Reviewer: Kit Bredimus, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, FAONL (Midland Health)
Description: In this ninth edition book, the authors break down many components of modern nursing, focusing on nurses entering the profession. This edition comes in the post-pandemic era (the previous edition was published in 2019) and highlights new and previously existing challenges on various subjects that affect nursing practice. The book is divided into four units that cover the historical evolution of nursing, current issues, leadership, and career management. Each chapter provides upfront objectives, learning outcomes, and key terms and definitions indexed on the first pages. The vignette and case scenarios are helpful in putting the content into context. The color coding and layout of chapters help with easy navigation of the content, with headers of each topic clearly outlining the subject and critical points.
Purpose: The authors highlight nurses' critical role in the American healthcare system. The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic raised awareness of the value of nursing, and the book attempts to prepare nurses for practice in the post-pandemic environment with foundational knowledge of the profession. The book is geared toward those entering practice, but has application for nurses across the spectrum of professional development who want to learn about the complex issues facing today's healthcare systems. The updated edition of the book creates a compelling narrative for readers to understand the historical perspectives and evolution of nursing to understand better the current issues facing nursing and health care and the interplay of the two. The book comes at a good time, with the pandemic on a downward trajectory and establishing a new normal. The book helps provide context to where nursing has come from and where it can go in the future. The authors meet the outlined objectives well, comprehensively reviewing essential topics and current issues.
Audience: The authors target nursing students and early-entry professionals. Many components of the book are geared toward those without much foundational knowledge of the issues and current trends, although it does provide value to those who may have work experience but need a refresher or update. I found the legal section to be of particular value for students and nurses along the spectrum. The career management modules of the book are especially helpful for students and new graduates entering the field. The authors meet the needs of students with a writing style that is simple to understand while providing essential details and examples. The authors speak from a position of authority, with many years of academic and professional experience in the field. The previous editions are in high demand, and the authors are recognized experts in the field of nursing education and professional development.
Features: The book is written in four modules that cover 28 chapters. The book flows well, beginning with the historical context of nursing, its evolution, and its professional image throughout the years. The next module covers the current issues and the state of U.S. health care. Topics include healthcare financing, regulation, legal considerations, cultural issues, advocacy, technology, and emergency preparedness to name a few. These topics are given a fresh perspective in the post-pandemic era and use updated examples that are from recent headlines. The third unit covers leadership and management with a focus on nursing. These topics are not strictly meant for those in a formal leadership role, but help first-line nurses understand their role in leadership, budgeting, quality, and policy. Finally, the last module covers the transition to professional practice and how to pass the NCLEX and find the right job. I found the chapter setup and flow particularly helpful, with upfront objectives and definitions of concepts to encounter in the reading. The illustrations and images help explain ideas, and the professional/ethical issues provide a deeper learning opportunity for readers to apply their knowledge to readings. The online content provides an even deeper learning experience, which includes additional PowerPoint review questions with answers and a resume builder.
Assessment: This book is a valuable and timely edition of a well-established series of books. The authors have done an excellent job of incorporating the current healthcare landscape in relation to nurses' roles and the day's cultural and environmental issues. As one of the first contemporary or current topic nursing texts in the post-COVID era, the authors use the experiences and knowledge gained during the pandemic to make this a relevant and needed update. The design, flow, and readability make this a good choice for students and newly licensed nurses to understand current nursing issues better. The content is also written with next-generation NCLEX information and formatting to help aid in exam preparation and aligns well with the stated objectives.
"Cherry (nursing, Texas Tech U. Health Sciences Center) and Jacob (nursing, U. of Tennessee Health Science Center) offer a textbook for nursing students and practicing nurses to the issues and strategies involved in contemporary nursing from the patient care level to the national legislative arena that can improve care, the health care system, and the profession. The 28 chapters written by American nursing specialists include discussion of issues such as health care financing and economics, complementary and alternative healing, the nursing shortage, technology, leadership and management, and career management. This edition has new chapters on quality and safety education and collective bargaining; updated safety coverage throughout the text; new content on the jurisprudence exams and discussions of ethical and bioethical issues such as stem cell research, surrogate parenting, abortion, and gene typing; more emphasis on communication skills; discussions of "never events," pay-for-performance, and the relationship of cost, quality, and value in health care delivery; new case studies; and new coverage of technologies, disaster planning, legal issues, and the 2010 NCLEX-RN Examination Test Plan. Activities, case studies, questions, and other resources are available online."
- Book News, Inc.
