Acute Nursing Care: Recognising and Responding to Medical Emergencies

by Helen Dutton (Editor), Ian Peate (Editor)

Overview

Delays in recognising deterioration, or inappropriate management of people in acute care settings can result in late treatment, avoidable admissions to intensive care units and, in some instances, unnecessary deaths. As the role of the nurse in healthcare settings continues to change and evolve, today's nursing and other healthcare students need to be equipped with the fundamental skills to recognise and manage deterioration in the patient in a competent and confident manner, appreciating the complexities of caring for those who are acutely unwell as you learn to become practitioners of the future.

Using a body systems approach, and fully updated in light of new NEWS2 and NMC future nurse standards, as well as acknowledging the challenges faced by people with delirium in acute care settings, the second edition of this book provides a comprehensive overview of the essential issues in this important subject. Topics covered include recognition and identification of physiological and mental deterioration in adults; identification of disordered physiology that may lead to a medical emergency linked to deterioration of normal function; relevant anatomy and physiology; pathophysiological changes and actions that need to be taken; immediate recognition and response; investigations, diagnosis and management issues; and teaching and preventative strategies.

Including case studies and test yourself questions, this book is an essential tool for student nurses who are required to undertake acute care experiences and are assessed in theory and practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780429786471
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/29/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	602
File size:	25 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Ian Peate, OBE FRCN; Visiting Professor of Nursing, St George's University of London and Kingston University, London; Visiting Professor Northumbria University; Visiting Senior Clinical Fellow University of Hertfordshire; Head of School, School of Health Studies, Gibraltar; Editor in Chief, British Journal of Nursing.

Ian began his nursing career at Central Middlesex Hospital, becoming an Enrolled Nurse practicing in an intensive care unit. He later undertook three years student nurse training, becoming a Staff Nurse, then a Charge Nurse. He has worked in nurse education since 1989. His key areas of interest are nursing practice and theory. Ian has published widely. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen's 90th Birthday Honours List for his services to Nursing and Nurse Education and was bestowed a Fellowship from the Royal College of Nursing in 2017.

Helen Dutton, RGN; ENB100; RNT; BA Nursing Educaiton (Manchester); MSc (London); Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; Senior Lecturer Critical Care, College of Nursing Midwifery and Healthcare, University of West London.

Helen completed her RGN at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. After gaining experience in medical and surgical nursing she moved to St Thomas' Hospital, London to work in intensive care, then moved to become a Sister in Cardiothoracic Intensive Care at the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust. Her education career started at the Royal Brompton, then moved on to higher education. She is currently employed as a Senior Lecturer in Critical Care at the University of West London. Helen is course leader for BSc (Hons) Clinical Practice. Intensive and critical care nursing have been her main focus, leading the development of post qualifying critical care courses at the University of West London. She has published in her areas of interest; acute/enhanced/high dependency care, physical examinations skill for health care professionals and the early recognition and treatment of those who are at risk of deterioration.

Table of Contents

1.Assessment and recognition of emergencies in acute care 2Vulnerability in the acutely ill patient 3.Recognising and responding to deterioration in mental state 4.The cell and tissues 5.Body fluids and electrolytes 6.The patient with acute respiratory problems 7.The patient with acute cardiovascular problems 8.Recognition and management of cardiopulmonary arrest 9.The patient with acute renal problems 10.The patient with acute neurological problems 11.The patient with acute gastrointestinal problems 12.The patient with acute endocrine problems 13.The immune and lymphatic systems, infection and sepsis 14.The safe transfer of acutely ill patients

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Patricia Gonce Morton, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, FAAN (University of Utah College of Nursing)
Description: This soft cover, 7-by-10-inch, trim sized book is written by two nurses with experience in critical care and nursing education. Eleven expert clinicians also contributed chapters to the book. The 579-page book contains 13 chapters and is based on the Nursing and Midwifery Council standards and proficiencies from the United Kingdom. The book opens with a chapter on assessment and recognition of emergencies in acute care and is followed by a chapter on vulnerability in the acutely ill patient. Next are 10 body systems-focused chapters emphasizing the physiological aspects of illness. The closing chapter concentrates on the safe transfer of the acutely ill patient. The text concludes with a helpful index. The authors indicate that the book is intended for use as a reference text for practicing nurses or student nurses and is not meant to be read from cover to cover in one sitting.
Purpose: The purpose of the book is to equip nurses with the fundamental skills to recognize and manage deterioration and medical emergencies in acutely ill patients in a safe, competent, and confident manner in a variety of healthcare environments. A goal of the text is to provide nurses with the principles and basis for effective acute medical care for adults in a hospital setting. Information is rooted in applied physiology and the most recent evidence so that nurses are prepared to offer safe and compassionate care. The book meets these important goals and serves as a valuable resource for nursing students and practicing nurses, especially those in the United Kingdom.
Audience: The book is targeted to a range of providers in the United Kingdom including student nurses, new nurses who are starting their careers in acute care settings, and those nurses returning to practice. The knowledge base provided in the book is built on the updated National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council standards from the United Kingdom. Thus, the book will be most relevant and useful to those who adhere to these national guidelines and standards.
Features: This second edition of the book has been fully updated based on the second version of the National Early Warning Score and updated Nursing and Midwifery Council standards. Through use of a body systems approach, the book provides an excellent overview of the essential issues in care of acutely ill medical patients. Topics covered include recognition and identification of physiological and mental deterioration in adults; identification of disordered physiology that may lead to a medical emergency; relevant anatomy and physiology; pathophysiologic changes and actions that need to be taken; immediate recognition and response; investigations, diagnosis, and management issues; and teaching and preventive strategies. The interdisciplinary role of the healthcare team is emphasized throughout the book. The text includes a range of teaching features including case studies that promote the understanding and application of complex concepts. Chapter aims and objectives facilitate readers' structured guided learning. Within each chapter are links to relevant and related websites to help guide and support learning. There are also links to United Kingdom professional and statutory websites such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Department of Health and Social Care, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Each chapter contains multiple-choice questions with the aim of reinforcing learning. Colored illustrations offer visual stimulation to promote learning and aid retention of knowledge. The book also includes line drawings and outlines of diagnostic and investigatory tests and procedures. Diagnostic test outcomes are used to demonstrate the normal versus the abnormal. A glossary of terms at the end of each chapter helps readers develop nursing and medical vocabulary. An extensive reference list concludes each chapter.
Assessment: The authors have produced an excellent, useful text that addresses a wide variety of acute illnesses in adults. The contents will be especially useful to nurses practicing in the United Kingdom since the information is based on their national standards, national expert reports, and reports from national healthcare agencies. A second edition of the book was warranted so that the information is based on the most recent evidence and updated national standards. The overreaching aim of the text is to help nurses learn the fundamental aspects of acute medical conditions so they can provide skilled and effective care to patients in various situations. However, nurses may need an additional text that provides more specific and detailed information about the nursing care of these acutely ill patients.

Doody's Review Service