Nursing Know-How

Reviewer: Noelle Catherine Lottes, RN, MSN, CFNP(Purdue University School of Nursing)
Description: This book discusses the anatomy and physiology, assessment, and normal and abnormal findings of the cardiac and respiratory systems.
Purpose: It is intended as a guide to the latest techniques for evaluating heart and breath sounds.
Audience: The audience seems to shift. At first, I would have said undergraduate nursing students are the intended audience because the book discusses how to choose and use a stethoscope. However, as the book went on, the material was covered in more depth, so much so that I would say the book could be for all levels of nursing.
Features: The book does a nice job covering the heart and breath sounds and explaining them. The CD-ROM is a nice addition, and the book includes a table of contents for that as well. The diagrams, although not high quality color, serve their purpose.
Assessment: This book is very thorough. It would be a great resource for any nursing student, at any level, as well as for nursing faculty who teach these students. It offers a more in-depth look at the two major systems, which is important for nursing education.