Main description:

This book provides Nurse Practitioners working in the field of Acute Medicine with an up to date, practical, and comprehensive guide to the management of acute medical patients. It serves as a text from which the busy highly skilled nurse can obtain information on assessment, diagnosis, and management of acute medical conditions. It identifies priorities for treatment and guides the reader through the management of the patient. Wherever possible the latest published guidelines have been included. The final chapter of the book considers the legal, professional and ethical issues faced by nurses working at an advanced level. The issues of role development, the development of protocols and prescribing are considered.

Contents:

Foreword. Preface. Introduction. Chapter 1 - Assessment. A step by step approach to history taking. The functional enquiry. Physical examination. The cardiovascular examination. The respiratory examination. The abdominal examination. The neurological examination. Psychiatric history and examination. Chapter 2 - Emergencies. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Acute anaphylaxis. Cardio-respiratory arrest. Chapter 3 - Acute poisoning and drug overdose. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Paracetamol overdose. Aspirin overdose. Tricyclic overdose. Alcohol overdose. Alcohol withdrawal. Drug withdrawal. Chapter 4 - Infection. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Sepsis and septic shock. Meningitis. Infective endocarditis. Gastroenteritis. Urinary Tract Infection. Fever in the returning traveller. Hot swollen joints. Chapter 5 - Respiratory conditions. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Asthma. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Pulmonary Embolism. Pneumothorax. Community Acquired Pneumonia. Hospital Acquired Pneumonia. Type I Respiratory Failure. Type II Respiratory Failure. Chapter 6 - Cardiovascular conditions. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Acute Coronary Syndromes. Acute Myocardial Infarction. Arrhythmias. Atrial Fibrillation. Cardiac Failure. Deep Vein Thrombosis. Aortic dissection. Cardiac tamponade. Chapter 7 - Gastrointestinal conditions. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Acute liver failure and encephalopathy. Ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease. Chapter 8 - Metabolic conditions. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Non-Ketotic Hyperosmolar Coma. Hypoglycaemia. Hyperglycaemia in the critically ill patient. Hypercalcaemia. Hyponatraemia. Hypernatraemia. Hypokalaemia. Hyperkalaemia. Addisonian crisis. Thyroid crisis. Myxedema crisis. Chapter 9 - Neurological conditions. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Status Epilepticus. Stroke. Isolated seizure and unexplained loss of consciousness. Headache. Subarachnoid haemorrhage. Chapter 10 - Renovascular conditions. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Acute Renal Failure. Accelerated (malignant) hypertension. Chapter 11 - Elderly Care. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Hypothermia. Confusion. Chapter 12 - Haematological conditions. The assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of: Severe anaemia. Sickle cell crisis. Neutropenic sepsis. Blood transfusion guidance. Chapter 13 - Advanced Practice. Legal, ethical and professional issues. Informed consent. Assessment of capacity. Role Development. Prescribing. Appendices. Examples of:. Clinical Management Plans. Patient Group Directions. Glossary. Subject Index.