NURSE EDUCATION
followed in chapter 7 by a drawing together of themes central to the preceding theoretical and empirical discussion, Finally, a posts...
followed in chapter 7 by a drawing together of themes central to the preceding theoretical and empirical discussion, Finally, a postscript is provided in chapter 8. The author offers a wider view of related problems and considers attitudes to, for example, people with AIDS. The book is well referenced and indexed. It is a difficult book to read, however, which may be due to the nature of the subject itself. The style is informative and the reported research has been presented interestingly to hold the attention of the reader. It is an important and useful contribution to nursing the dying and should most certainly be added to a library list. CYNTHIA
Y AKINSANYA
RGN RM NDN CERT PWT PGCEA DNT
TODAY
Handbook of perinatal infection 2 Ed J L Sever et al Little Brown 1989 2OOpp illus ISBN: 0-316-78171-l
3 19
gl5.95
Initially this recently updated handbook appears a concise, authoritative and readable reference book written by and targeted at medical students, doctors and laboratory staff. As it is an American text it does not highlight the British perspectives of these infections. The references are predominantly American and pre 1986 and the limited number of illustrations are black and white. It is of concern that the chapter on AIDS is now out of date and could be confusing and misleading to readers who do not have up-to-date information on this vital issue. However, taking these comments into consideration, the general presentation of the information related to viral, bacterial, parasitical and fungal infections in the baby and infant may be useful as a secondary reference source to midwives and paediatric nurses. JENNIFER A JONES
RGN RSCN RCNT RNT Dip N(Lon) MSc Understanding medical immunology 2 Ed E Kirkwood & C Lewis John Wiley 1989 179pp illus ISBN: o-471-91577-7 02.50 I have no hesitation in recommending this text book. It is immensely readable, the text being presented without the use of extensive terminology or immunological jargon and is well supported by clear graphical illustrations. For student and graduate nurses who are particularly interested in extending their knowledge and understanding of immunology, this book should prove an asset. The second edition is extended to include an invaluable and very informative section on AIDS. The authors should be congratulated on clearly presenting a subject which is important to the nursing profession in relation to the promotion of health and prevention of illness, in this clear simplified text. The four sections cover: 1. The basic principles: including the immune system, immune responses, and systems which complement the immune systeme etc. 2. Clinical conditions involving immunological mechanisms: including transplantation and tumour immunology. 3. AIDS: including clinical features and management of the HIV-infected patient. 4. Immunological investigations and procedures. The book according to the authors is primarily written for nurses, I feel it accomplishes that aim and brings out the basic concepts of immunology and is well worth purchasing. CLIFF BECKETT
BA(Hons) RGN RMN Dip N PGCEA MBPqS
The nurses dictionary 30 Ed (revised) C Brooker Faber & Faber 1989 472pp ISBN: o-571-15312-7 f2.99 This little book is slightly larger than some of the other Nurses’ Dictionaries available but could still be termed ‘pocket size’. The quality of paper seems rather poor but the print is a reasonable size which should be easy to read at a quick glance. The preface states that the primary purpose of this dictionary is to provide an easily understood working definition of some of the words and terms involved in the practice of nursing. It seems to full?1 this objective although sometimes more information is given than is necessary for a dictionary. If the user wants other than a brief definition they should be referring to textbooks rather than a dictionary. The various appendices are a useful addition and they have avoided a section on first aid which many dictionaries seem to feel is necessary and is usually a waste of paper. I would be happy to recommend this dictionary to student nurses who were unsure which to buy. JANICE M MCCALL
RGN RCNT
A survey of human diseases D T & R B Purtilo Little Brown & Co. 1989 544pp illus ISBN: o-316-72250-2
224.00
Understanding the altered physiology always been a pre-requisite to safe