302 Intensive and Critical Care Nursing

acute areas where early discharge is the preferred option. However, perhaps the most important contri- bution made is the emphasis placed on collaborative practice and the breaking down of professional bound- aries. We are challenged to consider, 'the extent to which professionals put their own occupational inter- ests before those of patients' (I0. 127). Examples are provided of collaboration between nurses and other therapists, although the medical profession still appears to be functioning in isolation. This issue is not avoided, but confronted in the final chapters.

Each chapter has an appropriate, if on some occa- sions limited, reference list and the index is helpful. Appendices which provide examples of Staff Satisfaction Questionnaires, Patient Telephone Surveys, Collaborative Care Plans and Case Management are practical and helpful.

The hook seeks to promote an understanding of the audit process, the importance of collaborative practice and the appraisal of patient/client outcomes. I would recommend this book to all those involved in clinical practice groups, studying quality or man- agement issues at undergraduate level and as essential for those working at Grade G or above.

CAROL BALL MSc, DipNEd, DipN, RN

Anaesthesia: A - Z . An encyclopedia of principles and practice S. I"1. Yentis, N. P. Hirson and G. B. Smith

Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, I995, 473 pages. Price f~3 5

The primary aim of this particular book is to pro- vide easily accessible information relating to all aspects of anaesthetic practice - physiology, phar- rnacology, anatomy, physics, statistics, history, clini- cal anaesthesia, equipment, intensive care, medicine and surgery. The target audience is primarily medi- cal, specifically those studying for Part 3 of the Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists exam- ination. As indicated by the level of the examination much of the information provided does assume a basic knowledge base. For this reason the book would probably only be relevant to those studying intensive and critical care nursing at post diploma level.

The information provided takes the form of a dictionary, as indicated by the title. To provide an indication of the content, it begins with 'A-adO 2' (Alveolar-arterial oxygen difference) and ends with 'Zone of Risk' - the area of the anaesthetic room in which mixtures of anaesthetic agents might be explosive. Concepts which might be perceived as rather difficult e.g. Tricarboxylic acid cycle are explained clearly and succinctly. The format allows ease of reference to subjects, relevant to critical care areas. As such, it would make a useful contr i- but ion to any intensive care or operating depart- ment library. Much of the material, although not all, refers the reader to additional information if further reading is require. Wi th in the book cross

referencing is possible thorough the use of embold- ened terminology also described within the text.

For example, where Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome is described, the reader is referred to asso- ciated content available within the text, such as free radicals, leukotrienes, complement, V / Q mismatch, inverse ratio ventilation and extracorporeal CO2 removal.

The content is up-to-date and accurate. There are, however, a couple of issues which are of concern in terms of intensive care nursing. Firstly, the continued use of the term septicaemia, rather than bacteraemia in relation to the presence of microorganisms within the blood, and a lack of reference to pressure con- trolled ventilation for patients at risk from baro- trauma. Clarification of the former is available through reference to Bone et al (1992). The book is essentially practical and relevant to nurses working in critical care areas. Also of interest is the section relat- ing to the appropriate use of statistical tests.

In conclusion the book achieves its primary aim and would prove a valuable resource in any critical care unit library, but especially in intensive care and

operating departments.

REFERENCE

Bone et a11992 American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference. Definitions for sepsis and organ failure and

guidelines for the use of innovative therapies in sepsis. Critical Care Medicine 20 (6): 864-874

CAROL BALL MSc, DipNEd, DipN, RN

Critical Care Nursing B. Hillar and P. Burnard (eds)

Balli~re Tindall, London, 1994, 377pages. Price £15.95

I was delighted to be invited to review a British book with the title Critical Care Nursing- certainly long overdue, but would it live up to my expecta- tions? The co-editors are both academics who have skilfully used their expertise to produce a unique test addressing the key issues affecting critical care nursing:

- caring for the critically ill individual - education and management in critical care

nursing

- the family and associated issues - psycho-social aspects of critical care nursing.

O f particular interest are the chapters on death and dying, cultural care and technology. There is no repetition of detail and the result is a comprehensive, readable and informative text. The four key sections are concluded with realistic case studies and extremely pertinent reference lists.

I strongly recommend this book to any nurse involved within the area of critical care. If a nurse had this text in one hand and a good physiology test in the other they would have access to a great deal of valuable information.

LINDA VEITCH BSc(Hons), RGN, RCNT