Critical Care Nursing in Resource Limited Environments

by Chris Carter

Overview

All hospitals have critically ill patients, and their management depends upon the resources available. In many low income countries, critically ill patients may be admitted to a critical care unit; however, many are nursed on wards due to a lack of critical care beds or simply die before they reach the hospital.

This book provides guidance on the unique situations for nurses working in these challenging environments, while considering ethical decision-making, providing appropriate services, and the types of patients admitted. Topics covered include:

• working in a resource limited environment;
• cultural awareness and international agendas;
• provision and access to healthcare services;
• ethical considerations in the context of resource limited environments;
• best practice and knowledge regarding rehabilitation, pain management, managing a major incident;
• relevant research concerning resource limited environments.

Critical Care Nursing in Resource Limited Environments prepares readers to consider how best to utilise their skills and deliver safe patient care within a resource limited context. Each easy-to-read chapter provides core knowledge and relevant research, as well as useful ideas and solutions, with further reading sections to signpost readers to key international resources. This text provides practical ideas for nurses working in critical care and defence nursing, and acute areas in resource limited environments. It can also be used to support educational courses and pre-deployment training for nurses hoping to work in Global Health.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781351605137
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/05/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	356
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

Chris Carter is a Major in Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, where he has had roles as a practitioner and as an educator. He is currently a nurse lecturer at the Defence School of Healthcare Education, Department of Healthcare Education, Birmingham City University, UK. Major Carter chairs the Royal College of Nursing Defence Nursing Forum.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Expect the unexpected

2. Working in a resource limited environment

3. Cultural awareness and sensitivities Sue Viveash

4. International agendas

5. Access and provision of healthcare services

6. Providing critical care in resource limited environments

7. Critical care equipment

8. Environmental and infection prevention control considerations

9. Managing a major incident in critical care

10. Ethical considerations and mission creep

11. Recognition of the acutely ill patient

12. Oxygen therapy and monitoring

13. Mechanical ventilation

14. Sepsis and septic shock

15. HIV

16. Tuberculosis

17. Tropical medicine

18. Malaria

19. Tetanus

20. Cholera

21. Sickle cell anaemia

22. Principles of trauma care

23. Principles of burns care

24. Surgical care

25. Principles of wound care

26. Surgical site infection

27. Pain management

28. Women’s health

29. Paediatrics

30. Organophosphate poisoning

31. Snake and scorpion bites

32. Hypertension

33. Diabetic keto-acidosis

34. Resuscitation

35. Useful calculations

36. Rehabilitation and physiotherapy

37. Nutrition

38. Sharing best practice and knowledge

39. Conducting audit and research in resource limited environments

Editorial Reviews

"The book is purposeful, practical and a model of professionalism. The author never resorts to the sensationalism or sentimentalism that pervades the literature from the global north about nursing in low-income countries. The author has a dispassionate style that is rational and mindful of the need to provide unequivocal information. The single-author approach has given the book a consistent style of writing that avoids overlap and repetition. The clinical content is as detailed as possible and contains many guidelines, and black and white pictures and photographs. The references are superb and contain a considerable amount of evidence and information about a fledgling topic. The book describes the phenomenon of global health and provides some justification for the growing number of critical care units in low-income countries. Another worthy feature of the book is the information about defence nursing and the type of resource-limited environments that confront the military."

David Muir. PhD Candidate, University of Hull

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Cynthia Cummings, EdD, RN, CHSE, CNE (University of North Florida Brooks College of Health)
Description: The book discusses how to care for critically ill patients in areas with limited resources. It provides a wealth of information on various disorders and includes helpful information on medications, trauma, poisoning, infections, and various other situations that nurses may encounter in underserved areas.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide information to nurses who may find themselves in areas with limited healthcare resources. The book provides resources and suggestions on conditions with which readers may not be familiar. There is a great deal of worthwhile information in this book.
Audience: The audience is nurses interested in working in low-income or underserved healthcare communities. The author is a practitioner and educator who has served in the Royal Army Nursing Corps and presently chairs the Defence Nursing Forum.
Features: The book covers working in a resource-limited environment, cultural awareness, access and provision of healthcare, best practices, and research concerns. The best aspects of the book are the practical tips, such as how to get clean water, what types of infections may be seen in a certain area and how to treat them, the different concentrations of medications, etc. The book has many pictures and tables.
Assessment: This informative book is a great resource for anyone interested in caring for patients in low-income and low-resource areas. The practical tips are wonderful, including many things that nurses may never think to consider. Every nurse who considers going into the medical mission field or serving in an underdeveloped area should have this book. It would prove invaluable.

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