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media review
Book/media reviews
The subject of nurse prescribing is analysed in this stimulating book, with not only the views of nurse prescribers but pharmacists, medical practitioners and lawmakers who give a fascinating and controversial insight into what they feel is the way forward for nurse prescribing. I suggest, if only for this one reason, that this book is well worth reading for current and prospective nurse prescribers in particular, as it will prepare them to address the types of issues that many other professionals are already asking about. The book follows a logical sequence, dealing with the issues involved with the whole ‘roll out’ programme from distribution of the ENB Open Learning Pack to the taught programme, and concluding with auditing and an evaluation of the whole methodology. The chapters are contributed by eminent writers in the field of nurse prescribing and feature ideas from some of the leaders in nurse prescribing which are thought provoking and often raise as many questions as answers. Indeed, it appears that this is the aim of the book as each chapter ends with further points for discussion. This can only been seen as a positive step as it further encourages nurses to be analytical and reflective about their practice. The chapter headed by Fiona Winstanley entitled ‘A Useful Attribute’ appears a key chapter for nurse prescribers in the fact that it follows through the whole process from the historical background and the evaluation of the pilot project sires. She then continues by examining pertinent areas such as protocol developments, accountability and ethical issues. Collaborative team working is also discussed and the chapter takes nurses through the central themes which have been encompassed into the taught aspects of the nurse prescribing programmes up and down the country. In conclusion, this is one of the pioneering books into this new and exciting development. Despite the title of the book, Nurse Prescribing…, it would be encouraging to think that other health care professionals who are able to prescribe would take the time out to read this book. This would not only give then an insight into some of the difficulties that the nursing profession has undergone to reach this status, but may also raise questions in their own minds. This may then have the effect of opening new
420
Nurse Education Today (2000) 20, 418–421
opportunities for the professions who are able to prescribe to work in closer harmony. John R. Berry BA (Hons), RGN, RHV, CPT Tutor/Practitioner – Nurse Prescribing Hull University doi:10.1054/nedt.2000.0490, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on
Social Policy and Health Care Kevin Gormley (Ed.) Churchill Livingstone, 1998 ISBN: 0–443–05747–8, 193 pages Price: £18.50
The lack of visibility of nurses and nursing when policy is being determined was described vividly in an ethnographic study of the introduction of general management into the NHS: The tensions to which this situation gave rise – the nursing group locked in the gravitational force of its internal preoccupations, and the others, on the outside, unable or unwilling to look in and comprehend the nature of nursing’s dilemmas – seemed to us to be the social equivalent of an astronomical Black Hole. The comparison of nursing with a black hole, generating no light but receiving influence from outside, provided a powerful analogy a decade ago, suggesting the lack of influence on, or even understanding of, health policy in nursing. While the astrophysical analogy may not bear very close examination, it suggested the important message that nurses need a grasp of policy and policy making in order to understand and influence their world. In his preface Kevin Gormley suggests that social policy be more widely taught in nursing courses than in the past, hence the need for this contribution to the limited supply of texts to support social policy teaching. One of the central problems for authors of such books is how to extend the currency beyond the immediate policy context. In an age of rapid change in health care and a World Wide Web that has raised our expectations of immediate information, books are more likely than not to appear dated on publication. Given the problems of production timetables it is not surprising, although still disappointing, that there is no mention of Primary Care Groups or even the
© 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd
Book/media review
