Jones & Bartlett

A leadership guide for combination fire departments.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs commissioned this guide for administrative personnel on how to develop combination fire and advanced life support EMS departments within the community. Windisch, an EFO and CFO, teamed with Crosby (no affiliation listed) to edit these articles on implementing EMS services into existing services, using contributions from several fire chiefs and emergency response coordinators who were able to achieve seamless transitions in their own departments. The planning and training phases are covered in great detail, along with tips on how to establish new standards and procedures, secure public financing, obtain proper insurance and develop new human resource procedures. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Legal essentials of health care administration.

When, exactly, does a health care professional commit murder? Consultant Pozgar gives administrators a strong review of the basic issues behind local and federal laws regulating hospitals and other purveyors of health care, describing the sources of law and its enforcement, tort law (and tort reform and risk reduction), criminal aspects of health care, patient safety and zero tolerance. He explains how contracts work including those for work), labor relations (including employment, discipline and discharge), civil procedure and trial practice, corporate structure and liability, legal aspects of medical practice (including an entire chapter on nursing and the law), liability by departments and health care professionals, managed care and organizational restructuring, information management and records, legal reporting requirements, patient consent and privacy, health care ethics, and professional liability insurance. Two of his chapters deal specifically with legal issues relating to HIV/AIDS and reproduction. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Little black book of pulmonary medicine.

Ringel (community and family medicine, Dartmouth Medical School) takes the guesswork out of pulmonary medicine by breaking it down into its logical and practical bits, starting with an introduction to approaching a patient with a wide range of symptoms of pulmonary disease. He provides a comprehensive list of pulmonary diagnostic testing techniques, along with a full description of pulmonary therapeutics, including those related to complications of surgery. He includes airway diseases, pulmonary infectious diseases, diffuse parenchymal lung disease, adult respiratory distress syndrome, acute lung injury, pleural disease, neuromuscular and ventilator control conditions, and pulmonary vascular disease. In each he provides full references, terminology, prognosis, information on imaging, and full treatment protocols. The index is outstanding. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Managed care; what it is and how it works, 3d ed.

To those who contend that "managed care" is a contradiction in terms, physician and consultant Kongstvedt would argue that rising costs, advances in technology, and evolving trends have made virtually all health care managed care, requiring understanding and objectivity rather than vilification. In this edition, which he has fully updated to address new approaches, policies and research, he describes the origins of managed health care, the types of managed care organizations and integrated health care delivery systems, network management and reimbursement systems, the management of medical utilization and quality, internal operations, the impact of Medicare and Medicaid, and the process of regulation and accreditation in managed care. He includes new sections on pay-for-performance, consumer-directed health plans, new approaches to care management, and advances in information technology along with the effects of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. His glossary is particularly helpful. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Medical and psychosocial aspects of chronic illness and disability, 4th ed.

This update of the 2005 edition of a text/reference for students and non-medial professionals who work with individuals with chronic illnesses and disabilities reflects a shift in thinking of illness and disability in terms of diagnosis, impairment, and cure to an emphasis on functional ability. Falvo (rehabilitation counseling and psychology, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine) and several contributors provide historical, medical, psychosocial, and vocational perspectives on conditions including cancer, hearing loss, irritable bowel syndrome, and psychiatric disabilities. Appendices feature medical terminology, information on prescribing medication, and glossaries of medical terms and diagnostic procedures. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Neoplasms; principles of development and diversity.

Do neoplasms have properties that are not found in normal cells? Can tumors occur spontaneously without any external cause? What is a stem cell tumor? These are among the questions posed by Berman, a pathologist who studied and taught cancer for 36 years at a number of institutions. He offers a textbook and reference for researchers, residents, and medical students that describes all the different forms of neoplasia and develops a neoplasm classification that simplifies how scientists from many different fields may think about complex cancer phenomena. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Nursing ethics and professional responsibility in advanced practice.

Grace (ethics and adult health, Boston College, Massachusetts) focuses consideration of nursing ethics on the specific issues facing advanced practice nurses. Issues addressed include: decision-making, privacy and confidentiality, human rights and professional advocacy for ethical healthcare environments, relationships with colleagues and allied health professionals, and the ethical treatment of human research subjects. In the final seven chapters, advanced practice nurses address specific ethical issues affecting their specialty area. Those areas are: neonatal, pediatrics, women's health, adult health, psychiatric, nurse anesthesia, gerontology, and end-of-life issues. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Organizational behavior, theory, and design in health care.

Can a better application of organizational theory improve the healthcare industry? Borkowski (health policy and management, Florida International U.) certainly believes so, and provides students, as well as managers and other professionals an analysis of the theories and concepts of organizational behavior and organizational theory within the context of the healthcare industry. Working at the level of individuals, she shows how organizational behavior applies to health care, describing content and process theories of motivation, theories of power and influence, theories of leadership, and comments on the diversity in health care along with a prevailing attitudes and perceptions. She describes intrapersonal and interpersonal issues such a stress and conflict management, then examines the workings of groups and teams and the process of organizational change. She also describes theories, strategies, and structures within organizational structures. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Paramedic; calculations for medication administration.

