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Understanding perioperative nursing
Book reviews
Understanding Perioperative Nursing Kate Nightingale (ed.),Arnold, 1999 ISBN 0 340 7053 6, Price: s 18.99 The title of this book reflects a challenging and fast changing area of health care that can no longer be identified as merely theatre nursing, that was, seemingly, isolated from the rest of the hospital and where the focus was entirely on the theatre procedures in support of the surgeon. The new image of the perioperative nurse is one who takes responsibility for patients undergoing surgery from preassessment through to post operative recovery. The role is constantly evolving as surgical and anaesthetic techniques develop and short stay and day surgery becomes much more a norm. As a result Nightingale states at the outset that she has 'edited out' all outdated terms unless used historically. Although it might seem at first blush that this book is written primarily for perioperative nurses, it would be a shame if such an admirable text was not seen and used by nurses in other areas of care. As stated in the preface, this is not a textbook but an opportunity for debate to be raised in pertinent issues affecting perioperative care. It is written by those whose expertise may not be limited to the focus of the text but who may have taken their careers in specific directions be it the law, management, industry and education. Each bring a degree of erudition and lively provocation in their contribution to the text, which makes the book both a pleasure and a challenge to read. The content indeed looks at perioperative care issues but must reflect, in no small part, issues for the profession as a whole. The book consists of 15 chapters addressing four main themes: development issues, education, management and finally change. Each chapter is set out clearly and logically ending with a section on reflective activities and usefnl 'endnotes'. Perioperative nursing comes across as a challenging and dynamic area of care and certainly more than the outdated image of the stereotypical theatre nurse. By looking at the past the present and the speculative future, issues addressed range through such things as education, leadership, infection control, risk management, research and even the role of the 'company representative'. The perspectives offered are not only British, but also European and Australian and the tenor is such that the reader tends only to be made aware of the opportunities and not for any possible threats that, one might suggest, may be perceived by those currently in such roles and positions. If there is a criticism that can be evelled it is perhaps that the book lacks the patient's perspective - the lived experience of the consumer of these developing skills. It is invidious to suggest that a text includes content that was simply not part of the identified remit but, in the current climate of concern for surgical patients at the 'extremes of age', a chapter addressing the vulnerable patient might have been a useful addition.
189
Despite this reservation, this book has much to commend it and although focuses on the role of the nurse in perioperative care must have much to offer not only to other nurses in differrent fields of practice, but also other non-nursing members in the operating.
Tonks N. Fawcett Behavioural Relaxation Training and Assessment (2nd edn) Roger Poppen, 1998, Sage Publications ISBN 0 7619 1201 0 (paperback), Price: s A practical textbook on relaxation training probably needs to past at least three tests if it is to be of real benefit to nurses. The first is that it should explain the mechanisms of relaxation which enable a patient (or as Poppen puts it a trainee) to obtain real benefit. Secondly, it should clearly explain the techniques that may be used to therapeutic effect. Finally, it should offer guidance to practitioners who operate within the untidy and complex world of clinical practice - rather than the privileged surroundings of the therapist's consulting rooms. This second edition of Poppen's text substantially passes such tests and represents a useful resource to nurses who practice both within mental and physical health care settings. The book is divided up into five chapters. The first two of these review what is known about the mechanisms of relaxation and summarise the different theories that prompt the various approaches to relaxation therapy. To be fair. Poppen offers fairly complex explanation of the presumed physiological and psychological processes associated with anxiety and relaxation. This will seem tough going to nurses who are not familiar with different theories of cognition, and the function of the autonomic nervous system. Beyond that, however, the text emerges with the reflection that we know that relaxation often has beneficial effect, but we cannot be sure by what mechanisms that is finally achieved. Such candour is refreshing after the preceding review. in later chapters Poppen advocates the use of a behavioural relaxation scale and a specific training technique. Whilst this is enthusiastically put. Poppen does offer a range of research to back up the efficacy of such a technique and draws attention to the merits of the relaxation technique (and scale) within the practice as well as the research setting. A reasoned case is made for standardizing ways of assessing whether a trainee has achieved a relaxed state, both in individual training sessions and across a span of treatment. To facilitate this, the text includes detailed descriptions of relaxed and nonrelaxed states, using illustrations of body and facial posture. ! found such explanations clear and concise, with an exceptionally good step by step explanation of how to score relaxation on the scale offered within
