High Acuity Nursing Preparing for Practice in Today's Health Care Settings

Pamela A. Kidd, RN, Ph.D, CENKathleen Dorman Wagner, RN, MSN, CS, both of University of Kentucky, Lexington Written by practicing nurses in acute care, High Acuity Nursing, Third Edition gives readers a basic understanding of complex patients and teaches them how to provide nursing care in different situations by using a series of real-world scenarios presented in self-paced, self-contained modules. These modules progress in difficulty and address multiple system problems that nurses frequently encounter in treating high acuity patients. Using a "nuts and bolts" approach, the book addresses essentials by using examples, analogies, and metaphors; focuses on concepts and principles that can be applied across practice settings and patient populations; and includes nursing diagnoses. Self-paced, interactive approach is conducive to adult learners and lets readers work at own pace to increase mastery of key concepts and principles. Reality-based case studies reinforce principles from preceding modules and encourage critical thinking through application while enlivening concepts in a realistic, problem-based format. Expanded general concepts module now includes organ donation, pain, psychosocial issues, and fluid and electrolytes, presenting the reader with general concept material in one section for easy referencing. Three new modules - Fluid and Electrolyte Balance in the High Acuity Patient, Acute Hematologic Dysfunction, and Acute Gastrointestinal Dysfunction - offer expanded coverage in key content areas. Revised module on consciousness (formerly called responsiveness)contains more pathophysiology and fully updated diagnostic tests and drug therapies. Cerebral dysfunction module addresses abnormalities in cerebral bloodflow and provides readers with both abnormal and normal findings. Expanded cardiac module includes comprehensive discussion of thrombolytics, non-invasive, and semi-invasive procedures, instructing readers in cutting edge cardiac technology. Self-testing includes short section quizzes and module pre/post-tests with hundreds of review questions and answers that indicate the location of the topic in the book to facilitate review.