concept of social exclusion in this book. An approach to the currency problem would be to deliberately omit matters of immediate significance and seek to equip students with a theoretical framework that could be applied to emerging issues. The introduction to this text is a well-written account of the scope of social policy study and its underlying principles. The authors go on to place policy problems in their historical context and readers are encouraged to extend their reading and knowledge, for example there are clear accounts of the history of welfare in Britain since the Middle Ages and of the formation of the NHS. However, a more ambitious approach could have been adopted to extending the discussion of central concepts in order to challenge readers to develop a conceptual framework that could be applied to their experiences in nursing. The concept of equity is of particular significance in health care and is incorporated into the current government’s expressed aims for the development of the NHS. There is limited discussion of the term although, to be fair, similarly inadequate attention is paid to examination of such concepts, in the opinion of this reviewer. The authors follow the modern practice of interspersing their text with suggested study activities designed to extend learning and reading. Some of these activities suggest a naively optimistic view of the student audience. As an English Literature graduate myself I could hardly complain about the suggestion that students should ‘Read one of Charles Dickens’s classics (e.g. David Copperfield or Oliver Twist ) to try and get a feel of what life was like for children during the 19th century. Organise a seminar with your colleagues to discuss your findings’. However, I
© 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd
have some doubts that this suggestion will lead anxious university librarians to re-classify Dickens as a short loan text in the face of overwhelming demand from nursing students. Even if this were to be the case, there must be doubts about the appropriateness of the suggested exercise. Is it not likely to reinforce assumptions that poverty and social problems are remote and distant rather than the stuff of everyday life? A placement in an inner city nursery or even a shift in an Accident and Emergency department could reveal more about the life of children who face deprivations and challenges that should be as much a cause for concern and action today as those described by Dickens. Nevertheless, the serious message that students should be encouraged to gain a historical perspective is appropriate. There are some important gaps in this text. It is surprising to find limited references to informal care and carers, in view of the likelihood that the audience will at least work with relatives of patients and could make decisions that have important consequences for their lives. However, this is a useful introductory text that should help to extend a basic understanding of the wider world of policy within nursing. Let us hope that a new generation of nurses can be encouraged to look beyond the preoccupations of nursing in order to understand the context within which nursing is practised and to make sure that a nursing perspective influences policy makers. Peter Callery RN, MSc, PhD Lecturer, University of Manchester, UK doi:10.1054/nedt.2000.0491, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on
Nurse Education Today (2000) 20, 418–421 421
The subject of nurse prescribing is analysed in this stimulating book, with not only the views of nurse prescribers but pharmacists, medical practitioners and lawmakers who give a fascinating and controversial insight into what they feel is the way forward for nurse prescribing. I suggest, if only for this one reason, that this book is well worth reading for current and prospective nurse prescribers in particular, as it will prepare them to address the types of issues that many other professionals are already asking about. The book follows a logical sequence, dealing with the issues involved with the whole ‘roll out’ programme from distribution of the ENB Open Learning Pack to the taught programme, and concluding with auditing and an evaluation of the whole methodology. The chapters are contributed by eminent writers in the field of nurse prescribing and feature ideas from some of the leaders in nurse prescribing which are thought provoking and often raise as many questions as answers. Indeed, it appears that this is the aim of the book as each chapter ends with further points for discussion. This can only been seen as a positive step as it further encourages nurses to be analytical and reflective about their practice. The chapter headed by Fiona Winstanley entitled ‘A Useful Attribute’ appears a key chapter for nurse prescribers in the fact that it follows through the whole process from the historical background and the evaluation of the pilot project sires. She then continues by examining pertinent areas such as protocol developments, accountability and ethical issues. Collaborative team working is also discussed and the chapter takes nurses through the central themes which have been encompassed into the taught aspects of the nurse prescribing programmes up and down the country. In conclusion, this is one of the pioneering books into this new and exciting development. Despite the title of the book, Nurse Prescribing…, it would be encouraging to think that other health care professionals who are able to prescribe would take the time out to read this book. This would not only give then an insight into some of the difficulties that the nursing profession has undergone to reach this status, but may also raise questions in their own minds. This may then have the effect of opening new
420
Nurse Education Today (2000) 20, 418–421
opportunities for the professions who are able to prescribe to work in closer harmony. John R. Berry BA (Hons), RGN, RHV, CPT Tutor/Practitioner – Nurse Prescribing Hull University doi:10.1054/nedt.2000.0490, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on
