The nursing profession has undergone major changes
in the past decades, and the pace of change seems to
accelerate daily. We are firmly in the new millennium
while moving from our former role of defending nursing
as a profession to our present pivotal role in health care
despite the shortages. Focusing on human beings in their
respective environments with their unique health-care
needs that are addressed through nursing care is vitally
important with our rapidly expanding knowledge base
and the dynamic changes continually occurring in health
care. In essence, our quest in our respective nursing roles
is to expand knowledge, become involved within the
profession and in interdisciplinary health care, utilize
evidence-based practice and expanding technologies,
and broaden the vision of professional practice.
This book is directed to the RN student returning to
school. The intent is to provide you, the practicing
RN, with professional concepts to advance your practice.
These concepts build on your prior nursing education,
and their application will greatly enhance your professional
practice and growth. The aim is to engage you
intellectually in an ongoing professional dialogue and
journey with your peers, colleagues, and instructors;
broaden your professional development; and build on
your preexisting knowledge and experiences. You, the
RN student, are challenged to delve further into professional
education and conceptual practice. The book is
written for the adult learner with the characteristics of
self-direction, prior experiences, applicability to practice,
and motivation to meet the challenge to expand his
or her knowledge base.
The fourth edition has been updated but is still
divided into five sections. As with the previous editions,
each chapter contains chapter objectives, key
terms, key points, chapter exercises to assist in meeting
each of the chapter objectives, references, online
resources, and bibliographical sources. Interactive
exercises have been extended from the third edition
and are provided on an Intranet site to truly engage
the adult learner progressing through the content.
The book’s Intranet site also houses a, thorough glossary
of terms, important Internet links, discussion
sections, and bonus information as Web lessons in
presentation graphics with interactive challenges and
Web links.