Designed with the math-challenged in mind, this textbook provides an accessible introduction to fractions, decimals, percentages, proportions, conversion factors, and rate-dependent and weight-based calculations, and then applies those skills to complicated problems that might be encountered in pre-hospital settings. Over 700 practice problems are included throughout the book; many address pediatric dose calculations. The authors include descriptions of related principles and terminology, as well as tips and hints for approaching the problems. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Paramedic; pharmacology applications.

Elling and Elling (both: EMS, Hudson Valley Community College, New York) presents this text for paramedics in training on the administration of medications for various emergencies. The fifteen chapters are organized by the nature of the emergency, e.g. trauma, cardiovascular, endocrine, allergic and anaphylactic, environmental, obstetric, neonatal, and geriatric. The most common problems within each category and the possible pharmacologic responses are addressed in concise but detailed text, accompanied by illustrations on administration, case studies, and tips on special needs patients. The end of each chapter contains a medication review and a summary of the essential information. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Physical therapist's business practice and legal guide.

In this legal guide for physical therapists Nicholson (a former physical therapist now a litigation attorney defending health care providers) focuses on avoiding catastrophic mistakes that can lead to litigation and how health care providers can avoid and identify frivolous lawsuits by maintaining an ethical and professional code. The author believes that true catastrophic claims occur on a relatively rare basis, and she covers such subjects as malpractice insurance, documentation, liabilities within specific health care environments and employment law to help professionals avoid, endure and survive lawsuits. The laws governing practice ownership, business entities and tort reform are also discussed for therapists who run independent practices. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Practical applications in sports nutrition, 2d ed.

Intended for students in dietetics, exercise science, athletic training programs, and sports medicine, this textbook explores the relationship among essential nutrients, energy metabolism, and optimal sports performance. The first half of the book covers sports nutrition fundamentals such as: nutrients, fats, proteins and carbohydrates while the second half addresses practical application and includes sections on communicating with athletes about nutrition, weight management, and jobs in sports nutrition. The second edition updates guidelines from professional organizations regarding physical activity and weight management and includes expanded sections on food labeling bioenergetics and proteins role in recovery, as well as updated information on current hot topics such as the glycemic index, carbohydrate loading, metabolic water and supplements. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Public health leadership; putting principles into practice, 2d ed.

Rowitz updates his 2001 edition of this text considering theories in leadership in general and its applications to public health specifically for students and professionals. The first section describes leadership principles and the public health system as well as five levels of public health leadership. The middle sections discuss the core functions model, leadership skills as they relate to technology and modern issues, and personal evaluation and the evaluation of leadership programs. The final section considers emerging public health trends. Each chapter combines theory with case studies and exercises. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Python programming in context.

A direct competitor to Java, this user-friendly, object-oriented language is quickly becoming popular amongst students and instructors because it is an ideal first language. This beginning text introduces fundamental programming and problem-solving concepts to students beginning computer science while covering version 3.0. Practitioners Miller and Ranum include a range of exercises, making this also suitable for self-study, as they cover committed elements, naming objects, abstraction, and repetition. They explain why Python is named Python, the math module, codes and other secrets, the Python Collections (including storing data for processing, simple dispersion, general tendency, and frequency distribution), Pycture Perfect programs, data mining through cluster analysis, and cryptonalysis, then concentrate on applications in fractals, astronomy, simulation, geometry, and even video games. The result is easy to read and easy to apply in or out of the classroom. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Stallcup's electrical design, 2008 ed.; based on the NEC and related standards.

This dense workbook explains the purpose of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and applies it to the design and installation of electrical wiring systems and equipment. Black and white drawings illustrate working clearances, conductor selection, grounding rules, the placement of outlets in a room, the elements of a motor system, load calculation, transformer protection, and hazardous locations. The third edition reflects the 2008 NEC. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Teaching strategies for health education and health promotion; working with patients, families, and communities.

This collection is a resource for healthcare professionals intended to assist them in both the education and treatment of their patients. The basis of this book is to help professionals understand how people of all ages and backgrounds learn about health — and how to help patients, families, and communities understand, manage, and prevent illness. Editors Lowenstein (Health Professions Education Doctoral Program, Simmons College), Foord-May (Physical therapy, Simmons College), and Romano (education specialist, Children's Hospital Boston) and their more than 30 specialist co-contributors discuss both successful and unsuccessful efforts in patient and family education. Authors utilize both theoretical discussions and case histories. The chapters cover a range of topics, from methods for working with cultural diversity and teaching tools for patients with specific illnesses to mental health and reproductive issues. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Understanding environmental health; how we live in the world.

Maxwell (environmental health, Boston U.) offers an introductory text for public health graduate students on environmental health, organized by health hazards, rather than traditional regulatory fields. She addresses the hazards of energy production, industry, food production, infectious disease, and communities, as well as the fundamental science and methods of the field. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Urban health; readings in the social, built, and physical environments of U.S. cities.

The 13 articles in this volume consider urban environments in the US and the resulting social inequality, health disparity, and environmental injustice. Scholars and practitioners of sociology, health sciences, social sciences, and environmental and public health in the US address social problems such as violent crime, health, and poverty and racial factors; housing, urban sprawl, and obesity and physical activity; and pollution, toxic waste, and effects on people of lower income or color, with many articles proposing solutions. Hynes and Lopez (Boston U. School of Public Health) aim the book at students, scholars, and policy makers and leaders in nonprofit organizations. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)