Understanding Perioperative Nursing Kate Nightingale (ed.),Arnold, 1999 ISBN 0 340 7053 6, Price: s 18.99 The title of this book reflects a challenging and fast changing area of health care that can no longer be identified as merely theatre nursing, that was, seemingly, isolated from the rest of the hospital and where the focus was entirely on the theatre procedures in support of the surgeon. The new image of the perioperative nurse is one who takes responsibility for patients undergoing surgery from preassessment through to post operative recovery. The role is constantly evolving as surgical and anaesthetic techniques develop and short stay and day surgery becomes much more a norm. As a result Nightingale states at the outset that she has 'edited out' all outdated terms unless used historically. Although it might seem at first blush that this book is written primarily for perioperative nurses, it would be a shame if such an admirable text was not seen and used by nurses in other areas of care. As stated in the preface, this is not a textbook but an opportunity for debate to be raised in pertinent issues affecting perioperative care. It is written by those whose expertise may not be limited to the focus of the text but who may have taken their careers in specific directions be it the law, management, industry and education. Each bring a degree of erudition and lively provocation in their contribution to the text, which makes the book both a pleasure and a challenge to read. The content indeed looks at perioperative care issues but must reflect, in no small part, issues for the profession as a whole. The book consists of 15 chapters addressing four main themes: development issues, education, management and finally change. Each chapter is set out clearly and logically ending with a section on reflective activities and usefnl 'endnotes'. Perioperative nursing comes across as a challenging and dynamic area of care and certainly more than the outdated image of the stereotypical theatre nurse. By looking at the past the present and the speculative future, issues addressed range through such things as education, leadership, infection control, risk management, research and even the role of the 'company representative'. The perspectives offered are not only British, but also European and Australian and the tenor is such that the reader tends only to be made aware of the opportunities and not for any possible threats that, one might suggest, may be perceived by those currently in such roles and positions. If there is a criticism that can be evelled it is perhaps that the book lacks the patient's perspective - the lived experience of the consumer of these developing skills. It is invidious to suggest that a text includes content that was simply not part of the identified remit but, in the current climate of concern for surgical patients at the 'extremes of age', a chapter addressing the vulnerable patient might have been a useful addition.
189
Despite this reservation, this book has much to commend it and although focuses on the role of the nurse in perioperative care must have much to offer not only to other nurses in differrent fields of practice, but also other non-nursing members in the operating.
Tonks N. Fawcett Behavioural Relaxation Training and Assessment (2nd edn) Roger Poppen, 1998, Sage Publications ISBN 0 7619 1201 0 (paperback), Price: s A practical textbook on relaxation training probably needs to past at least three tests if it is to be of real benefit to nurses. The first is that it should explain the mechanisms of relaxation which enable a patient (or as Poppen puts it a trainee) to obtain real benefit. Secondly, it should clearly explain the techniques that may be used to therapeutic effect. Finally, it should offer guidance to practitioners who operate within the untidy and complex world of clinical practice - rather than the privileged surroundings of the therapist's consulting rooms. This second edition of Poppen's text substantially passes such tests and represents a useful resource to nurses who practice both within mental and physical health care settings. The book is divided up into five chapters. The first two of these review what is known about the mechanisms of relaxation and summarise the different theories that prompt the various approaches to relaxation therapy. To be fair. Poppen offers fairly complex explanation of the presumed physiological and psychological processes associated with anxiety and relaxation. This will seem tough going to nurses who are not familiar with different theories of cognition, and the function of the autonomic nervous system. Beyond that, however, the text emerges with the reflection that we know that relaxation often has beneficial effect, but we cannot be sure by what mechanisms that is finally achieved. Such candour is refreshing after the preceding review. in later chapters Poppen advocates the use of a behavioural relaxation scale and a specific training technique. Whilst this is enthusiastically put. Poppen does offer a range of research to back up the efficacy of such a technique and draws attention to the merits of the relaxation technique (and scale) within the practice as well as the research setting. A reasoned case is made for standardizing ways of assessing whether a trainee has achieved a relaxed state, both in individual training sessions and across a span of treatment. To facilitate this, the text includes detailed descriptions of relaxed and nonrelaxed states, using illustrations of body and facial posture. ! found such explanations clear and concise, with an exceptionally good step by step explanation of how to score relaxation on the scale offered within