• Fast access to concise, targeted information on all essential aspects of critical care nursing
• Written by experienced specialist nurses and packed full of up-to-the minute guidance and information
• Patient-centred, evidence-based, and in line with the latest guidelines
• An indispensable companion for practising and senior student nurses in a variety of care-settings
• Features strong emphasis on communication, team working and collaboration
• Includes newer aspects of critical care such as critical care outreach, major incident, and flu pandemic planning

The Oxford Handbook of Critical Care Nursing has been written as a handy reference guide for nurses who are new to the critical care area, as well as a reminder for those with more experience. Each section provides an overview of individual problems, and the related physiology and level of knowledge required to deal with them. The book sets the context for nursing within a continuum of critical care starting from early recognition of acute deterioration and the need for critical care outreach, through to patient outcomes and their follow-up, and evaluation of care post-discharge. Nursing specific skills are highlighted with a holistic approach to patients and their families. Reflecting best practice, this book provides the essence of what is important to the delivery of highly skilled and caring critical care nursing, in an easy to access and readable format. Providing the nurse at the bedside with the answers to many day-to-day problems experienced when caring for critically ill patients, this is also a guide to some of the less commonly encountered issues, such as planning for major incidents and epidemics.

Readership: Aimed at general intensive care nursing course students, nurses working in general intensive and high-dependency units, more experienced critical care nurses, and allied health professionals.

1. The critical care continuum 2. The critical care environment 3. The patient in the critical care environment 4. Nursing skills to support critical care patients 5. Cardiovascular monitoring 6. Respiratory monitoring 7. Neurological monitoring 8. Laboratory monitoring 9. Miscellaneous monitoring 10. Respiratory support 11. Caring for the patient on IPPV 12. Cardiac disorders 13. Neurological care 14. Renal disorders 15. Gastrointestinal dysfunction and nutrition 16. SIRS, sepsis, and multiple organ dysfunction 17. Trauma 18. The major incident and critical care 19. Haematology 20. Immunological disorders 21. Metabolic disorders 22. Obstetric emergencies 23. Poisoning 24. Evaluating the effects of critical care