read. It does not replace the Washington Manual or UPTODATE, but its very helpful to have with you. While it's a bit larger than the UCV or BRS style books, I feel it is worth it. With each chapter averaging 6-15 pages it makes for a very flexible review schedule. If a student were to read it while on a medicine for 4-8 weeks it makes for a great nightly read. At the same time using it as a board review book is another option. Single chapters are easily digested with the help of numerous key point boxes and easy to read charts scattered throughout the chapters. Honestly, I found this book very enjoyable to read. The question section at the end of book nicely completes the package. While Cecil's is a nice reference book to keep on the shelf this book is a must to keep in your backpack and read on those 20 minute breaks on rotations.

I like all the "Incredibly Easy" books. Explains the entire nursing process and what to do/look out for.

This books is a terrific reference for any nurse working in critical care. The chapters are organized logically and the content is easy to grasp with great graphics and illustrations. The accompanying CD would be helpful for nurses studying for NCLEX boards, as well as a review while studying for the CCRN exam. The chapter quizes are comprehensive and help to solidfy the information presented. It's ideal for use as an educator in lectures and teaching moments. I would recommend this book to anyone working in ICU or PACU who want to review pathophysiology and patient care related to alterations in these systems. I also recommend this to clinical educators for the content and simple language and concepts, from which content would be easy to develop.

Great book for Nursing Educators and for Nurses new to the Critical Care arena. I recommend it for any Nurse who is new in this area of care, especially if your facility does not have a formal Critical Care Course for you as you enter ICU/CCU as one new to thar area.

This is an inferior book. I work in critical care, and this is the weakest of the critical care nursing books I've bought...out of a dozen.

The writing is confusing and leaves the reader with more questions than it answers. It's also out of date.

Not worth it.

While I am a big fan of the "Incredibly Easy" nursing series, this one glosses over areas that need more in-depth explanations. This book will give you a very basic overview of most critical care topics, but it isn't specific or technical enough to get the job done. Good for beginners, but a real ICU nurse needs more than this book provides.

Lovely book full of stimulating information. I like the soft-cover as it doesn't hurt as much as the hard cover when you have to smack yourself on the forehead to stay awake!

This book is a good companion for others, but it is not very easy to read since the entire book is written in outline form.

I would consider this the "Bible" of Emergency Nursing. It is respectable in that it is written and published by the ENA (Emergency Nurses Association). It has DOZENS of contributing authors from many different clinical/specialty backgrounds of Emergency Nursing.

This book looks at the "core" knowledge base of Emergency Nurses and puts it in one place. While it's not a "casual" read, it is thorought. It's not written like some of those difficult "outline" books - there are actually paragraphs devoted to each topic. The index is pretty good also so you can look up specific references in the main text.

It is a bit big and heavy. Probably not the best to carry in your work bag, but definitely worthy of taking up the needed space on your desk.

Of course all the "traditional" content is here: cardiac, respiratory, neurology etc. Then there are more specific sections such as: Professionalism, Toxicology, Distasters, Substance Abuse, Sexual Assault and Forensics.

One of the BEST things about this book (besides it being FRESH off the press as of Summer 2007) is that it was written FOR Emergency Nurses BY Emergency Nurses - people who are actively involved in Emergency Nursing care.

Many of the listed authors and contributors I am familiar with via my dealings with the ENA and I can speak to these people's authority on their given topics.

Finally, this book is so comprehensive that I have used it as my main outline when I wrote and developed my own 2-Day CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) exam review course. I believe this manual (in addition to others I used) gives the most comprehensive view/curriculum/core content for Emergency Nurses and thus it is my "Bible" as well for the CEN classes I teach. [...]

Please see next review. The box arrived without the book-it had to be reordered! Thanx

This book is great for the verteran ED nurse with outline coverage of pertinent topics. But, if you're new to the ED, be aware that this book doesn't offer in-depth explanations.

This book is great. It really gives a very accurate portryal of what a "real nurse" is and does. A great addition to any nurses book collection that you should read over and over again throughout your nursing career. We all can relate to her tales of a typical shift.

So far this is the only book that I have read by Heron but its indeed the best picture of the critical care nurse's work life. Incompetent physicians, critical patients, demanding families, lazy co-workers, and of course the constant surprises, are all highlighted in hilarious quips. I love how Heron makes nursing sound as challenging as it is. I have been working critical care for only a short time but its amazing the power that your knowledge has over determining a person's outcome. Heron highlights different scenarios and what interventions she had to do to make sure that the patient's condition improved. She is an extraordinary nurse and an excellent author. This book would rattle many would be nurses, while getting an appreciative nod from experienced ones. Its a great book and Heron should be proud of this work. It really shows people how hard nurses work and that there is a lot of compassion in this field.

