Emergency nursing: With certification preparation and review

Flight Nursing: Principles and Practice. 2 n d ed. S e m o n i n Holleran R, editor. St. Louis: Mosby, 1996, 728 pp., $64.95. ISBN 0-8151-7471-3. T h e creation of t h e CFRN (Certified Flight R e g i s t e r e d Nurse) e x a m i n a t i o n in 1994, along w i t h t h e c o n t i n u e d g r o w t h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t of flight nursing, d e m o n s t r a t e d t h e n e e d for a n u p d a t e d a n d e x p a n d e d t e x t b o o k on flight nursing. This edition of t h e 1991 book e d i t e d by Genell Lee c o n t a i n s n e w chapters, clinical information, a n d c a s e studi e s - - a l l w r i t t e n b y practicing flight n u r s e s a n d allied h e a l t h professionals. I felt, on r e a d i n g t h e book, t h a t t h e title m a y c a u s e n u r s e s n o t involved w i t h air t r a n s p o r t a n d other h e a l t h care professionals to overlook it. The book, a l t h o u g h a i m e d at flight nurses, h a s s o m e t h i n g for all h e a l t h care providers. C h a p t e r s involving p r e h o s p i t a l care, e m e r g e n c y care, a n d critical care, as well as personal care (stress debriefing, safety, a n d survival), are i n t e r e s t i n g a n d informative. Other c h a p t e r s on c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , m a n a g e m e n t , a n d marketi n g - p u b l i c relations c o n t a i n information t h a t c a n b e u s e d b y all h e a l t h care professionals. T h e book is b e t t e r organized a n d m i s s i o n o r i e n t e d t h a n t h e first edition. The purposes, philosophies, a n d goals of t h e National Flight N u r s e Association, flight nursing, a n d t h e text are p r e s e n t e d to give t h e reader a n i d e a of t h e c h a n g e s in t h e i n d u s t r y a n d t h e profession. This s e c o n d edition also d e m o n s t r a t e s h o w w e i n t e r a c t as professionals in all a s p e c t s of t h e m e d i c a l a n d p a t i e n t air t r a n s p o r t indust r y - - i m p o r t a n t lessons if w e are to c o n t i n u e to grow a n d change. T h e 38 c h a p t e r s are well writteii arrd aide o r g a n i z e d into s e v e n s e c t i o n s t h a t provide a n organized"~flow of information. i typical c h a p t e r starts w i t h a list of c o m p e t e n c i e s t h a t provide t h e reader w i t h goals. G r a p h s a n d h i g h l i g h t e d c h a r t s a n d information, as well as p h o t o g r a p h s , d r a w t h e r e a d e r ' s a t t e n t i o n to i m p o r t a n t p o i n t s t h a t e n h a n c e t h e e d u c a t i o n a l experience. T h e inclusion of c a s e s t u d i e s at t h e e n d of t h e clinical c h a p t e r s assists in t y i n g t h e information together. C h a p t e r 37 is of special i n t e r e s t b e c a u s e it outlines a p p r o a c h e s to m a r k e t i n g a n d public relations, w h i c h are so J Emerg Nurs 1997;23:622-3. Copyright © 1997 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 0099-1767/97 $5.00 + 0 18/64/86403

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Volume 23, Number 6

valuable in t h e h e a l t h care i n d u s t r y today. This c h a p t e r d e s e r v e s to b e r e a d by all h e a l t h care professionals. It is m a r k e t i n g a n d public relations 101 in a short, concise, a n d r e a d a b l e format. I only w i s h t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d a b o u t t h e h i s t o r y a n d e v o l u t i o n of flight n u r s i n g could h a v e b e e n e x p a n d e d a n d t h a t s o m e of t h e .key p e r s o n s i n v o l v e d could h a v e b e e n b e t t e r p r e s e n t e d . All h e a l t h c a r e professionals involved with the patient transport industry w o u l d b e n e f i t from t h i s book. It c a n b e u s e d as a g e n e r a l text, a r e v i e w for t h e CFRN e x a m i n a t i o n , or a v i e w into t h e r e a l m of a n i n d u s t r y a n d p r a c t i c e t h a t e v e n t u a l l y t o u c h e s u s alI.--JFA

