Critical-Care Books

Good intro to picu. There is probably a new version of this book coming out soon. I had this with me in the unit when i was on call. Brief enough chapters to maybe get through one on call. Not bad. I would check out [...] first. Supplemental knowledge. If you're going into PICU, maybe you could buy the new version.

I thought this book was very helpful in clarifying the various techniques, sounds and differential diagnosis involved in heart auscultation. I am a new pnp but feel this book would be good for nurses caring for any part of the age spectrum. I would have liked a more advanced physiology and more centralized discussion of how position and mechanical forces affect hemodynamics. That said, I am eating this book up. Enjoy!

Very good book with info that I have not seen organized anywhere else. Extensive review of oncology related emergencies and conditions that I have not seen condensed in one text. Well worth getting if you see a lot of oncology. I like books that if I am going to read I get more detail on a particular topic than I get from Rosen's, which is definitely the case, but the book appears to be written mostly by internists who work in oncology emergency centers. Some things appear a little out of date and would contradict with what most emergency docs know ... such as "you may have to withhold pain meds for a patient with abdominal pain" etc. Even with these flaws, I have learned a lot from this book in regards to caring for oncology patients... should be in the good ed doc library

Mr. Green's book is a muct read for those dealing with the affects of CNS problems directly after inception.

Quite a handy little book, with critical care equations, ACLS algorhythms, a cardiology chapter (IABP and pressure waveforms, normal coronary vasculature anatomy) and lots of other less interesting chapters. The drug appendix is also quite useful, if incomplete. The best thing is it's a true "pocket size" book, not some overstuffed pocket encyclopedia.

This book is great! While doing my clinical rotations in my 3rd semester for nursing school this came in handy!! Perfect size for your pocket and very easy to find examples!! I think this is a must for all nursing students!:-)

A very readable book with lots of good points we could all use to remember. Much was fairly basic stuff, some of it seemed a bit preachy, and I disagreed with a few points. Probably most useful for medical students and residents, but some use for even experienced physicians.

I purchased this publication while preparing for the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) exam. It is an excellent comprehensive review of almost every clinical emergency. It is a spiral-bound paperback which makes it lightweight and easy to carry for quick reference also. The book's contents are well organized with many charts and tables. This would have been a 5 star review if there had been a little more detail given for certain conditions, interventions, etc. Despite this fact, I highly recommend this book for every emergency department nurse--it is the best single reference I have found.

Clunie's "Textbook of surgery" is a surgical text aimed at the medical undergraduate and covers all the essential topics for exams. While it is not as comprehensive as Way's "Current Surgical Diagnosis and Treatment", it is much more readable - the information is explained clearly and is therefore easily digested. It also has more up-to-date management of diseases (the last edition of Way came out in 1994). The problem-solving section at the back of Clunie is extremely useful. The book is certainly an excellent buy for Australasian students, who rarely have the opportunity to read texts with local data. My main criticisms would be: the lack of a chapter on cardiothoracic surgery; no specific section dedicated to chronic liver disease; very few diagrams.

This book is an excellent introduction and refresher for Advanced Cardiac Life Support guidelines. Not only that, it also gives many helpful descriptions and illustrations for techniques used in the care of a broad range of patients. For example, it gives an exhaustive review of IV placement, including the pros and cons of different locations. It reviews specifics of airway management and illustrates different devices available (eg, ET tube, laryngeal mask airway, bag mask valve device). It thoroughly reviews ACLS drugs and cardiac drugs in a high-yield manner. While its intended audience is RNs (for example, mixing instructions for drugs are plentiful), as an MD I found it quite handy, and ACLS students of any stripe should find it useful.

There are a few weaknesses. While the end-of-chapter question banks are good preparation for the ACLS exam, many questions have equivocal stems or answers. Therefore they could use more rigourous review for accuracy and clarity. Also, the text and charts occasionally have misspellings which detracts from the otherwise professional appearance and tone of the book.

I read Mastering ACLS in a matter of four hours, skipping the more mundane or already known sections. I am happy to say that I did well during the ACLS course I took the next day. My retention of critical material was unquestionably reinforced by this fine review. I am sure its teaching points will improve the care of patients as well.