Critical-Care Books

Great book but really bulky. Can't really carry it around with you all the time. I would love to see a mini-version of it in paperback.

It doesn't describe all the procedures accurately, and sometimes the descrption of the procedures doesn`t change my anesthetic plan. I think it was written from a surgery point of view, rather than the anesthesiologist

A handy resource to have on hand, especially if you know what your cases will be, or what speicalty areas you are in.

This is the book where you can get concise information for your anesthesia care plans. Currently there is not a better one out that which summarizes the operation and the anesthetic plan on a couple of pages.

Having been in practice for the last 25 years, I have seen a few of the procedures described in this book. (And then some.) Now teaching at the university level, I try to find textbooks that embody what the cover suggests. As for Jaffe's book: the accuracy is fair, but the way in which it is written is rather insulting to the anesthesiologist's intelligence. This book puts the emphasis on the surgeon's role and viewpoint as being paramount. There is a noticable lack of patient safety and comfort that is considered. This is, after all, why we are there. For documentation of specific surgical protocol, this is a reasonable text. For actual practice, there are better sources of information. Most who have been through residency know the ones I mean. Either change the name to "Surgical Procedures from the Surgeon's Point of View" or add information that would provide insight thus allowing the anesthesia practitioner to tailor their anesthetic to enhance the patient's overall surgical/anesthetic experience.

This book wasn't good at all. While at least it did try to give some hints on taking the actual exam, most were not helpful. The difficulty level of the practice exam is almost laughable, and no where near the level of the actual exam. You're probably better off with the ENA review book and then just studying in the areas you're weakest in. Or, I found the 50 question exam off the ENA website to be very similar to the actual exam, with 4 or 5 questions being nearly identical. Good luck!

The layout is different and not what I would consider user friendly. I have a limited amount of time to read and comprehend what I'm studying and this book makes it alittle harder. The other thing that surprised me was that this book is not up-to-date with the current state of medicines. I found a few medicines that are not used any longer for various reasons. I'm only giving it 2 stars because I know what I'm looking at, if this was given to a new grad or intern, then this is a poor examination review text!

BOOK EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED. WELL PACKAGED. ARRIVED IN A TIMELY MANNER. HAS BEEN A GREAT STUDY AID.

The review is thorough, thought provoking and includes the important rationales for the answers. I have always loved the author's prior work and audio tapes. Great book!

This review book was probably a very good resource at one point in time. Some of the info included now is outdated and you don't see it used in practice any longer. If you have 7 or more years of critical care / ED experience under your belt you should be able to weed out the old practices from the new. If you you're new and trying to take the CEN for the first time this book is not the wise choice. The copyright date needs to be included in the amazon review.

I was given this book to read by the health nurse after what I believe was an unnecessary cesarean with my first child. This book was hard for me to read at first, because it added to the anger I felt over my c-section. I almost couldn't finish it. As I continued to read, though, I did gain some insight into how to cope with my grief and overcome negative feelings. I managed to let go of some of the anger and sadness I felt. I eventually had a midwife attended VBAC at home, which was empowering and beautiful. If you are reading this book after having had a c-section, just beware - it is definitely difficult to read at first, but worth it to see it through to the end.

I know Nancy, and this is an example of how seriously she takes her support of women through the birthing process. She is wise, bright, clever, strong, and tells the truth, just as this book does. She will give you that same support if you are one of the lucky people she "midwives" through labor, delivery, and the life that comes after.

I didn't even have a cesarean and still this book made me laugh, cry and shake with rage. If I have another baby I will require my midwife, doula or whatever to read this book! The first question on my list of midwife interview questions is "Have you read Open Season?" Yes, Nancy is angry, and I think it is completely justified. This book made me realize that everything I had suspected about American childbirth was true, and that a lot of the horror stories such as women being tied to the bed are still happening today.

Nancy Wainer Cohen is THE pioneer of VBAC in the United States. Thanks to her activism in this area, Once a c-section, always a c-section no longer applies.

This book is a marvelous collection of thoughts, insights, experiences, and tools for helping women avoid cesarean, either primary or secondary, and is well worth the reading.