I found the book entertaining, because like Heron, I used to work as a nurse and am now a full time writer. I also lived and worked in the Bay Area, and know the hospital that she writes about. However, Heron seems to find enough people to lash out at, but she seldom mentions that nurses are their own worst enemies. Nurses rarely if ever stand up for themselves, they are great at complaining among themselves but when it comes to doing something about a problem--well, nobody wants to rock the boat. Nurses are great at backstabbing, they don't stick together--in short, nurses are treated without disrespect by doctors and hospital administrators because they tolerate it without a peep. So it always bugs me when high and mighty nurses complain about everyone under the sun except themselves. As for Heron's writing, it is okay but a little melodramatic.

This review comes from a non-reader. I read only if it keeps me reading. I read Intensive Care after a co-worker had given it to me and found a common bond with Echo Heron having been there myself. I bought Condition Critical when it first came out and she did it again. I left a hospital after the "assistants" came to help with our staffing problems. In this book, she tells it like it is and stands up for nursing--I wish she was still nursing and writing. We need nurses who can say what needs to be said and let the public know what's going on. All her books are entertaining and the real life one's are so funny, many a time I was laughing out loud!!

I loved Intensive Care and was thrilled to see Echo Heron's continuing story. The first two-thirds of the book had tales just as good, if not better, than the stories in her first book. However, her burnout and departure from nursing was an abrupt and sad ending. I hope that Ms. Heron has since reconsidered leaving the profession because it is obvious that she is a nurse with much to give. Though hospitals will never be perfect employers, there are many that are far better than "Redwoods Memorial" and I was disappointed that she did not try working somewhere else rather than giving up in disgust and despair. That said, I hope that laypeople as well as medical professionals read this book and see the things that are happening in medicine today that are driving so many excellent nurses out of the profession. Perhaps if enough people recognize the value of the contribution nurses make to medicine they can pressure hospitals into doing everything they can to recruit and retain the truly gifted ones like Echo Heron.

I have been a medic since 1995. I have drug my feet about learning something new. I recently took 2 classes from Bob Page. If you are in EMS or public safety you know that most continuing ed classes are not inspiring shall we say. They are a required formality for keeping your license or certification. Well, Bob Pages are different. I took capnography and then 12 lead EKGs. I learned an incredible amount of information quickly. It was outstanding. This guy knows how to teach. If you are buying this book to learn 12 leads, you have either had his class and want even more or you NEED his class. He has a website. Find it. Get the guy to come to your service. If that is not an option, travel to one of his classes. You will not regret it. The guy taught the head of his hospital cardiology group stuff about bundle branches that the cardiologist did not know. And proved it. I am referring to the "turn signal theory" for determining axis deviation. Find out why you should say "NO LEAD II"

This is a great book to learn or learn more about EKG's. I encourage anyone to purchase this. He is also a great speaker. If you can go to one of his courses, then, you would come back more knowledgeable and feel more confident when looking at and trying to read EKG's.

Great coverage of twelve lead. I have used several other 12 lead texts and this is by far the best.

a little disapointed. good book. He failed to covey the excitement he puts into his class.

I was in a panic. I had a 12-lead final exam coming up and wasn't comfortable with the intrepretations. I ordered this book and studied it for a week before the exam. My score: 105% (There was a five point extra credit question). I highly recommend this book.

This book reads like an encyclopedia which makes it challenging to get through. It is an excellent resource for information (especially the why's of critical care nursing practice). I use it as an adjunct to the CCRN DVD review course by AACN. While this one is a wealth of info, Pass CCRN®! has been more helpful in getting me to retain the information needed pass the exam, and it is a much easier read.
Good luck!

I bought this book for resource to replace a copy once borrowed and never replaced. It's a slow read obviously. It helps when one takes care of patient population with specific problem in reviewing the essentials, the pathophys, the pertinent lab values, etc. It was cheaper then the newly published version...and probably just as informative

This is a great book for anyone working in a critical care setting. Nursing students and nurses will love this book it has alot of information that is very persice and easy to read...

The book is a great review, but be prepared to stare at wordy outlines & it is rare to find a picture or diagram. The book has been recommended to me by several CNS's so I will continue to try & read it, but its not as exciting as a Laura Gasparis DVD, that's for sure!

