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Sociology. An introduction for nurses, midwives and health visitors
BOOK REVIEWS
315
selection of the appropriate section easy. Each chapter is followed by a lengthy reference list, and recommended reading from these lists is indicated. There is also a detailed index. This is a wide scope, introductory textbook to the subject of nutrition, and as such has much to recommend it. Each individual topic is not covered in any great depth, and therefore the book is not to be recommended for the specialist, but for the general nurse, or someone new to the subject of nutrition the style and approach of the book makes the subject interesting and coupled with the further recommended reading provides a detailed introduction to almost all aspects of the subject. E. JANE CHAPMAN,B.Sc., S.R.N.
Sociology. An Introduction for Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors. Caroline Cox. Butterworth, 1983. pp. xiii + 214. The preface to this text informs us that it is designed for two kinds of reader. It is intended for the person who has no knowledge of sociology as a discipline and who can therefore use the book as an introductory guide to the subject. It is also intended to serve as a text for those with some knowledge of sociology who have a particular interest in its relevance and application to health care and professional practice. This dual readership aim can and does pose problems of level and selectivity of material of the kind that will be well known to anyone who has taught an introductory course in sociology to an audience with varying degrees of familiarity with a subject for which many people claim an intuitive expertise. Before we consider how far the author has succeeded in her stated task, let us review the content of the book. Unusually for a sociological work-although perhaps not for nursing texts-the book makes extensive use of pictures and diagrams. This is allied with a narrative that is broken up into a large number of short sections, many consisting of one brief paragraph, followed by a summary, questions, and short bibliographies. This approach is undoubtedly useful to new students, finding their way through an unfamiliar perspective on the world but it does lead to an impression that sociology can be usefully summarized into a loosely related collection of factual and theoretical ‘bits’ that can each stand alone. There is, for example, a section on Marx and social class which consists of two quite short paragraphs, followed by an equally short section on Weber and social stratification. Most introductory texts have found it necessary to take from ten pages to two chapters to deal with these two topics. Parts II and IV of the book deal with health care and the application of sociology to it. They provide a compressed but lucid guide to an analysis of the main issues. Baroness Cox’s wide professional and academic experience stand her in very good stead here and students will undoubtedly find these sections valuable and stimulating. How far then, has the author succeeded? Much better, in my view, as an introductory text for absolute beginners than for those with some familiarity with sociology. The latter may well find many sections of the work too elementary and too compressed in range. The difficulty is, perhaps, not so much in attempting to satisfy two kinds of readership
316
BOOK RE VIE WS
but in trying to compress two quite different books in a very small compass. One is an introductory sociology text, the other a review of the application of sociology to health care: both could quite easily have occupied the space of the whole text to the benefit of interested readers. Nevertheless, this is a welcome addition to the literature which will undoubtedly find its way on to the shelves of many students. W. M. WILLIAMS
General Surgery and The Nurse. Robert
E. Horton.
Modern
Nursing
Series. Price E4.95.
A well written book which provides an interesting account of general surgery. The level is appropriate to the trainee nurse, who should find that it makes a useful contribution to her understanding of nursing the surgical patient. A good working knowledge of the rationale of surgical treatment is essential to the nurse both in the understanding of her actions and in alleviating the fears of the patient. Many general nursing textbooks do not cover this area to any great extent; however, this book manages to fill this gap. Each chapter begins with a concise outline of the anatomy and physiology of a system, and then the appropriate investigations and surgical procedures relating to disorders of the system are explained. The diagrams which accompany each chapter are particularly useful in elucidating the more complex procedures. JENNIFERHART, B.Sc., S.R.N.
A Colour Atlas of Geriatric Medicine. Asif Kamal and J. C. Brocklehurst. London (1983). 176 pp. Price f25.
Wolfe Medical,
The first three introductory chapters of this atlas present an overview of geriatric medicine, illness in old age and medical assessment of elderly patients. Subsequent chapters, devoted to the pictorial presentation of common disorders of elderly people, are divided on the basis of anatomy, e.g. head, face and neck, chest and abdomen. The final chapter focuses on the topical issue of hypothermia. Each of these illustrated sections contains tables of causes and features of many of the disorders and subjects presented. Through the use of excellent photographs and helpful tabloid presentation of facts, this book manages to cover a very wide range of subjects, all of which will be of interest to those practising and/or teaching the care of elderly people. The chapter on disorders of the brain is particularly informative and well presented. The price of this book may seem high, but in view of the quality of the illustrations and presentation it is value for money. It is the hope of the authors that this atlas of geriatric medicine will be of especial value to doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and medical students, but the text is essentially addressed to junior doctors and medical students. The book will be of value to nurses in the same way that other medical text books are, namely as a reference book. For those teaching care of the elderly this atlas will make a valuable addition to the book shelves and may also find use as a teaching aid for small groups. KARENR. Lowb
315
selection of the appropriate section easy. Each chapter is followed by a lengthy reference list, and recommended reading from these lists is indicated. There is also a detailed index. This is a wide scope, introductory textbook to the subject of nutrition, and as such has much to recommend it. Each individual topic is not covered in any great depth, and therefore the book is not to be recommended for the specialist, but for the general nurse, or someone new to the subject of nutrition the style and approach of the book makes the subject interesting and coupled with the further recommended reading provides a detailed introduction to almost all aspects of the subject. E. JANE CHAPMAN,B.Sc., S.R.N.
