Main description:

Succinct, complete guidance on how to safely and competently care for adult, critically ill patients and their families - written by top clinical experts
Endorsed by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), this acclaimed textbook sets the standard for critical care nursing education. Recognizing the learner's need to assimilate foundational knowledge before attempting to master more complex critical care nursing concepts, the book features a practical building-block organization that starts with the basics and logically progresses to advanced topics.
Bolstered by helpful tables and essential content cases, AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing is an essential tool for clinicians at the point of care, and those preparing for CCRN (R) certification in critical care nursing.
AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing, Fourth Edition is presented in four sections:
*The Essentials presents core information that new clinicians must understand to provide safe, competent nursing care to all critically ill patients, regardless of their underlying medical diagnoses.*Pathologic Conditions covers pathologic conditions and management strategies commonly encountered among adult critical care patients.*Advanced Concepts in Caring for the Critically Ill Patient moves beyond the essentials and includes information about specific pathologic conditions that require specialized critical care management. *Key Reference Information features normal laboratory and diagnostic values, troubleshooting guides for hemodynamic monitoring, summary tables of critical care drugs, and cardiac rhythms and treatment guides.
Learning aids include Knowledge Competencies that can be used to gauge progress, Priniciples of Management to summarize key concepts and "Essential Content" case studies with questions and answers to further reinforce the learners' knowledge.

Contents:

Section I. The Essentials

1. Assessment of Critically Ill Patients and Their Families

2. Planning Care for Critically Ill Patients and Their Families

3. Interpretation and Management of Basic Cardiac Rhythms

4. Hemodynamic Monitoring

5. Airway and Ventilatory Management

6. Pain, Sedation, and Neuromuscular Blockade Management

7. Pharmacology

8. Ethical and Legal Considerations

Section II. Pathologic Conditions

9. Cardiovascular System

10. Respiratory System

11. Multisystem Problems

12. Neurologic System

13. Hematologic and Immune Systems

14. Gastrointestinal System

15. Renal System

16. Endocrine System

17. Trauma

Section III. Advanced Concepts in Caring for the Critically Ill Patient

18. Advanced ECG Concepts

19. Advanced Cardiovascular Concepts

20. Advanced Respiratory Concepts: Modes of Ventilation

21. Advanced Neurologic Concepts

Section IV. Key Reference Information

22. Normal Values Table

23. Pharmacology Tables

24. Advanced Cardiac Life Support Algorithms

25. Hemodynamic Troubleshooting Guide

26. Cardiac Rhythms, ECG Characteristics, and Treatment Guide