In the May, 2001 issue of "Parent" magazine, an article states that the c-section rate has risen to 22 percent. Why do ob's prefer to do sections? This is an alarming rate that cannot be ignored. This book helped me. I had a cesarean my first birth and this book helped give me courage to birth my next 3 children as VBAC's in my home, along with a good midwife. I've met the author when she visited our city on a speaking engagement and she is the salt of the earth. Although she may come across angry at times, she comes from her heart. AND for gosh sakes...these women are being cut up and having their God given rights stripped from them! By the current statistics, we still have a problem here people!! I had hoped this book would be out of date by now, but in reference again to the May article, not much has changed. Read the book. Be informed.

First owned the 1993 ed. I will soon be updating my reference shelf with a new ed. Very useful, well organized, to the point and relevant for
staff ICU RNs.

Too broad and generalized. Not enough detail and descriptions regarding pathophysiology on a cellular level. Good diagrams and the price is right.

Ably covers spectrum of critical care, and is especially useful for it's case histories. No text will be perfect or forever current but this one is an explicable text.

Just when I was begining to think this was a well written book I came to chapter 37 page 954 and read a very BIASED, STEREOTYPICAL, opinion. It said under pain for african americans, "aviod pain medication for fear of addiction". I am very angry for such a statement. When I was 18 I was in a bad MVA and broke my arm. I was in a hospital for 2 weeks in agony and complained constantly but no one would listen OR medicate me until 3 months later when an x ray was taken and the "healed" brake was diagnosed. It was because of opionions like this that I was allowed to suffer. Listen next time your black patient says he/she is in pain, medicate them! I don't agree with the authors view and they shall not make a profit off of me. I am returning this book ASAP, since these authors don't understand that black people are human too.... by an African American RN

After attending several classes taught by one of the authors, Mary Lough, I purchased this book and have found it to be an excellent resource. I am new to critical care nursing, and I consult this textbook an average of twice a week. Some consider the language overly technical, but I find it to be crisp and concise.

As to Ms. Wisniewski's criticism in her 10/4/00 review, I believe that the text she sites is referring to the African-American patient, and that it is the patient who might avoid pain medication for fear of addiction. She has instead interpreted it as instructions to the nurse. If she were to interpret the passage she quotes in the context of chapter 8, Pain and Sedation, she would also read that, "pain is what the patient states it is," and that "addiction rates for patients in acute pain who receive opiod analgesics are less than 1%." It is clear to me that Ms. Winskiewski has misinterpreted the intent of the writer. I have observed that many of my patients fear addiction and if we as nurses forget this possiblilty, we run the risk of undermedicating. It is our job to educate our patients so that they get adequate pain treatment.

In conclusion, I have found Critical Care Nursing Diagnosis and Management to be the best text on the subject that I have seen yet, and I recommend it frequently to my collegues.

I found the patients' signs and symptoms did not accurately correspond to the stated diagnoses. For example, the (tiny) EKG monitor did not reflect the stated heart rate and rhythm. I returned my copy.

I bought this to review for my ACLS. This was my first time to take ACLS so I was very nervous. This program is fun and helps you to set in your mind the basic responses as well as medication doses. I would highly recommend this to anyone taking ACLS. This game give you different patients to care for, by your responses they can recover or die and each time you play it is reviewed, which is almost as much fun as playing.

This CD-Rom is the perfcet addition to any emt or paramedics training schedule. Whether you are a seasoned pro or a raw beginner this software will help you perfect your skills. The simulations are great, very realistic. You even get a very realistic "telling off" from the hospitals medical director when you get it wrong. Buy it!

Guess that sums up my issue with this piece of software. I am able to use it, but only on a borrowed computer. Amazon should correct the product detail information. It is misleading.

This book is descent. It is straight forward with bolded words for the Glossary. It has assessment information and easy to follow.

Received in a timely manner. Book is in good condition and no visible wear and tear inside. Cover is in good condition. Very pleased with this purchase.

I am very pleased with my purchase. The books arrived appropriately packaged and undamaged. They were just what I was looking for. Will purchase again! Thanks!

