Fundamentals of Contemporary Nursing Practice

This comprehensive nursing fundamentals text emphasizes clinical decision making and scientific research within the context of an evolving health care delivery system as the foundation for contemporary nursing practice. This interactive approach offers analternative framework to the nursing process by focusing on the real world issues that affect clinical decision-making in nursing including cultural, socioeconomic, ethical/legal, and financial considerations. Presents a practice-oriented approach that facilitates the transfer of classroom knowledge to actual clinical practice through a practical four-part organization that addresses context, process, content, and special considerations. Examines current issues in nursing practice such as financing of health care, the changing health care delivery system, and legal and ethical considerations. Emphasizes the nursing research base in relation to practiceencompassing topics such as pain management, ethical considerations, and accommodating individual difference topics such as age and culture. Discusses future trends and technologic nursing applications including a discussion of the role of the nurse in using and evaluating technology. Reviews nursing care for all age groups and in all care settings. Details special considerations with information about body mechanisms, sterile technique, personal safety and the health of the nurse. Encourages inductive and deductive reasoning, intuition, creativity, and decision-making as well as problem solving in nursing practice.