Caring for the Seriously Ill Patient 2E

Book excerpt: As more critically ill patients are cared for on acute general wards rather than in ICUs, many nurses are having to cope with the particular problems of very sick patients without the specialist knowledge of an ICU trained nurse. This book considers the key issues surrounding the critical patient's care in the acute general hospital. The anatomy and physiology of each body system is explored, looking at the major associated conditions and illnesses and how the patient is assessed and monitored.