Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach

This highly regarded resource is the only book available to provide comprehensive clinical content tailored specifically to perianesthesia nurses. The new fourth edition of this standard text carefully integrates nursing and pharmacologic interventions with detailed pathophysiology. Focusing on research, documentation, and psychosocial considerations, it provides a complete resource for practice and serves as outstanding preparation for ASPAN certification.

• Important information is provided on the current policies and issues affecting perianesthesia nursing practice.
• In-depth coverage of pathophysiology for all body systems is integrated with nursing and pharmacologic interventions.
• Discussions of the various types of anesthetic agents include the physiology of action and the appropriate nursing interventions to be anticipated in the PACU.
• Advice on special considerations is included for patients with conditions such as malignant hyperthermia, substance abuse, sickle cell anemia, and cardiac arrest.
• IV agents and regional anesthesia are comprehensively discussed.

Eight new chapters provide updated content on:

• the use and educational implications of anesthesia simulators (Chapter 4).
• managed care and its impact on perianesthesia nursing (Chapter 5).
• legal issues surrounding perianesthesia care (Chapter 6).
• the most critical ethical considerations of the PACU (Chapter 7).
• the most important physiologic considerations related to fluid, electrolytes, and acid-base balance (Chapter 12).
• the details of patient evaluation and preparation from the preoperative perspective (Chapter 24).
• aspects of perianesthesia care for the laser/laparoscopic surgical patient (Chapter 44).
• types of bioterrorism and the impact bioterrorism could have on the PACU (Chapter 52).