Book Review
Westmead Pocket Anaesthetic Manual
Anthony Padley
ISBN: 0-074708-61-9; 2000; 488 pages; McGraw-Hill Australia;
Darren Gray
Clinical Nurse Consultant (Anaesthesia), Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA
The Westmead Pocket Anaesthetic Manual is a text that is truly 'pocket sized' in its presentation, easily fitting into the pocket of theatre scrubs, for immediate access. This form of access is important because it responds to the immediate nature and scope of the practice area in a deliberately practical and convincingly way. This book, through its nature and scope, covers a wide variety of anaesthesia and anaesthesia-related topics, alphabetically listed, ranging from AAA repair to Xenon. It will be of use and benefit to nurses working in the area as well as nurses who might, through the nature of their employment, from time to time venture into these settings. This manual is a compilation of the following: Pharmacological agents used in anaesthesia; Emergency medications, including dilution concentrations, and infusion rates; Anaesthesia-specific equipment and consumables; Anaesthesia techniques, both general and regional, including implications/considerations; and Important haematological and biochemical ranges.
The manual at times uses a variety of 'products'-generated names when describing specific equipment utilised in anaesthesia. The use of 'generic' or descriptive names would be more suitable for the wider population that this manual is intended for. Some of the fundamental aspects of anaesthesia practice, for example, the anatomical and procedural application of cricoid pressure, are omitted. In the author's defence, it would be nearly impossible to include all the aspects of anaesthesia practice in a conveniently sized reference manual. Nevertheless, it would be good for the authors to take this criticism into consideration should a second volume be forthcoming. In addition and for ease of use, some topics within this manual have been cross-referenced. This improves the readability and navigational aspects of the manual. However, cross-referencing with the appropriate page numbers might be useful, but is definitely not detrimental to the presentation of this book.
The applications for use of this manual are endless. For the beginner to anaesthesia, this book is great in providing a basic understanding about a certain topic, acting as a starting point for further, more in depth investigation. For the more experienced anaesthesia practitioner, the manual provides an invaluable refresher about the numerous aspects/practices in anaesthesia. It must be noted that this manual was never intended as an all-encompassing anaesthesia textbook. Therefore, for a more detailed explanation of pharmacological and other material, a traditional textbook would still need to be consulted.
Overall I found this manual a useful and pleasantly presented book, which adequately provides descriptions on most aspects of anaesthesia practice.
eContent Home