NO where in the title does it say that this is volume 2 of a 2 book set. Now I only have half of what I need. The only place it says anything is in the corner of the picture. Wouldn't be a big deal if I didn't have clinical paperwork due in the morning! I'll be returning it ASAP!!!

This was too much like a text book. Nurses at our facility said "send it back" it is not user friendly!!

...That about says it all. This is THE pre-eminent reference for critical care nursing. Excellent as a resource for the novice, advanced enough for the expert practitioner and everyone in between the ends of the spectrum. Lots of good tables and examples to illustrate points, and is, for the most part, easy to read. I use mine everyday in practice as a clinical educator and after 18 years, I still find things in there that I either didn't know or tidbits that help me clarify points for my students/orientees. Worth the money!

Negatives: Expensive. There are not enough diagrams and pictures. Leaves much to the imagination. Some areas not well organized. Positives: most detailed textbook related to critical care without being a medical textbook and cater toward nursing. Excellent pathophysiology descriptions. Everything is broken down to the most basic cellular level. I never knew how much I did not know until I read this book. Highly recommended.

This book is a cash grab. Seeking to cash in on a previously well written book with Winnie, Waldman seriously insults the intelligence of his would be readers. Not only are the diagrams cell-shaded, but they were over simplified to the point of being useless. Also I recall at one point he advocates using steroids in his approach to the stellate ganglion in the treatment of CRPS, no safe practitioner would do this. Nor is there any valid evidence to support this. I have repeatedly cautioned anyone interested in chronic pain from buying this book.

May31st, 2000

Other manuals of Pain Mangement techniques exist, however Dr. Steve Waldman's command of anatomy, clinical disease, and far-reaching vision of the specialty of Interventional Pain Mangement has, for two-decades, been a source of inspiration and courage for younger clinical practitioners in the specialty. The current Hardcover volume is superbly illustrated, with clear instructions, and an encyclopedic-volume of possible pain management procedures to offer patients suffering from a wide variety of clinical sydromes. The author is to be, once again, congratulated for his efforts. I refer to this text regularly in my clinic, and recommend it whole-heartedly.

excellent coverage of numerous topics a great first attempt...would help if there were more diagrams detailing approaches from differant angles

I used the Kaplan NCLEX-RN review before taking the boards, and this one is proving to be just as helpful. It covers questions about taking the exam and how to prepare mentally, not just questions that will be on the exam. It also has a money back guarantee. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take the CCRN exam and do well. I would buy anything by Kaplan again.

I am very dissappointed with this book. The book does not separate out the text. Therefore, if you are studying pediatrics you have to go thru all of the adult info(which anyone who works in peds knows, it's not the same). Also, the practice tests are not separated either, so they have a 150 question test but it relates to Adult, peds & neonatal. Why would I be studying & practicing test questions for an adult exam I am not going to take. I thought the book was a waste of my time and money and so I returned it. It is a very hard read even if you try to separate out the info yourself, it's very frustrating.

I am planning to take my CCRN exam in the year 2009, and I have heard good things about Kaplan review books. I have just started to use the book and so far it is great. I'm happy.

this book does not give enough clinical information at one point it even suggested that a post MI patient be referred to a health care professional for information on sexual activity! Are RNs not health care professionals!! There was not enough information on hemodynamics and other clinically important data. But plenty of ethical debates!

I am a RN with 11 years experience. I have worked in critical care units for 4 years; CCU, SICU, MICU, including open heart units and neuro untis. I have been wanting to purchase a good reference book to read through and keep my knowledge up to date. I found a lot of review books for CCRN, etc.; but no basic critical care book that gave more depth and explantions for a better understanding. I am very pleased with this book and am so happy that I chose it. It is easy to read, but not repetetive and boring. It gives the reader a full understanding of the material. I plan to read this whole book in preparation for the CCRN exam and feel it will benefit my nursing career greatly by giving me a greater confidence in my knowledge base and nursing judgements.

I had been out of critical care for some time and found the book extremely useful in updating my knowledge. It is well-referenced, clearly written and interesting.