2nd Edition

Nursing Care an essential guide for nurses and healthcare workers in primary and secondary care

By Barbara Smith, Linda Field Copyright 2011

    Go ‘back to basics’ with this concise, clear text on the essentials of nursing care.

    • Comprehensively covers all aspects of essential care
    • Puts care into context and relates it to current UK Government policy and targets
    • Shows how to apply theory in practice using diagrams and case studies

    • Uses a ‘reflective’ theme throughout, in line with current teaching practice

    • Explains Clinical Skills in the context of care

    The book is designed to help the student develop a proactive approach to the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of the care that they give. The invaluable advice can be applied to all branches of nursing and to all environments where patients are nursed, whether in hospital, at home or care homes. 

    Essential reading for nursing students, qualified nurses and all health and social care workers

    Acknowledgements
    Guided tour
    Introduction
    Chapter 1: What is caring?
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    What do we mean by ‘caring’?
    Quality
    The assessment process
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 2: Dignity and privacy
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    Dignity in care
    Culturally sensitive healthcare
    Communication
    Protecting individuals from abuse
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 3: Basic observations
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    The importance of basic observations
    Pulse
    Respirations
    Temperature
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 4: Hygiene
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    Personal hygiene
    Oral hygiene
    Infection control
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 5: Nutrition
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    The importance of good nutrition
    Essential nutrients
    Nutritional requirements
    Factors affecting nutritional choice
    Nutritional assessment
    Nutrition in hospital
    Feeding patients
    Dysphagia awareness
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 6: Fluid balance and continence care
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    Fluid balance
    Recording fluid balance
    Urinary continence
    Incontinence
    Promoting continence
    Catheter care
    Problems with elimination of faeces
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 7: Pain management:
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    What is pain?
    How is pain felt?
    Government policy developments in pain management
    Pain assessment
    Pain perception
    Pain management
    Other methods of pain relief
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 8: Pressure ulcers
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    Why study pressure ulcers?
    How and why pressure ulcers develop
    Avoidance of pressure ulcers
    Screening and assessing the possibility of skin damage due to pressure
    Pressure ulcer healing
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 9: Rehabilitation and self-care
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    What is rehabilitation?
    Independence and self-care
    Framework for rehabilitation nursing
    Factors that impact on individual wellbeing
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Chapter 10: Record-keeping
    Introduction
    Learning objectives
    Overview of record-keeping
    Purpose of records
    Legal aspects of record-keeping
    Nursing documentation
    Standards for record-keeping
    Summary
    Key points
    Points for debate
    Links to other chapters
    Further reading
    References
    Index

    Biography

    Barbara Smith, Linda Field