Parenteral and enteral nutrition a practical guide
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42 INTENSIVE CARE NURSING Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition A Practical Guide By G D Phillips and C L Odgers Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1986,272 pages Price E13.95 This book succeeds where so many fail. It is concise, comprehensive and readable. It discusses not only the practical aspects such as venous access and the stability of solutions but also deals effectively with the bio- chemical and physiological facets of nutrition. The authors give a vast amount of accurate, factual and clearly researched information about nutritional components and specialised techniques. These facts are well matched to their clinical application with the effects of sepsis, trauma and starvation clearly de- scribed. Specific situations such as anorexia, malig- nancy and vital organ failure when nutritional support may be avoided or delayed are expertly discussed. The chapter describing the role of the nurse is barely two pages long but, in keeping with the rest of the book, is concise, comprehensive and respectful, even accepting criticisms ofits contents in previous editions. Each chapter is proceeded by a comprehensive list of references and further reading. The index is exten- sive and this, with the clearly titled and relative short chapters makes it an excellent reference book. This authorative, reasonably-priced book is an invaluable aid to anyone involved in nutrition in illness and should be essential reading for those caring for criticaly ill patients. CILLA CLARKE SRN Intensive Care Medicine by James Rippe, Richard S. Irwin, Joseph S. Alport, and James E. Dalen Churchill Livingstone, 1986. Price L72.90. Initially I found the prospect of reading this book rather daunting, the size and price are a little off- putting. On closer inspection I realised that this book provides an ABC of procedures, conditions and the special problems seen in intensive care units. This book would be an asset to any unit both for medical and nursing staff. The step by step guides to each procedure, backed up by diagrams, are excellent and much needed for new staff who find the pro- cedures bewildering at first. The authors have pro- vided a reference book which deals with each of the major diseases treated in the intensive care units. Each organ is dealt with systematically with chapters devoted to the diseases which affect them. Nurses will find the way this book is presented easy to read and informative looking at each procedure with reference to (a) the historical background, (b) an explanation or description, (c) indications and contra- indications, (d) complications, (e) procedures with diagrams and (f) interpretation of data. The logical approach is successful and kind to the reader. Having shown this book to staff from a number of disciplines involved in intensive care they thought the contents and presentation both useful for information and teaching. There are so many books available on the subject of intensive care that it is difficult to choose but this seems to cater to the needs of most of the staff involved. There is an interesting chapter on ethical and legal issues in intensive care medicine which discusses the problems faced in units up and down the country. I found this chapter particularly valuable. Intensive care unit staff who are orientating staff with no prior experience or learner nurses working for short periods in ITU, will be able to use this book effectively in their induction programmes. Of course not all the con- ditions dealt with in this book will be seen in every ITU, as some units are very specialised. There is one chapter on snake-bites which I personally found fasci- nating! The chapter on drug overdoses and poisonings is excellent and these conditions are unfortunately seen quite often. The chapter on metabolic acid-base balance disturbances I read with interest as I always found this difficult to understand; the way it is pre- sented makes it easier for the reader to remember. Nurses undergoing intensive care training will benefit from this book and it would be an asset to any school library. S. DAVIES SRN Textbook of Neonatology by N. R. C. Roberton (Ed) Churchill Livingstone, 1986,907 pages (hardback). Price Ago.00 This large multi-author book covers all aspects of neo- natal care and has been designed to be used as a stan- dard reference book for neonatal physicians. The authors are almost exclusively from the medical pro- fessions and consequently the book gives no specific advice or reference to the work of the neonatal nurse. The book is composed of eight sections, including disorders of the newborn, development of the fetus and interesting chapters on psychological and ethical aspects of neonatal care. The text is very readable and easy to understand and there are numerous useful dia- grams and plates illustrating each chapter. Each sec- tion is well referenced, drawing on current research and the whole book is clearly indexed. The book aims to give comprehensive information on common neo- natal problems with shorter sections on the more rare disorders, and this will make it a popular addition to any neonatal unit library. JANE MARSHALL SRN, RSCN, BSc Nursing Studies
Transcript of Parenteral and enteral nutrition a practical guide
42 INTENSIVE CARE NURSING
Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition A Practical Guide By G D Phillips and C L Odgers Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1986,272 pages Price E13.95
This book succeeds where so many fail. It is concise, comprehensive and readable. It discusses not only the practical aspects such as venous access and the stability of solutions but also deals effectively with the bio- chemical and physiological facets of nutrition.