Sociology. An Introduction for Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors. Caroline Cox. Butterworth, 1983. pp. xiii + 214. The preface to this text informs us that it is designed for two kinds of reader. It is intended for the person who has no knowledge of sociology as a discipline and who can therefore use the book as an introductory guide to the subject. It is also intended to serve as a text for those with some knowledge of sociology who have a particular interest in its relevance and application to health care and professional practice. This dual readership aim can and does pose problems of level and selectivity of material of the kind that will be well known to anyone who has taught an introductory course in sociology to an audience with varying degrees of familiarity with a subject for which many people claim an intuitive expertise. Before we consider how far the author has succeeded in her stated task, let us review the content of the book. Unusually for a sociological work-although perhaps not for nursing texts-the book makes extensive use of pictures and diagrams. This is allied with a narrative that is broken up into a large number of short sections, many consisting of one brief paragraph, followed by a summary, questions, and short bibliographies. This approach is undoubtedly useful to new students, finding their way through an unfamiliar perspective on the world but it does lead to an impression that sociology can be usefully summarized into a loosely related collection of factual and theoretical ‘bits’ that can each stand alone. There is, for example, a section on Marx and social class which consists of two quite short paragraphs, followed by an equally short section on Weber and social stratification. Most introductory texts have found it necessary to take from ten pages to two chapters to deal with these two topics. Parts II and IV of the book deal with health care and the application of sociology to it. They provide a compressed but lucid guide to an analysis of the main issues. Baroness Cox’s wide professional and academic experience stand her in very good stead here and students will undoubtedly find these sections valuable and stimulating. How far then, has the author succeeded? Much better, in my view, as an introductory text for absolute beginners than for those with some familiarity with sociology. The latter may well find many sections of the work too elementary and too compressed in range. The difficulty is, perhaps, not so much in attempting to satisfy two kinds of readership
316
BOOK RE VIE WS
but in trying to compress two quite different books in a very small compass. One is an introductory sociology text, the other a review of the application of sociology to health care: both could quite easily have occupied the space of the whole text to the benefit of interested readers. Nevertheless, this is a welcome addition to the literature which will undoubtedly find its way on to the shelves of many students. W. M. WILLIAMS
General Surgery and The Nurse. Robert
E. Horton.
Modern
Nursing
Series. Price E4.95.
A well written book which provides an interesting account of general surgery. The level is appropriate to the trainee nurse, who should find that it makes a useful contribution to her understanding of nursing the surgical patient. A good working knowledge of the rationale of surgical treatment is essential to the nurse both in the understanding of her actions and in alleviating the fears of the patient. Many general nursing textbooks do not cover this area to any great extent; however, this book manages to fill this gap. Each chapter begins with a concise outline of the anatomy and physiology of a system, and then the appropriate investigations and surgical procedures relating to disorders of the system are explained. The diagrams which accompany each chapter are particularly useful in elucidating the more complex procedures. JENNIFERHART, B.Sc., S.R.N.
A Colour Atlas of Geriatric Medicine. Asif Kamal and J. C. Brocklehurst. London (1983). 176 pp. Price f25.
Wolfe Medical,
The first three introductory chapters of this atlas present an overview of geriatric medicine, illness in old age and medical assessment of elderly patients. Subsequent chapters, devoted to the pictorial presentation of common disorders of elderly people, are divided on the basis of anatomy, e.g. head, face and neck, chest and abdomen. The final chapter focuses on the topical issue of hypothermia. Each of these illustrated sections contains tables of causes and features of many of the disorders and subjects presented. Through the use of excellent photographs and helpful tabloid presentation of facts, this book manages to cover a very wide range of subjects, all of which will be of interest to those practising and/or teaching the care of elderly people. The chapter on disorders of the brain is particularly informative and well presented. The price of this book may seem high, but in view of the quality of the illustrations and presentation it is value for money. It is the hope of the authors that this atlas of geriatric medicine will be of especial value to doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and medical students, but the text is essentially addressed to junior doctors and medical students. The book will be of value to nurses in the same way that other medical text books are, namely as a reference book. For those teaching care of the elderly this atlas will make a valuable addition to the book shelves and may also find use as a teaching aid for small groups. KARENR. Lowb