Book Review
Principles of biomedical engineering for nursing staff
Hans A. Von Der Mosel
ISBN: 978-0632037889 1994 209 pages Blackwell Science Inc
Jenny Hardy
Australian Catholic University
In an ever changing technological environment, it is essential that health care professionals be both well prepared and remain expertly informed. However, the rapid advances in biomedical and information technologies make this difficult. The demand on time and content in undergraduate curricula often results in the situation indicated by Hans Von der Mosel, in the preface of the book, that not all nursing courses provide information, practical instruction or promote an understanding of the technology used in medical care.
The book aims to render assistance in understanding the principles underlying the function of everyday equipment used by nurses. I believe this aim is achieved. The book begins with an introduction to electricity, stated simply and well explained. A section on how to avoid accidents is followed by a series of examples, beginning with an attention gaining case study on unsafe practices using cardiac monitoring equipment, leading to a child's death.
The book is further divided into two parts, one each on diagnostic and therapeutic equipment. Each part is organised in a clear and concise way. Diagnostic and therapeutic equipment is explored under the following headings: principles of operation; equipment care; daily safety check; application hints; hazards and general remarks. Each topic is addressed simply, without any excess use of technical terminology. Chapter 6 on electrocardiographs includes under the heading of principles of operation, an explanation of cardiac electrophysiology. This feature only appears in this chapter and is one of the few faults in this book.
Each chapter would benefit from the same approach, that is, simple but accurate information on both biological and physical science principles underlying the operation of the equipment. Other problems for Australian readers include the extensive use of non- English and difficult to obtain references. I also have a concern about the lack of recent references in this reprint and use of anonymous sources. There are many topics that the reader may wish to explore further and in more detail, but the references do not help.
The index is clear and easy to use, containing relevant subheadings on the topics contained in the book. Using this book for a specific audience of undergraduate nursing students studying technology and nursing, I found the lack of detail in underlying scientific principles, at times frustrating. However, further explanations or detailing of specific principles would have detracted from the attractiveness of the simple and concise approach.
To me this is where the importance of relevant and obtainable references is significant. This book fills a gap in the area of technology and nursing, there are few if any (I have not been able to find any) that approach the topic in a manner that appeals to an audience who want a direct and simple explanation of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment. This book could be useful as a text for undergraduate nursing students and a handbook for clinical nurses.
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