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The Fifth Edition of High Acuity Nursing delivers essential understanding of complex patients and instructs both students and nurses on how to provide nursing care in varied clinical settings. Broken down into a series of learner-focused modules, High Acuity Nursing takes complex information and presents it in smaller, more accessible chunks that promote easier mastery by readers.

As the modules progress in difficulty, this text addresses the multiple-system problems that nurses face when caring for high acuity patients. With a focus on concepts and principles that can be applied across practice settings and patient populations, High Acuity Nursing, Fifth Edition is a learner-friendly approach that will help nurses and nursing students master the concepts and confidence necessary to succeed in today’s health care settings.

Kathleen Wagner EdD, MSN, RN is a lecturer in the Undergraduate Program in the College of Nursing at the University of Kentucky. As a nurse educator, she teaches pathopharmacology and high-acuity nursing at the undergraduate level. She is also the Educational Consultant for the Undergraduate Program at the University of Kentucky. She has a doctorate in Instructional Systems Design with a focus on learning transfer and case method instruction. 

 

Karen Johnson PhD, RN is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing and Director of Nursing, Research & Evidence-based Practice at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

 

Melanie Hardin-Pierce DNP, RN, ACNP-BC is an assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, where she teaches in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at the University of Kentucky studying oral health in mechanically ventilated patients. She is a board certified acute care nurse practitioner who practices as a critical care intensivist in Central Baptist Hospital, Lexington. She is primary investigator in funded research that examines inflammation, cardiovascular function and weaning outcomes in mechanically ventilated adults.

Part I Special Topics

Module 1         High Acuity Nursing

Module 2         Holistic Care of the High Acuity Patient and Family (NEW)

Module 3         The Older Adult High Acuity Patient (NEW)

Module 4         Acute Pain in the High Acuity Patient

 

Part II  Hematologic (Cellular Function)

Module 5         Determinants and Assessment of Hematologic Function (NEW)

Module 6         Alterations in Red Blood Cell Function and Hemostasis (NEW)

Module 7         Alterations in White Blood Cell Function  (NEW)

Module 8         Alteration in Immune Response: Solid Organ and Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation

 

Part III  Pulmonary Gas Exchange

Module 9         Determinants and Assessment of Pulmonary Gas Exchange      

Module 10        Alterations in Pulmonary Gas Exchange

Module 11        Supporting Pulmonary Gas Exchange: Mechanical Ventilation

 

Part IV   Cardiac Output

Module 12         Determinants and Assessment of Cardiac Output

Module 13         Assessment of Hemodynamic Status: Hemodynamic Monitoring

Module 14         Assessment of Cardiac Rhythm: Basic Electrocardiographic Rhythm Interpretation

Module 15         Alterations in Cardiac Output

Module 16         Alterations in Myocardial Tissue Perfusion

 

Part V  Tissue Perfusion

Module 17         Determinants and Assessment of Oxygen Delivery and Oxygen Consumption

Module 18         Alterations in Oxygen Delivery and Consumption: Shock States

Module 19         Alterations in Tissue Perfusion: Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome

 

Part VI  Sensory Motor

Module 20         Determinants and Assessment of Cerebral Tissue Perfusion

Module 21         Alteration in Cerebral Tissue Perfusion: Acute Brain Attack

Module 22         Alteration in Sensory Perceptual Disorders: Acute Head Injury

Module 23         Alteration in Sensory Perceptual Function: Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Module 24         Sensory Motor Complications of Acute Illness (NEW)

 

Part VII  Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

Module 25         Determinants and Assessment of Fluid and Electrolyte Balance (NEW)

Module 26         Alterations in Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

Module 27         Alteration in Renal Function: Renal Failure

 

Part VIII  Metabolic: Regulation of Internal Environment

Module 28         Determinants and Assessment of Gastrointestinal, Hepatic, and Pancreatic Function (NEW)

Module 29         Alterations in Gastrointestinal Function

Module 30         Alterations in Hepatic Function

Module 31         Alterations in Pancreatic Function

 

Part IX  Metabolic: Nutrition

Module 32         Determinants and Assessment of Nutrition and Metabolic Function (NEW)

Module 33         Alterations in Metabolism

Module 34         Alterations in Glucose Metabolism

Module 35         Determinants and Assessment of Injury (NEW)

Module 36         Alterations in Skin Integrity: Complex Wound Management

Module 37         Alteration in Skin Integrity: Acute Burn Injury

Module 38         Alteration in Multisystem Function: Multiple Trauma