Social Policy and Health Care Kevin Gormley (Ed.) Churchill Livingstone, 1998 ISBN: 0–443–05747–8, 193 pages Price: £18.50
The lack of visibility of nurses and nursing when policy is being determined was described vividly in an ethnographic study of the introduction of general management into the NHS: The tensions to which this situation gave rise – the nursing group locked in the gravitational force of its internal preoccupations, and the others, on the outside, unable or unwilling to look in and comprehend the nature of nursing’s dilemmas – seemed to us to be the social equivalent of an astronomical Black Hole. The comparison of nursing with a black hole, generating no light but receiving influence from outside, provided a powerful analogy a decade ago, suggesting the lack of influence on, or even understanding of, health policy in nursing. While the astrophysical analogy may not bear very close examination, it suggested the important message that nurses need a grasp of policy and policy making in order to understand and influence their world. In his preface Kevin Gormley suggests that social policy be more widely taught in nursing courses than in the past, hence the need for this contribution to the limited supply of texts to support social policy teaching. One of the central problems for authors of such books is how to extend the currency beyond the immediate policy context. In an age of rapid change in health care and a World Wide Web that has raised our expectations of immediate information, books are more likely than not to appear dated on publication. Given the problems of production timetables it is not surprising, although still disappointing, that there is no mention of Primary Care Groups or even the
© 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd
Book/media review
concept of social exclusion in this book. An approach to the currency problem would be to deliberately omit matters of immediate significance and seek to equip students with a theoretical framework that could be applied to emerging issues. The introduction to this text is a well-written account of the scope of social policy study and its underlying principles. The authors go on to place policy problems in their historical context and readers are encouraged to extend their reading and knowledge, for example there are clear accounts of the history of welfare in Britain since the Middle Ages and of the formation of the NHS. However, a more ambitious approach could have been adopted to extending the discussion of central concepts in order to challenge readers to develop a conceptual framework that could be applied to their experiences in nursing. The concept of equity is of particular significance in health care and is incorporated into the current government’s expressed aims for the development of the NHS. There is limited discussion of the term although, to be fair, similarly inadequate attention is paid to examination of such concepts, in the opinion of this reviewer. The authors follow the modern practice of interspersing their text with suggested study activities designed to extend learning and reading. Some of these activities suggest a naively optimistic view of the student audience. As an English Literature graduate myself I could hardly complain about the suggestion that students should ‘Read one of Charles Dickens’s classics (e.g. David Copperfield or Oliver Twist ) to try and get a feel of what life was like for children during the 19th century. Organise a seminar with your colleagues to discuss your findings’. However, I
© 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd
have some doubts that this suggestion will lead anxious university librarians to re-classify Dickens as a short loan text in the face of overwhelming demand from nursing students. Even if this were to be the case, there must be doubts about the appropriateness of the suggested exercise. Is it not likely to reinforce assumptions that poverty and social problems are remote and distant rather than the stuff of everyday life? A placement in an inner city nursery or even a shift in an Accident and Emergency department could reveal more about the life of children who face deprivations and challenges that should be as much a cause for concern and action today as those described by Dickens. Nevertheless, the serious message that students should be encouraged to gain a historical perspective is appropriate. There are some important gaps in this text. It is surprising to find limited references to informal care and carers, in view of the likelihood that the audience will at least work with relatives of patients and could make decisions that have important consequences for their lives. However, this is a useful introductory text that should help to extend a basic understanding of the wider world of policy within nursing. Let us hope that a new generation of nurses can be encouraged to look beyond the preoccupations of nursing in order to understand the context within which nursing is practised and to make sure that a nursing perspective influences policy makers. Peter Callery RN, MSc, PhD Lecturer, University of Manchester, UK doi:10.1054/nedt.2000.0491, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on
Nurse Education Today (2000) 20, 418–421 421