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Book Review
Advanced Critical Care Oncology
Cynthia C Chernecky & Barbara J Berger
ISBN: 0-721668-60-7 1998 736 pages Harcourt Brace & Company
Ann Allenby
Nurse Manager, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute
It is refreshing to see the high-dependency end of cancer nursing acknowledged in such a comprehensive text. This book is structured as a reference text that enables the nurse to readily access information on many of the common and not so common cancer complications.
The first chapter, which frames subsequent chapters, spends time addressing the ethical issues and dilemmas that surround the high-dependency end of cancer care. The dilemmas in ethical decision making that are relevant in the North American scene are the same as those being debated in the Australian health care scene; for example, euthanasia, informed consent, clinical trials, and alternative therapies. Obviously, the influence of resource allocation on ethical decision making is increasingly entering the debate, which possibly could have been a focus in this chapter. In all, 42 cancer complications are discussed in the subsequent chapters, ranging from spinal cord compression to broncholitis obliterans.
Each chapter is structured in a way that enhances the speed at which information can be accessed. Assessment, monitoring intervention sections are discussed using a systems approach. Sections on education and anticipated client/family questions and possible answers are included. While this could be seen as prescriptive it can provide valuable information for the less-experienced nurse. Integral to each chapter are the discharge and follow up components of care. This information is handy when each complication is considered in isolation; however, many complications do not exist alone as there is often another complication, symptom or treatment side effect to consider in the complete care of the person's experience.
Treatment drugs and doses are mentioned and, while largely consistent with Australian practice, there are minor differences. Efforts to encompass the paediatric scene in this text are generally limited to a brief few sentences in each complication described. This text is therefore more relevant to the care of the adult with cancer.
The book would be a welcome addition to any cancer or palliative care clinical setting's reference library, particularly for the less-commonly encountered complications. In addition, it would be handy for those studying a subject that covers cancer complications at a tertiary level. The inclusion of self-test questions could be useful to those who like self-test strategies. However, some of the laboratory values and drug differences renders some questions irrelevant for Australian nurses.
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