Introduction

Acknowledgements

Author Biographies

PART 1 COMMUNICATION

1 Interpersonal skills
Communication skills
Dementia and interpersonal skills
Dealing with aggression and violence

2 Assessment of patients
Introduction
What is assessment?
Patient assessment
Care planning
Implementation
Evaluation

3 Transferring and discharging patients
Patient transfers
Patient discharges

4 Pain management
The aetiology of pain
Types of pain
Symptoms of pain
Pain management
The treatment of pain
Non-pharmacological options for pain management

5 Venepuncture and cannulation
Introduction
The structure of veins
The circulatory system
Important considerations when performing venepuncture and cannulation
Venepuncture and cannulation

PART 2 PERSONAL CARE

6 Personal hygiene
Introduction
Preparation for a bed bath
Hair care
Nail care
Oral care
Immersion bath
Bed making

7 Catheterisation (male and female)
Introduction
What is urinary catheterisation?
Male catheterisation
Female catheterisation
Catheter care
Removal of urinary catheters

8 Bowel care, suppositories and enemata
Introduction
Monitoring bowel function
Administration of suppositories
Following the administration of suppositories
Enemata
Administration of enemata
Following enema administration

9 Skin integrity assessment and pressure area care
Introduction
How and why do pressure ulcers develop?
Pressure ulcer risk assessment
Preventing the development of pressure ulcers

PART 3 CARE AND COMPASSION

10 Nutritional support, hydration and fluid balance
Overview of nutritional issues
Nutritional assessment
Encouraging and supporting dietary intake
Enteral nutrition
Hydration and fluid balance

11 Moving and handling
Overview of manual handling practice
Legislative and professional aspects of manual handling practice
Consideration of the manual handling activities that Mrs Smith requires
Moving Mrs Smith
Bed manoeuvres

12 Breaking bad news
Introduction
What is bad news?
How to break bad news

13 Last offices
Introduction
Last offices

PART 4 MEDICINE MANAGEMENT

14 The legal, ethical and professional aspects of medicines management
Introduction
The legal aspects of medicines management
Professional practice
The capacity to consent
Record-keeping

15 The administration of medicines
Introduction
General safety issues
Basic pharmacology
Drug calculations
Routes of drug administration
Complementary medicine

16 Medication errors, drug storage and controlled drugs
Introduction
Medication errors
The storage of medication
Controlled drugs

PART 5 CARE MANAGEMENT

17 Observations
Introduction
Observations

18 Early Warning Scores – the early detection of deterioration
What is the Early Warning Score?
Calculating the EWS
EWS – taking action
The outreach team
Documentation
Observations in today’s working environment

19 Airway management and life support
Airway management
Basic life support
Advanced life support

20 Pre- and post-operative care
Introduction
Pre-operative care
Post-operative care

21 Specimen collection and infection control
Introduction
Infection control
Specimen collection

Appendix: Essential Skills Clusters (ESCs) for Pre-registration Nursing Programmes

List of abbreviations

Glossary

Index

Table of Contents