The authors give a vast amount of accurate, factual and clearly researched information about nutritional components and specialised techniques. These facts are well matched to their clinical application with the effects of sepsis, trauma and starvation clearly de- scribed. Specific situations such as anorexia, malig- nancy and vital organ failure when nutritional support may be avoided or delayed are expertly discussed. The chapter describing the role of the nurse is barely two pages long but, in keeping with the rest of the book, is concise, comprehensive and respectful, even accepting criticisms ofits contents in previous editions.
Each chapter is proceeded by a comprehensive list of references and further reading. The index is exten- sive and this, with the clearly titled and relative short chapters makes it an excellent reference book. This authorative, reasonably-priced book is an invaluable aid to anyone involved in nutrition in illness and should be essential reading for those caring for criticaly ill patients.
CILLA CLARKE SRN
Intensive Care Medicine by James Rippe, Richard S. Irwin, Joseph S. Alport, and James E. Dalen Churchill Livingstone, 1986. Price L72.90.
Initially I found the prospect of reading this book rather daunting, the size and price are a little off- putting. On closer inspection I realised that this book provides an ABC of procedures, conditions and the special problems seen in intensive care units.
This book would be an asset to any unit both for medical and nursing staff. The step by step guides to each procedure, backed up by diagrams, are excellent and much needed for new staff who find the pro- cedures bewildering at first. The authors have pro- vided a reference book which deals with each of the major diseases treated in the intensive care units. Each organ is dealt with systematically with chapters devoted to the diseases which affect them.
Nurses will find the way this book is presented easy to read and informative looking at each procedure with reference to (a) the historical background, (b) an explanation or description, (c) indications and contra- indications, (d) complications, (e) procedures with diagrams and (f) interpretation of data. The logical
approach is successful and kind to the reader. Having shown this book to staff from a number of disciplines involved in intensive care they thought the contents and presentation both useful for information and teaching. There are so many books available on the subject of intensive care that it is difficult to choose but this seems to cater to the needs of most of the staff involved.
There is an interesting chapter on ethical and legal issues in intensive care medicine which discusses the problems faced in units up and down the country. I found this chapter particularly valuable. Intensive care unit staff who are orientating staff with no prior experience or learner nurses working for short periods in ITU, will be able to use this book effectively in their induction programmes. Of course not all the con- ditions dealt with in this book will be seen in every ITU, as some units are very specialised. There is one chapter on snake-bites which I personally found fasci- nating! The chapter on drug overdoses and poisonings is excellent and these conditions are unfortunately seen quite often. The chapter on metabolic acid-base balance disturbances I read with interest as I always found this difficult to understand; the way it is pre- sented makes it easier for the reader to remember. Nurses undergoing intensive care training will benefit from this book and it would be an asset to any school library.
S. DAVIES SRN
Textbook of Neonatology by N. R. C. Roberton (Ed) Churchill Livingstone, 1986,907 pages (hardback). Price Ago.00
This large multi-author book covers all aspects of neo- natal care and has been designed to be used as a stan- dard reference book for neonatal physicians. The authors are almost exclusively from the medical pro- fessions and consequently the book gives no specific advice or reference to the work of the neonatal nurse.
The book is composed of eight sections, including disorders of the newborn, development of the fetus and interesting chapters on psychological and ethical aspects of neonatal care. The text is very readable and easy to understand and there are numerous useful dia- grams and plates illustrating each chapter. Each sec- tion is well referenced, drawing on current research and the whole book is clearly indexed. The book aims to give comprehensive information on common neo- natal problems with shorter sections on the more rare disorders, and this will make it a popular addition to any neonatal unit library.
JANE MARSHALL SRN, RSCN, BSc Nursing Studies