Emergency Nursing: With Certification Preparation and Review. 4th ed. Lanros NE, Barber JM, editors. Stamford (CT): A p p l e t o n & Lange, 664 pp., ISBN 0-8385-0437-X. "A r e f r e s h i n g d e p a r t u r e from t h e u s u a l t e x t s " is t h e c l a i m m a d e in t h e p r e f a c e of t h i s f o u r t h r e v i s i o n of a t e x t t h a t d e b u t e d in 1978. A l t h o u g h t h e a u t h o r s h a v e u p d a t e d t h e i r i n f o r m a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g s u c h t o p i c s as c o n s c i o u s s e d a t i o n , m a n a g e d care, a n d s t r e s s m a n a g e m e n t for t h e n u r s e , t h e overall i n f o r m a t i o n s e e m s to b e m o r e a d e q u a t e for a n e n t r y - l e v e l e m e r g e n c y n u r s i n g c o u r s e t h a n for a " r e f r e s h i n g " r e f e r e n c e m a n u a l for c e r t i f i c a t i o n preparation. The text is well organized, b e g i n n i n g w i t h a t h o r o u g h s e c t i o n on " A s s e s s m e n t a n d Triage," w h i c h is a r r a n g e d in c h a p t e r s b y b o d y system. The information p r e s e n t e d is accurate, a n d t h e illustrations are clear. L e a r n i n g objectives follow e a c h chapter, a n d t h e r e is a 3 4 0 - q u e s t i o n r e v i e w t e s t at t h e e n d of t h e book. Basic information on t h e history of triage, t y p e s of triage, a n d e s t a b l i s h m e n t of individual triage s y s t e m s is p r e s e n t e d . Also i n c l u d e d is a brief discussion of interhospital transfer of patients. Section II covers "Life Support a n d Resuscitation." T h e c h a p t e r on "Airway M a n a g e m e n t " h a s s o m e good illustrations a n d c o n t a i n s a brief p a r a g r a p h on r a p i d - s e q u e n c e intubation, as well as s u b s e c t i o n s a b o u t alternative invasive airways. T h e c h a p t e r on "Shock S t a t e s a n d Fluid Resuscitation" c o n t a i n s concise b u t b a s i c s t r a t e g i e s for m a n a g e m e n t of shock. Sections 3 and 4 contain the usual information about t r a u m a t i c i n j u r i e s a n d m e d i c a l e m e r g e n c i e s . T h e illust r a t i o n s a n d d i a g r a m s are good, e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e d e s c r i b -

JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY NURSING

i n g w o u n d closure t e c h n i q u e s . S e c t i o n 5, " E m e r g e n c y Department Management and Professional Issues," t o u c h e s briefly on a w i d e v a r i e t y of legal i s s u e s , as well as t o p i c s s u c h as p a t i e n t flow a n d w o r k i n g w i t h e m e r gency technicians and a few paragraphs about managing nurse stress. This is a readable t e x t w i t h excellent r e f e r e n c e s a n d bibiliography. It would definitely b e valuable for t h e n o v i c e e m e r g e n c y n u r s e a n d would likely provide a n easy-to-read b a s i c r e v i e w for c e r t i f i c a t i o n . - - V C

BOOKREVIEWERS James F. Armstrong, RN, BSN, CFRN, CCRN, is Flight N u r s e , PENNSTAR F l i g h t P r o g r a m , U n i v e r s i t y P e n n s y l v a n i a Health Systems, Philadelphia.

of

Vicki Cadweil, RN, BS, CEN, CCRN, MICN, is C h a r g e Nurse, E m e r g e n c y Care Unit, H o a g Memorial Hospital, N e w p o r t Beach, California, a n d A s s o c i a t e Faculty, Division of Health Sciences, S a d d l e b a c k College, Mission Viejo, California.

A Look Back: Wound care throughout the ages It is said t h a t " m e d i c i n e b e g a n w h e n t h e first s t o n e tore into his skin." A l t h o u g h s c i e n c e c a n n o t p i n p o i n t exactly w h e n m a n first a p p e a r e d on earth, it is clear t h a t our a n c e s t o r s w e r e vulnerable to all t y p e s of injuries. Primitive m e d i c i n e , particularly in t h e area of w o u n d care, relied heavily on n a t u r e a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l influences. During prehistoric times, w o u n d s w e r e licked clean a n d a c h e w e d p l a n t cud, leaf, or other p l a n t part w a s applied as a dressing. S o m e p l a n t s p o s s e s s e d other t h e r a p e u t i c properties; willow bark (related to salicylates) a n d p o p p y juice (opium) w e r e u s e d to d e c r e a s e pain, a n d sassafras a i d e d w o u n d healing. Plants, t h o u g h , w e r e n o t t h e only r e m e d y for wounds. A n c i e n t E g y p t i a n s r e c o m m e n d e d r a w m e a t and, t h r o u g h t h e ages, a n i m a l e x c r e m e n t w a s laid directly on t h e w o u n d - - a t r e a t m e n t k n o w n worldwide. Closing large w o u n d s w a s also r e c o g n i z e d as a priority. Stone A g e m a n probably u s e d b o n e n e e d l e s for suturing. P e r h a p s t h e m o s t clever proc e d u r e for closing w o u n d s , though, c o m e s from t r i b e s in India a n d South America. A tribal s u r g e o n would b r i n g t h e w o u n d e d g e s together, at w h i c h p o i n t a n a s s i s t a n t allowed a t e r m i t e or b e e t l e to bite across t h e m . A s t h e i n s e c t took a good b i t e of t h e tissue, its n e c k w a s quickly t w i s t e d off. T h e i n s e c t ' s jaw, stiffened in death, m a d e a perfect w o u n d clamp!--Linda

Manley, RN, BSN, CEN, CCRN

Suggested reading Snyder CC. Primitive m a n a n d m e d i c i n e . T h e virtual hospital. Iowa City (IA): University of Iowa; 1997. h t t p : / / w w w . v h . org/Providers/Textbooks/SnyderMedHx/SyllabusTitlePage.htlm. H a e g e r K. T h e illustrated history of surgery. N e w York: Bell P u b l i s h i n g Co.; 1998. p. 9-10.

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