Book Review
Body works - Physics and chemistry for nurses
Paul Strube
ISBN: 978-0-7248-0113-8 1994 283 pages Prentice Hall Sydney
Judith E Batts
Australian Catholic University, Sydney NSW
Judgements about how much physics and chemistry, nurses need to know are many and varied. I believe that the physics and chemistry presented in this text is inadequate in providing a proper education to the modern nurse. From its title, it could be assumed that this book is devoted to physics and chemistry as it applies to the body. Approximately one third of its content is directly related to the description and discussion of concepts in these disciplines. The bulk of the discursive material is a potted biology with much reference to nursing and medical activities. The author justifies this by including a short case study as the focus for each chapter.
These case studies have a contrived air which may result from their being constrained to cover the intended chapter content rather than providing source material for content. Most chapters are given particular 'Ward and client care' settings. Each chapter begins with a short introduction to the material it is to cover and this is summarised in a list of objectives headed 'Chapter Outline'. Short questions at the end of each chapter encourage students to reinforce their understanding of the content. After the first chapter, no answers are given. Graphic illustrations of biological concepts and functions are numerous.
There is a glossary of terms, many of which are biological in nature. Of the few chemistry terms included, several are wrong or so simplified they are misleading. For example, the description of 'base' is wrongly equated with 'alkali' and the English expression used in the definition of 'compound' and 'molecule' leaves one puzzling over how 'one atom' might 'join together'. The index too, is not very effective or the text does not contain items normally discussed in this section. I found no listing of pH. In the text pH is discussed, but in convoluted language. Bernoulli, Venturi and Poiseuille are not mentioned in the index. The hunt for these terms in the text, took me to chapters on lung function, body fluids and the circulatory system. A Venturi mask is mentioned in the case study on page 106 but there is no follow up.
The formula for Poiseuille's Law is quoted without acknowledgment and the exemplar on rate of fluid flow governed by Bernoulli's Principle (unstated) is so wrong as to be dangerous. On a number of counts I cannot recommend this text. It contains too few of the concepts in physics and chemistry important in nursing work. The tone is condescending, the language is often stilted and too much of what is written is either misleading or wrong. I cannot agree with Paul Strube that nurses require only an 'acceptable working knowledge' of physics and chemistry. Nurses do much more than engage in practical activities. Nurses should not be sold short in what is offered. They have every right to expect that those concepts put before them are properly derived and logically developed to the point where they, the nurses, can see their application and relevance in every part of their work. The simplistic approach which begins with the complex application in nursing, and then skims across the conceptual peaks with little indication of the conceptual sub-structure, is an insult to nursing and the intellectual capability of nurses.
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