Presented in outline form, this is a well organized and well documented volume. It works well with its "side-kick" volume of practice question sets for the CCRN certification exam.

This book gives just enough information, just the need to know stuff and not the nice to know stuff. Its great for those of us who are not dying to be ICU nurses.

As a nursing assistant in ICU for over 4 years and as a nursing student done in march 2008, this book really explains ICU in easy to understand terms! it's great!

While it does have some valuable information, many things in this book are not explained well. Also the information it not laid out well, it's rather difficult to read, the printing is rather cheap looking and the layout is poor.

Book provides great explinations and is an easy read. It is one of the better text books that I have read. I would highly recommend this book.

Good text for those thinking about critical care nursing. Loses value over the long term as a reference book because it is almost too basic. Missing some important aspects of frequently occuring diagnoses seen in critical care ( illeus, small vs large bowel obstruction) etc.

This book has been extremely helpful in my practice as a PCCU nurse. It gives detailed information in an easy to read format for quick reference. I carry it with me always when I go to work. I highly recommend it!

As a pediatric nurse with ICU experience I truly feel that this doctor has the correct approach to the care of critically ill children. This is not a cookbook of critical care. I work at a university medical center and this is the book they use for their PICU classes (mandatory for anyone who wants to work in the unit). This book will NOT a PICU nurse make. However, I believe it is a FINE place to start as it covers almost everything you will see in a PICU. Her thought processes are logical and easy to follow.

As usual, Ms. Hazinski expalins difficult concepts with clarity. This is a practical textbook that is a must-have for all pediatric critical care nurses.
Please notify me whenever another book by Ms. Hezinski is published.

I recently began working in a pediatric ICU. Although I had 9 years of pedi experience as a floor nurse, I knew I would need a solid reference to help in my transition to the many new procedures and medications I would need to learn. After obtaining this book, I was disappointed by what little it had to offer. I searched for some information on some very basic critical care issues (i.e. CVP) and found it woefully lacking. My only assumption is this text is written with the understanding that you own the larger more detailed book. If you are new to the critical enviroment and need basic, clear information, you may be better served with the larger more informative text. As for me, I will continue to refer to my old general pedi text, which currently is a better source.

I recently began working in a pediatric ICU. Although I had 9 years of pedi experience as a floor nurse, I knew I would need a solid reference to help in my transition to the many new procedures and medications I would need to learn. After obtaining this book, I was disappointed by what little it had to offer. I searched for some information on some very basic critical care issues (i.e. CVP) and found it woefully lacking. My only assumption is this text is written with the understanding that you own the larger more detailed book. If you are new to the critical enviroment and need basic, clear information, you may be better served with the larger more informative text. As for me, I will continue to refer to my old general pedi text, which currently is a better source.

Don't buy this book as a reference. It is only Questions. Between the book and CD u get about 1200 questions. I just passed the exam w/ 90% right. The questions in this book are MORE difficult than the actual CCRN questions. This book is an excellet resource! I highly recomend it!

Exactly as expected. Very helpful in preparing for the exam.

The book came on time and is in good condition. This is an excellent way to shop.Thank you.

This is the best book to read if you are preparing to take CCRN.
It covers topics within the CCRN test plan and will give you detailed explanation why it is or isn't the correct answer. Very informative!
Good luck to all who plan to take CCRN, by the way, I passed it. :-)

Good Study Guide. I would suggest this book after you have taken a CCRN review course. This book is just questions, so if you need to know in what area you need more practice this book is not for you. Overall okay book.

This book was very useful with the pre and post tests and all of the sectional quizzes. I felt the authors did a good job explaining all of the different topics.

Definitly would buy from again! quick responses and very fast shipping which i needed! Condition was just as described!
Thanks!

This text was great with all the review questions. It helped to read it and I got an A in my class!

This book has been very helpful to our new nurses who seem overwhelmed when they first get out of school. Self-paced modules help them incoorporate their knowledge with the types of patients they take care of. I have used this book for seasoned nurses too. They like the validation they get from being able to pre- and post-test.
A great teaching and learning tool for all nurses looking to review or to upgrade skills.

I am a senior nursing student and I am appalled at this book. Our instructor loves it and has been using it. I brought to her attention that in the pediatric module, some of the pretest answers are WRONG!!! I know they are wrong- or I would not be a senior nursing student!!!! Out of all the majors and careers and textbooks that need to give accurate information- ACUTE CARE NURSING IS THE ONE!!!!! This is sooo extremely important! I am very disappointed.